catharsis

Catharsis, from the Greek katharsis (meaning “purification”), is a dramatic term signifying the purging of pent up emotion. Some scholars believe Aristotle felt the purpose of drama was to create a catharsis for the audience, but the term is more frequently applied to a dramatic change in the protagonist of a story.

An example of catharsis is a scene in Good Will Hunting, in which the stoic Will Hunting is confronted by his therapist, realizes he’s been blaming himself his entire life for the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father, and finally breaks down in tears.