Line #78 Main/Tragedy


1	[[quoteright:211:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tragedy_6.png]]
2
3	In a sentence, you could say that Tragedy concerns itself with the [[FallenHero fall]] of a [[TheProtagonist protagonist]] due to [[TragicMistake their own mistakes]] and/or [[FatalFlaw flaws]].
4
5	As a genre, tragedy is OlderThanFeudalism. It has changed quite a bit since its conception in ancient Greece, and nowadays is a dying genre... how tragic! Soon it will be just as dead as {{Irony}}.
6
7	As you can guess from the above facetiousness, Tragedy is also as clingy as Irony and as difficult to define and apply. It's not enough to be on [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism the deeply cynical end]] and have a [[TwistEnding Twist]] or DownerEnding with plenty of {{Drama\|tropes}} and [[TrueArtIsAngsty artsy angst]] along the way, or have the hero's [[TooHappyToLive happy home life destroyed]] with a [[RapeAsDrama girlfriend raped]] and [[CynicismCatalyst a dead little sister]]; it has to be of an epic scope with inexorable and self-inflicted pain brought about for past sins. And, despite all that, it also has to give the viewer closure.
8
9	This last one is perhaps the hardest to capture correctly. After all is said and done, the audience should not feel impotent rage, [[FanonDisContinuity denial]], confusion, or [[DeusAngstMachina having been cheated]]. They should feel that the ending is a natural outcome to the hero's actions, and that in having faced punishment for those actions they [the audience] are purged of anxiety and worry. The world ''does'' make sense, the guilty ''[[KarmaHoudini are]]'' punished.
10
11	'''Creator/{{Aristotle}}'s guidelines form the basis of Tragedy, as outlined in ''Literature/{{Poetics}}''; here they are much abbreviated:'''
12
13	* Have a hero of great status and prosperity (which is why many tragic main characters are nobles or royalty), who suffers a terrible fall, usually death.
14	* The fall is brought on by his own FatalFlaw and [[WhatTheHellHero past mistakes]]. His character should be [[StaticCharacter consistent and unchanging]] to make his fall inevitable, such as being {{Pride}}ful or stubborn, or so good and persistent such that fixing his mistakes destroys him.
15	* The audience has to feel [[EmotionalTorque catharsis]] at his death, an emotional "purging" where the audience should feel relief and cleansing. Whether this catharsis is due to the [[SadistShow schadenfreude]], relief at having it better off than the character, or generally releasing pent-up anxiety is debated to this day.
16	* While you do not ''need'' TheReveal and reversal of fortune (''peripeteia'' in Greek) stemming from it, Aristotle considered those tragedies superior to those without it.
17
18	To borrow a simplifying example from ''Theatre/EducatingRita'', ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'' is generally considered a tragedy in literary terms because, throughout the play, Macbeth is warned time and time again by numerous parties (including the universe itself) that his actions will bring nothing but doom and misery upon himself and his family. However, because he is blinded by his own greed and ambition, he ignores these warnings and proceeds regardless until it is much too late to avoid catastrophe. In other words, Macbeth's terrible fate ''could'' have been avoided but is ultimately inevitable because his own character flaws have made it so. On the other hand, a man who suddenly and unexpectedly gets hit and killed by a falling tree while going about his daily business ''isn't'' usually considered a tragedy in the literary sense (although his loved ones will likely find it a tragedy in a personal sense), because the man's fate isn't preordained or a result of his own character flaws; if he'd known that being at that precise spot at that precise moment in advance would have killed him, he'd have likely chosen to take a different route. In the first example, the main character cannot escape his fate due to the circumstances he exists in and his own flaws, while, in the second, the main character's fate would have been entirely avoidable and likely avoided had he known about it in advance.
