"Tragedy is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character."
It explores tragic plays, like those by Athenian playwrights such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
Greek Tragedy: An overview of the origins, themes, and structure of ancient Greek tragedy.
Aristotle's Poetics: A key text in the study of tragedy, Aristotle's Poetics outlines the key elements of tragedy, such as plot, character, and theme.
Tragic Heroes: A common feature of tragedy is the tragic hero, a character with a fatal flaw that leads to their downfall.
Hamartia: The concept of hamartia, or tragic flaw, is central to the study of tragedy.
Catharsis: The purging or cleansing of emotions through the experience of tragedy, a concept emphasized by Aristotle.
Classical Unities: The three unities of time, place, and action were seen as essential elements in classical tragedy.
Chorus: The chorus is a group of characters who comment on the action and provide moral and emotional context to the play.
Tragicomedy: A genre that blends tragedy and comedy, often featuring an ambiguous or unresolved ending.
Modern Tragedy: An exploration of how concepts of tragedy have evolved in modern literature and theater.
Shakespearean Tragedy: An analysis of the dramatic techniques and themes employed in the tragedies of William Shakespeare.
Existential Tragedy: A philosophical framework for examining tragic themes, such as the human condition, freedom, and choice.
Social Tragedy: The portrayal of social injustices and inequalities in tragedy, often highlighting the failures of society.
Feminist Tragedy: The exploration of gender roles and power dynamics in tragedy, often led by female writers and characters.
Postmodern Tragedy: An exploration of how postmodernist writers have subverted traditional tragic structures and themes.
Greek Tragedy: A type of tragedy that originated in ancient Greece and was performed in open-air theaters. Greek tragedies often revolve around mythical or historical figures and explore themes of fate, free will, and divine justice.
Shakespearean Tragedy: A type of tragedy that was popularized by William Shakespeare and his plays such as "Hamlet", "Macbeth" and "Romeo and Juliet". Shakespearean tragedies generally feature a protagonist who experiences a tragic downfall due to a fatal flaw or external circumstances beyond their control.
Revenge Tragedy: A type of tragedy that focuses on themes of revenge and justice. Characters seek vengeance for real or perceived wrongs committed against them, and their pursuit of revenge often leads to their own downfall.
Domestic Tragedy: A type of tragedy that focuses on the tragedy of common people rather than the divine or heroic figures of traditional tragedy. Domestic tragedies revolve around family relationships, love, and conflict.
Modern Tragedy: A type of tragedy that incorporates modern themes and settings. Modern tragedies often focus on the individual's struggle against a society that has lost its moral compass.
Tragicomedy: A type of tragedy that combines elements of tragedy and comedy. Tragicomedies often involve characters who struggle with difficult situations but ultimately find hope and redemption.
Political Tragedy: A type of tragedy that focuses on political power struggles and the tragic consequences that result. Political tragedies often explore themes of corruption, tyranny, and the struggle for justice.
Melodrama: A type of tragedy that emphasizes the emotional extremes of its characters. Melodramas often involve characters who are suffering from tragic events, and the story features exaggerated and theatrical emotions.
Existential Tragedy: A type of tragedy that explores the deeper questions of human existence and the human condition. Existential tragedies often focus on themes of isolation, despair, and the search for meaning in life.
Tragedy of the Commons: A type of tragedy that focuses on the tragic consequences of overuse and exploitation of shared resources. The tragedy of the commons often leads to the depletion of natural resources and environmental destruction.
"Traditionally, the intention of tragedy is to invoke an accompanying catharsis, or a 'pain [that] awakens pleasure', for the audience."
"The term has often been used to invoke a powerful effect of cultural identity and historical continuity."
"From its origins in the theatre of ancient Greece 2500 years ago..."
"There survives only a fraction of the work of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides..."
"...the later Roman tragedies of Seneca; through its singular articulations in the works of Shakespeare, Lope de Vega, Jean Racine, and Friedrich Schiller..."
"...to the more recent naturalistic tragedy of Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg; Samuel Beckett's modernist meditations on death, loss and suffering..."
"A long line of philosophers...have analysed, speculated upon, and criticised the genre."
"...tragedy has been used to make genre distinctions, whether at the scale of poetry in general... or at the scale of the drama."
"Drama, in the narrow sense, cuts across the traditional division between comedy and tragedy..."
"Both Bertolt Brecht and Augusto Boal define their epic theatre projects... against models of tragedy."
"Taxidou... reads epic theatre as an incorporation of tragic functions and its treatments of mourning and speculation."
"Tragedy... has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of Western civilization."
"Tragedy often refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of Western civilization."
"...tragedy has remained an important site of cultural experimentation, negotiation, struggle, and change."
"In the modern era, tragedy has also been defined against drama, melodrama, the tragicomic, and epic theatre."
"In the wake of Aristotle's Poetics (335 BCE), tragedy has been used to make genre distinctions..."
"A long line of philosophers... have analysed, speculated upon, and criticised the genre."
"Heiner Müller postmodernist reworkings of the tragic canon..."
"Taxidou reads epic theatre as an incorporation of tragic functions and its treatments of mourning and speculation."