Shelley the Tragedian: Differing Modes of Catharsis in Prometheus Unbound and the Cenci

The primary purpose of this paper is to reflect on Percy B. Shelley’s understanding of catharsis, the most beneficial and sought after purpose of tragedies. Much of this thesis will also consider Shelley as a translator, to help better understand how Shelley viewed and understood the Greek texts. The first chapter will compare the many definitions or "modes" of catharsis, including those outlined by Plato and Aristotle, and how they manifest in Shelley's dramas. Chapters 1 and 3 will examine how Shelley's two plays compare to a conventional understanding of tragic structure, drawing on Aristotle's Poetics. Chapters 1 and 3 will also consider Shelley’s Platonism and how they might have influenced Shelley’s understanding of poetry, and catharsis itself. Using Shelley’s Defence of Poetry, Chapters 2 and 4 will examine Shelley's views on the moral and affective purposes of poetry. It will also examine Shelley's concept of divine inspiration, as it relates to "Apollonian" and "Dionysian" catharsis.