Tragedy

DEFINITION

Tragedy is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as "a play about death or suffering with a sad end, or this type of play generally" however, while this definition is very brief, it is also too short to be well understood ("Tragedy").

Tragedy is a genre in literature and drama that focuses around a noble character facing formidable external obstacles. This protagonist typically undergoes significant suffering and, ultimately, meets with failure due to their inherent flaws or weaknesses. Tragedy has deep historical ties to the world of plays and dramas, with its origins tracing back to the ancient Greek theatrical tradition ("Definition of Tragedy in Literature").

Let’s see the most important points:

•  Tragedy is a literary and dramatic genre

•  It focuses on a noble character confronting substantial, external challenges

•  The main character often goes through a lot of suffering

•  In the end, they fail because of their own flaws

•  Tragedy has its origins in ancient Greek plays and dramas

EXAMPLES

Sophocles – Oedipus Rex

It follows the titular character Oedipus, king of Thebes and a great and noble hero who saved the city in the past. As the play degenerates, Oedipus confronts a curse caused by his actions in the past (accidentally killing his father), and his hubris prevents him from acknowledging his own part in his unravelling power, wealth, and sanity. He eventually comes to learn that he has accidentally married his own mother—who commits suicide upon learning that she has married her son—and puts his own eyes out with a hairpin. Between the disastrous end and the clear tragic hero in Oedipus, Oedipus Rex fills the central tropes of Greek tragic drama ("Examples of Tragedy in Literature").

Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet fall deeply in love despite a bitter feud between their respective families. Juliet's father has set up a marriage between her and a different man, whom she does not love. Romeo and Juliet decide to get secretly married, but Romeo's efforts to halt a street fight cause the death of a friend and Romeo's subsequent banishment. In a desperate bid to rejoin Romeo, Juliet fakes her own death to leave the city. Juliet sends a message to Romeo that she is alive, but her message fails to reach him. He believes that Juliet is genuinely dead and kills himself in response ("Examples of Tragedy in Literature").