The ancient Greek tragedy as a means of psychotherapy for mental patients.

Abstract

Some ancient and modern views of the beneficial effects of ancient Greek drama on the psychic processes of human beings are reported. We have used classical drama at the Dromokaition Mental Hospital as a means of psychotherapy for chronic patients since 1959. Beneficial effects noted both during the process of teaching and in performance are here described in brief. Aristotle's view that 'manics' can successfully empathize with tragic heroes and benefit from the sentiments of relief and pleasure which they derive from the events in the tragedy are explored, and the patients' own words are quoted in support of this theory. We claim that ancient drama is not merely a recreational activity for mental patients: on the contrary a unique psychotherapeutic effect is produced by the power of plot and language.