Office Hours: Mimesis vs. Catharsis – Two Ways to Read (and Teach) Great Books

In this discussion, we’ll be digging up two old and dusty words: mimesis and catharsis. One, mimesis, describes a process of imitation. The other, catharsis, names the feeling of release or “purging” caused by vicarious experience. We’ll be looking at what these terms have to do with the reading experience, and how they might influence the way we teach Great Books.