What term refers to arousing pity and fear in an audience?Group of answer choicesCatharsisPity PartyEmotingChanneling

The term that refers to arousing pity and fear in an audience is Catharsis. Catharsis is derived from Ancient Greek, meaning "cleansing" or "purification." In the context of literature and drama, particularly in Aristotle's Poetics, catharsis describes the emotional release that the audience experiences through vicarious involvement in the events of a play. When characters undergo significant suffering, the audience feels pity for them and fear for the potential consequences, which can lead to an emotional release or purification as they resolve these feelings by the end of the narrative. This process is crucial for the fulfillment of the audience's emotional engagement and enhances the overall impact of the story being told.