Open AccessTherapeutic Effects of Poetry During Lockdown: Using Catharsis and Expressive Art Theory in Context to Students and Women
Author(s) -
Priyansh Raghuwanshi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the creative launcher
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2455-6580
DOI - 10.53032/tcl.2021.6.1.02
Subject(s) - catharsis , poetry , feeling , context (archaeology) , psychology , expression (computer science) , reading (process) , aesthetics , sociology , social psychology , psychoanalysis , literature , art , history , law , political science , archaeology , computer science , programming language
Poetry is a personal expression of experiences and repressed feelings put into words. It can be a therapeutic and cathartic process for people struggling with psychological issues. The arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic forced the governments to shut down the economies and enforce lockdowns. When this fear of a virus, the anxiety of uncertainty, and broadcasting of deaths on news channels began, the ability of the brightest minds to comprehend the situation started failing them. The usage of social media added to the troubles of the youth. In such a situation, people started going back to their areas of interest, this included attempts to go back to the love of painting, singing, reading writing, etc. Writing, specifically taken, helped people express their repressed feelings during tough times. This paper attempts to find the answers to 3 questions; (i) How poetry brought out the repressed emotions of people stuck at home during lockdown? (ii) For people who write poetry, does it become an involuntary response when they are disturbed? (iii) Are all types of poetry therapeutic? The psychological state of mind of people during lockdown and the change in their behaviour after writing poetry will be analyzed through the expressive theory of art and catharsis.