19
20	On the other hand, "tragedy" in Greek times did not need to be soul-crushingly pessimistic and have a DownerEnding; Aristotle thought the best tragic plot had TheReveal in time for him to refrain and therefore not have the downfall. In fact, the opposite of a tragedy originally was not a comedy, but rather an epic. Whereas an epic typically unfolds and "opens up" to a world of unknown horrors and delights for the hero to explore, a tragedy "closes down" on the hero, prohibiting him from anything else he may think to try until at the climax of the story he is forced into one all-important decision on which everything good or bad that may follow ultimately hinges. The story of Oedipus is a tragedy in this sense not because its ending is so horrible, but because every hope Oedipus had for escaping his cruel fate was ultimately thwarted, and because everything ultimately hinges on what he decides to do when the AwfulTruth is finally made known to him. Other tragedies from the time might present a better decision to the hero, and might end well if he chooses wisely. Eventually, however, the meaning of the term shifted; such a potentially HappyEnding precludes a work's being a tragedy nowadays.
21
22	To [[SubvertedTrope subvert]] a tragedy is complex. It's not enough to try for the spectacle of a gruesome ''Grand Guignol'' and stuff it up with {{Satire}} and [[BlackComedy dead babies]], tack on a happy ending, or pull on heartstrings with [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth dead babies]]. To subvert tragedy for real, you have to get into the cycle of [[EmotionalTorque catharsis]] and break one of the literary elements of greatness, [[{{Pride}} hubris]], [[FallenHero downfall]], or change, which is easier said than done; even the great Creator/ArthurMiller couldn't really do it (by his own admission, ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman'', while excellent, nonetheless failed in subverting the greatness element of the tragic form). Or, just make it a {{Comedy}}, which is basically the whole thing PlayedForLaughs. Though that's not really a subversion, just an interesting detail about comedy.
23
24	Common tragedies are: Greek Tragedy, Shakespearean Tragedy, and the more recent Bourgeois Tragedy. Tragedy is directly opposed to {{Comedy}}.
25
26	'''A typical Tragedy includes:'''
27	[[index]]
28	* TheBadGuyWins: SubTrope of DownerEnding in which the hero loses and only the villain(s) come out on top.
29	* BeingGoodSucks: The protagonist usually is trying to live like a good man, but past mistakes mean they have some heavy atoning to do that they can not dodge.
30	* ClassicalAntiHero: The perfect protagonist for this kind of story: considering that a key element is that the protagonist is trapped into their woeful fate by his or her own character flaws, it helps to have a protagonist with flaws. (It also helps avert TooBleakStoppedCaring when the person suffering is someone who brought it on themselves at least partly.)
31	* DespairEventHorizon: The moment when it's already too late.
32	* DiedInIgnorance: Make a dramatically-ironic death worse by preventing the protagonist from ever knowing the truth at all.
33	* DisproportionateRetribution: According to Aristotle, the protagonist must be punished for an error, but with the punishment spectacularly exceeding the crime.
34	* DoomedProtagonist: In this case, their own FatalFlaw is what brings about their inevitable demise.
35	* DownerEnding: Tragedies never end well for the protagonist.
36	* DramaticIrony: The audience often knows crucial information that our protagonist does not.
37	* DrivenToSuicide: Not a few tragic heroes end their tales by their own hand, usually either because they can't see another way out, or to [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled prevent worse things from befalling them]].
38	* FallenHero: If they survive.
39	* FatalFlaw: A key part of many tragic heroes, which leads them to commit their [[/index]]TragicMistake. {{Pride}} has been one of the most common since the Greeks.[[index]]
40	* {{Foreshadowing}}: You know what they say about trusting too much in prophecies? Well, foreshadowing can be thought of as one...
41	* HeelFaceDoorSlam: If the protagonist does notice his flaws, it's already too late.
42	* TheHeroDies: The protagonists in their plays were usually killed off in the end.
43	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: Seriously, if the protagonists thought out their actions before attempting their heroism, then the situation wouldn't have gotten worse.
44	* ProtagonistJourneyToVillain: While the protagonist started out noble, only too late do they realize that they've gradually made the transition to becoming the villain of their own story.
45	* RiseAndFallGangsterArc: A common trope in gangster films, in which the first half of the film depicts the gangster's rise to power, and the second half depicts their fall
46	* SelfFulfillingProphecy: Many tragic heroes unwittingly bring about the very events that they were trying to avert.
47	* ShootTheShaggyDog: The hero(es) efforts are AllForNothing.
48	* StarCrossedLovers: Many tragic romances involve two people who want to be together but are doomed to be kept apart.
49	* ATragedyOfImpulsiveness: Like NiceJobBreakingItHero, if the protagonists had thought things through before they acted, the tragedy could have been avoided.
50	* TragicBigot: A tragic event has driven someone to bigotry.
51	* TragicDream: Oh, dear. Without that nagging dream driving them, the protagonists wouldn't have driven themselves and/or other characters into the ground.
52	* TragicHero: Frequently combined with heroic archetypes like [[/index]]KnightInShiningArmor.[[index]]
53	* TragicIceCharacter: A character of ice and snow who went through a trauma event in their life.
54	* TragicMistake: Often called the ''hamartia'', this is that one crucial mistake that sends everything crashing down.
55	* TragicMonster: A monster that is also itself a victim of circumstance
56	* TragicVillain: A villain who isn't meant to be a villain after all.
57	* TwistEnding: Surprise! It failed! Or, whatever the protagonists did, or even why they did it, was rendered utterly pointless. Or, it worked; but screwed something ''else'' up in some other, unforeseen way. Anyway, it's ended, whatever it was.
58	* WhatTheHellHero: The hero's tragic flaw often leads him to do rather... unheroic things.
59	* WhyWeAreBummedCommunismFell: The fall of UsefulNotes/SovietUnion and the loss of communism there have tragic consequences.
60	* YouCantFightFate: A fairly common theme.
61	[[/index]]
62
63	Greek tragedy in general is the TropeNamer for DeusExMachina.
64
65	'''When adding examples, please remember that just because a work is dark and "tragic", it is not necessarily a tragedy. Tragedies need to be about a character being destroyed by their own character flaws and mistakes.'''
66	----
67	!!Examples:
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69	[[foldercontrol]]
70
71	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
72	* The Japanese animated film and book ''Anime/RingingBell'' (known as ''Chirin no Suzu'' in Japan) is of the classic revenge variety, in which the protagonist's desire to avenge his mother's murder winds up ruining him: becoming a monster that is not wolf nor sheep, being shunned by his sheep brethren because of this, killing his mentor/father figure-- who was ''also'' his mother's murderer-- and DyingAlone.
73	* ''Anime/CodeGeass'' has some Tragedy moments too. The first season's ending ([[spoiler:him abandoning the Black Knights during their invasion and thus causing their defeat]]) due to main character's mistakes and his reliance on his MoralityChain. And the second season's ending ([[spoiler:his own death, as the price to give the world peace but with none knowing for how long]]) due to his mistakes [[spoiler:after losing his MoralityChain twice, at first due to her apparent death and then due to him having to go against her]].
74	* ''Anime/CyberpunkEdgerunners'', in its most basic level, is a love story between David and Lucy, two young displaced people who try to make it in Night City. Sadly, it's David and Lucy's own choices that lead to their downfalls. [[spoiler:David's FatalFlaw is his pride, and he refuses to believe that he's succumbing to cyberpsychosis even when he begins to exceed his tolerance for cybernetics. He ignores all the warnings he receives in favor of the idea that he's special, taking him on a path to self-destruction. Lucy's FatalFlaw is her [[PoorCommunicationKills inability to communicate with others]]. Driven by fear of Arasaka exploiting and killing David, she tries to solve things on her own and refuses to trust anyone else with the truth of what she's actually doing. The choices they make as a result of these flaws create a [[DisasterDominoes disastrous domino effect]] that ultimately leads to David's death and their romance's tragic end.]]
75	* ''Manga/DeathNote'' is a classic tragedy if one simplifies the story to its essentials. The protagonst Light Yagami is someone of high social standing, and is a significant individual in that he is greater than most others. However, he has a flaw in that he's too proud. Because of this and the tragic coincidence that leads him to the Death Note, he enjoys some time of greatness, but in the end he [[spoiler: falls from grace and is killed because of his mistakes and flaws.]]
76	** Even interpreting it the other way, it can still be viewed as a tragedy. Even with the ultimate villain (Light) finally dying in the end, he still ultimately succeeded in killing almost all the heroes and protagonists and manipulating and using so many people before it happened.
77	* A lot of the individual [[StoryArc arcs]] of ''VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry'' fit the definition of a tragedy, with the {{Downer Ending}}s often being due to the actions of one of the main characters, and the FatalFlaw that causes it often being paranoia and lack of trust in their friends.
78	* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', the subject of endless Ph.D theses to this day. A cast of characters, [[DysfunctionJunction with deep psychological flaws they can't communicate]], are brought to the brink of ruin, but they're all so unable to overcome their personal demons and shadows, that they ultimately pay the price for it. Though the actual scale of the price paid is rather...[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt extreme]].
79	* ''Anime/KnightHunters'' is a tragedy, set in a world of hell - implied by Hidaka Ken - where villains are free to get what they want at the expense of the innocent lives, and without getting punished by laws. The heroes, Weiss, are themselves bloody, murderous monsters as well, and are determined to live a life full of guilt in order to provide the innocent better tomorrows.
80	* ''Anime/GraveOfTheFireflies'' is a tragedy written to not only reflect the cruelty of war, but also reflect the protagonist's guilt for not being able to save his own sister from starvation due to his {{pride}}.
81	* BoysLoveGenre ''Anime/AiNoKusabi'' has a tragic ending which is either a BittersweetEnding or a DownerEnding depending on the viewer. Regardless, [[spoiler:Riki and Iason died for their forbidden love at the end.]]
82	* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' fits this to a T. Every main character is brought down as a result of their own flaws. Their mistakes are made with the best of intentions. Any diversion away from their fates would require outside intervention. Also worth noting is [[spoiler: a couple of the characters do realize their mistake in time to do something, but only at the cost of their lives.]]
83	* The Golden Age Arc of ''Manga/{{Berserk}}'' is very much a tragedy. Two of the prevailing themes of the story is how one fateful decision [[YouCantFightFate can turn the tides of destiny with horrible consequences]] and how the love that the three main characters have for one another [[LoveHurts can potentially cause more pain than happiness.]]
84	* ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'' makes it explicitly clear from the very first chapter that it is going to be a Tragedy. Still, many were surprised when the original series concluded with a DownerEnding where TheBadGuyWins, leaving the majority of the cast either scattered to the wind or [[UncertainDoom missing]]. From the beginning, Ken Kaneki describes himself as the protagonist of a Tragedy and it proves to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. His decision to recklessly seek power while claiming to need it to protect everyone destroys his sanity, alienates him from the very people he swore to protect, causes his LoveInterest to reject him with an epic ReasonYouSuckSpeech, and ends with him not only losing control of his SuperpoweredEvilSide but unable to save anyone. He's finally forced to confront the truth of his actions, realizing he was selfish and motivated by the fear of being alone. On the bright side, the sequel ''Tokyo Ghoul:Re'' is described as "the birth of a Legend" as opposed to a Tragedy and [[spoiler:gives him a second chance as AmnesiacHero Haise Sasaki]].
85	* ''Literature/FateZero'' doesn't have complete closure due to being a {{prequel}} to the earlier ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' (which does provide a proper conclusion to the consequences of ''Zero''), but is a spectacular tragedy in and of itself, and one that fans of the Nasuverse ''know'' [[ForegoneConclusion didn't end well]]. It is filled to the brim with GreyAndGreyMorality, with the Masters either being in the fight for at least arguably selfish reasons (Tokiomi, Kayneth, Waver, Kirei), have genuinely good intentions but will do incredibly questionable things to achieve their goals (Kiritsugu, Kariya) or are just plain evil (Ryuunosuke, [[spoiler:Kirei later on]]). The Servants either have little choice in the whole matter or are no better than the Masters. And by the end, it gets ''ugly''. The only Master who doesn't end up dead, in despair or evil at the end is the one who actually grew positively as a person. [[spoiler:That person is Waver, who managed to get away with a happy ending. The only other two masters who survive are Kiritsugu, who is arguably the main human protagonist, and Kirei, who ends up being the end villain alongside Gilgamesh. Ryuunosuke is shot dead, Kayneth is also shot dead alongside his fiancee (even after sacrificing his own Servant for their lives), Tokiomi is stabbed in the back by Kirei, and despite his best efforts, poor Kariya also dies, only deepening Sakura's despair. Kiritsugu, despite surviving, ends up a broken man as all his sacrifices end up being for nothing, and his dream forever out of his reach.]] The only silver lining is [[spoiler:Shirou Emiya being saved from the fire by Kiritsugu, and later vowing to take up his adoptive father's dream of becoming a hero.]] That silver lining is the direct catalyst for its sequel bringing the tragedy to its final closure in the sequel.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Comic Books]]
89	* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'': The series by Creator/NeilGaiman is a five-year tragedy, carefully crafted in the Greek tradition of Tragedy, about a mythical god-king trying to fix the mistakes of his past but unable to change the rigidity that caused those mistakes to begin with [[spoiler: so he kills himself to allow a new god-king to rule]].
90	%%* Creator/AlejandroJodorowsky's seminal ''ComicBook/TheMetabarons''.
91	[[/folder]]
92
93	[[folder:Fan Works]]
94	* ''[[WebAnimation/DiamondInTheRoughTouhou Diamond in the Rough]]'': A DeconstructiveParody of a type of MarySue fic that was common in the ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' fandom at the time. Instead of making the lead character a ParodySue like most anti-Sue fics, Spaztique made him a TragicHero and followed the classical tragic formula very closely, including the DoomedProtagonist (the opening shot is minutes before his death, so the audience knows from the start how it's going to end) being warned time and again that his path will lead to his downfall, but unable to heed that advice because of his FatalFlaw. [[spoiler:There's even a ''peripeteia'' moment in the epilogue, where Brolli's JudgementOfTheDead is that he will be permitted to reincarnate, as his genuine remorse for his actions and how they've hurt the residents of Gensokyo show that there's hope for his soul, unlike most Gappys which are written off as unsalvageable and [[CessationOfExistence obliterated]].]]
95	* ''Fanfic/TheGoodHunter'' is labelled as such, alongside the {{Fantasy}} tag in Fanfiction.net. It may not seem obvious at first glance, but if one considers [[{{Deuteragonist}} Ursula's]] actions in the story, it is clear that she is the TragicHero of the story. Ursula is a person of great status, as [[TheCaptain the Captain of the 4th Company]]. She makes the TragicMistake of going after [[HeroicNeutral the]] [[OneManArmy Hunter]], [[BullyingADragon despite knowing that he is entirely capable of defeating her effortlessly]]. Warnings from multiple parties notwithstanding, she still decides to participate in [[TheTeam a squad]] to pursue him due to her {{Fatal Flaw}}s. That is, her {{Pride}}, the urge to find a WorthyOpponent, her desperation to regain her [[HonourBeforeReason honour]] to make up for Druella's defeat, and her failure to look past the mentality of DoUntoOthersBeforeTheyDoUntoUs. While the fanfic is currently ongoing, [[spoiler:the Website/SpaceBattlesDotCom snippets shed light on her ultimate fate. Not only she alienates many of her comrades during her pursuit of the Hunter, she is presumably hunted by him personally after the raid on Sasha's second orphanage.]]
96	* ''Fanfic/KarmicBacklash'' is one of these at its core. Marinette begins the story as the wealthy, popular hero of Paris, LovedByAll, but a combination of the TragicMistake she made at the end of the original fic (letting Lila go with only a warning) and [[FatalFlaw her own vindictiveness and hypocrisy]] leads her to a cataclysmic downfall, refusing to [[NeverMyFault acknowledge her own role in the whole mess]] until it's far too late to fix anything.
97	[[/folder]]
98
99	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
100	* The ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequel trilogy, particularly Episode III ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' is a modern mainstream example. In Episode I Anakin Skywalker's potential is identified as a young age, and it is speculated he may be TheChosenOne who will bring balance to the force. However, Yoda also foresees Anakin's fatal flaw, which is that he dreads and will do anything to prevent losing those he loves no matter what the consequences. This is first evident in Episode II with his premonition of his mother's death. Then in Episode III they stronger when he has nightmares of his wife Padmé dying. Anakin turns to TheDarkSide out of desperation to change the fate that Yoda counsels him he cannot avoid, but by destroying everything he ever loved with his own hands he makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy.
101	** As a whole, the entire ''Star Wars'' saga (the prequel trilogy, original trilogy, and new trilogy) is an [[TheEpic epic]] [[GenerationalSaga generational]] tragedy, at least in regards to the Skywalker family. The prequels have Anakin Skywalker start out as a promising young Jedi Knight (as well TheChosenOne), who eventually turns to the Dark Side due to his fear of losing Padme, his growing discontent with the Jedi Council, and his manipulation at the hands of Palpatine/Darth Sideous. He dismantles the Jedi Order and ushers in an era of darkness and tyranny throughout the entire galaxy by helping Darth Sideous form the Empire. The original trilogy revolves around his son Luke Skywalker defeating said Empire and redeeming him shortly before his death. In the sequel trilogy [[spoiler: it's revealed that Kylo Ren is actually Ben Solo, the son of Anakin's daughter Leia Organa and Han Solo, and that [[HistoryRepeats much like his grandfather Anakin]], he trained as a Jedi but eventually fell victim to the Dark Side and helped establish the First Order, a dictatorship much like the Empire. Ben is partially driven by a desire to live up to the dark legacy his grandfather left behind, and a desire to prove himself to his master Supreme Leader Snoke by severing all remaining emotional ties, including his parents. Despite this, there is still some remaining light inside of him, as seen by the guilt he feels after killing his father, and his inability to go through with killing his mother. Luke Skywalker tried and failed to bring back the Jedi Order after the events of the original trilogy, and exiles himself to a distant island, [[DespairEventHorizon having lost all hope]] after his nephew and former student Ben Solo pulled a FaceHeelTurn and murdered half of his students while taking the rest with him. Ben's FaceHeelTurn officially started when Luke, in a moment of weakness, contemplated killing him once he realized just how great his potential for evil was. By the end of [[Film/TheLastJedi Episode VIII]], Luke passes away while [[CallBack gazing peacefully at a twilight sky with two moons]], using the last of his strength to buy time for the Resistance (led by his sister Leia) and confront Kylo Ren. In [[Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker Episode IX]], Leia and Ben Solo die]].
102	** ''Film/RogueOne'' tells the tragedy of the Erso family. The story begins with the Empire finding research scientist Galen Erso and his family after they've gone into hiding, killing his wife Lyra and forcing him to complete the world-destroying Death Star. His daughter Jyn Erso manages to escape, and spends most of her life on the streets as a criminal, but is recruited by the Rebel Alliance in it's early stages to retrieve the Death Star plans. Galen makes up for his part in building the Death Star, and Jyn helps secure a victory instrumental in getting a leg up on the Empire, [[spoiler: but she and her father end up dying by film's end, marking the end of the Erso line as a whole]], and it doesn't stop the Empire from destroying at least one planet [[Film/StarWarsANewHope later down the line]]. [[spoiler: Making it even worse is that both deaths are a demonstration of cruel irony. Galen is wounded by an attack from the Rebel Alliance, who he's been working to protect this whole time, and Jyn is vaporized by the Death Star, the very weapon her father was forced to make, and he only did it so the Empire wouldn't hurt her]]. The film is also a tragedy in a more general sense in that [[spoiler: [[EveryoneDiesEnding all the main protagonists are dead by the end of it]], having [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificed their lives for the good of the galaxy]]. Though their sacrifices are the catalyst for Episode IV, and their deaths are a ForegoneConclusion, so it's a BittersweetEnding with particular emphasis on the bitter]].
103	%%* Creator/AkiraKurosawa's film ''Film/{{Ran}}'', being a Sengoku-era Japanese version of ''Theatre/KingLear'', does tragedy to a T.
104	* In ''Film/RequiemForADream'', all of the main characters succumb to their [[DrugsAreBad addictions]]. [[spoiler: Harry's arm is infected by repeated use of the needle and he has to have it amputated, Tyrone gets thrown in jail for dealing drugs, Marion becomes a crack whore to support her drug habit and Sara gets reduced to a living wreck due to the combined effect of the weight-loss drugs and the electroshock therapy administered to kick the habit.]]
105	* ''Film/AmericanHistoryX'' seems to avert this until the literal ChekhovsGunman returns.
106	* ''Film/TheGodfather'' saga is another example of classical mafia tragedy. Michael Corleone's ruthlessness and vengeful ways eventually lead to his alienation from his family and his ultimate ruin.
107	* Similarly to the film above, ''Film/Scarface1983'' stars Creator/AlPacino as a ruthless, albeit sympathetic gangster, whose own flaws eventually lead to the destruction of his criminal empire and everyone he ever cared about ending up either dead or hating his guts, as well as his own death at the hands of someone he screwed over.
108	* ''[[Film/{{Gojira}} Godzilla]]'' is a tragedy in a form of a {{Kaiju}} {{Horror}} film. While it does focus on the tragedy of the human characters, alas, ''Godzilla himself'' is revealed to be a TragicMonster, having his powers given to him by circumstances beyond his control. And he and TheHero die at the very end.
109	* ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'' fits the tragic mold almost exactly, as it is the protagonist's [[spoiler:hostility and hubris that leads to his downfall and death.]]
110	* ''Film/{{Chinatown}}'': While most neo-noir films are technically known for tragic endings, [[spoiler:it's all Jake Gittes' fault, for trying to do the right thing.]]
111	* The central character of ''Film/CitizenKane'', a multimillionaire newspaper publisher with his very own private estate, ends up DyingAlone and unloved thanks to his narcissism.
112	%%* ''Film/SympathyForMrVengeance''
113	* ''Film/ThereWillBeBlood'' is about a silver miner turned oilman who embarks on a ruthless quest for wealth during Southern California's early 20th century oil boom, along the way descending into madness to the point of alienating everybody around him, including his own son.
114	* ''Film/{{Tar}}'' is an example of a modern classical tragedy, albeit [[spoiler:a non-fatal one]]: a person of great power and prosperity (in this case, an internationally-acclaimed woman conductor) is [[HoistByHisOwnPetard undone by her fatal flaws]], building to a cathartic reckoning.
115	* The fifth ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'' movie ''Film/HellraiserInferno'' is one of the few examples crossing over with {{Horror}}. Fundamentally, it is the story of a man who receives unimaginable punishment due to his own sins and his abuse of everyone around him.
116	%%* The French film ''Film/JeanDeFlorette'' and its sequel ''Film/ManonDesSources''.
117	%%* ''Film/OneHourPhoto''
118	* ''Film/LawrenceOfArabia'': The first half of the movie is a towering epic, filled with stunning desert shots and the heroism of T. E. Lawrence, a man who can do the impossible and for whom [[ArcWords nothing is written]]! The second half shows Lawrence's ego and overconfidence costing him [[BreakTheCutie everything]] [[BloodKnight but]] [[RapeAsDrama his]] [[LoveHurts life]].
119	* ''Film/TheFly1986'' follows a brilliant, reclusive scientist who has invented teleportation technology and, upon entering the first romantic relationship of his life with a beautiful journalist, is able to perfect it. But his obsessive passions for both his work and his lover lead to a TragicMistake -- when he mistakenly believes he is being cuckolded, he gets drunk and teleports himself, accidentally genetically merging himself with a housefly in the process. Initially the SlowTransformation that results leaves him DrunkWithPower, but with time he inexorably loses '''everything''' that makes him human, becoming an instinctual, desire-driven monster who is a danger to his lover most of all, and who [[spoiler: ends up merged with his own teleportation device and has to ask her to slay him]].
120	* ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'': Infamous for its DownerEnding, but it was our heroes' own actions that brought about their own defeat and the end of half of all life in the universe. The Avengers' refusal to trade a single life for the greater good (Ergo, not wanting to sacrifice Vision to destroy the Mind Stone) ultimately leads to an even greater loss of life, particularly in Wakanda, [[BigBad Thanos]] getting the stone anyway, and the deaths of many of their own friends and family.
121	* ''Film/{{Joker\|2019}}'' is fundamentally a ([[MultipleChoicePast possible]]) origin story for [[Franchise/{{Batman}} The Joker]], but is ultimately a singular character study about a greatly troubled, yet overall decent man [[TraumaCongaLine who endures so much trauma]] that [[FromNobodytoNightmare he gradually devolves into a nihilistic, near-unstoppable nightmare]]. The film eschews any form of superheroic camp or glamor to Arthur Fleck's downfall, instead posing as a cautionary tale focusing on how someone's personal flaws can be exacerbated by a flawed society, leading to anyone declared and dismissed as a monster [[ThenLetMeBeEvil becoming more comfortable with]] ''[[ThenLetMeBeEvil being]]'' [[ThenLetMeBeEvil a monster]].
122	[[/folder]]
123
124	[[folder:Literature]]
125	* Ian [=McEwan=]'s ''{{Literature/Atonement}}'' follows a privileged upper class preteen called Briony Tallis. She essentially ruins several people's lives because of her arrogance and ignorance. Years later, when she finally realizes the full extent of what she's done, [[spoiler: it's too late to make amends or fix her mistakes, because the affected parties have died partly due to her actions]].
126	* ''Literature/BelCanto'' follows a hostage crisis, and lots of sympathetically portrayed UsefulNotes/StockholmSyndrome and LimaSyndrome even as it is made clear that it will inevitably end in the deaths of most to all of the highly sympathetic hostage takers and perhaps some of the hostages as well.
127	* Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheChildrenOfHurin'' is a textbook example: Half of Túrin's problems come from him being impulsive, letting his anger cloud his judgement, and his unwillingness to swallow his pride and listen to advice. The other half comes from Morgoth himself being out to get him. In the end, all of Túrin's plans fail, he ends up either killing or leading all his friends to his deaths, and finally kills himself, having achieved nothing but destruction.
128	%%* Almost anything by Creator/JohnSteinbeck.
129	* Creator/ChinuaAchebe's ''Literature/ThingsFallApart'' was imagined from the very beginning as a classical tragedy. The hero, Okonkwo, is a strong and prosperous man in his Igbo village, with big fields of big yams and a big, well-maintained compound and three wives. He is very proud of his achievements and of his manliness--but his manliness and pride cause him to act rashly, eventually getting him exiled for manslaughter (when his FiringInTheAirALot kills someone), lead his son to abandon him and all the GoodOldWays he stood for, and ultimately [[DrivenToSuicide causes his suicide]].
130	%%* Pretty much any retelling of Myth/ArthurianLegend is this [[ForegoneConclusion by default]]. ''Literature/LeMorteDArthur'' and ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing'' are probably the best examples.
131	* Several of Creator/ThomasHardy's novels are borderline examples, but ''Literature/TheMayorOfCasterbridge'' unquestionably qualifies, to the extent that it's been read as a reworking of Aristotle's principles in nineteenth-century rural England. The novel begins with Michael Henchard selling his wife and child in a drunken rage, after which he [[TheAtoner gives up drinking and manages to turn his life around for a few years]]. Ultimately, though, his [[FatalFlaw pride and quick temper]] cause him to lose everyone he cares about, and he dies alone.
132	* ''Literature/ThePrimeOfMissJeanBrodie'' qualifies when [[AnachronicOrder the events are arranged chronologically]] (the stage and film adaptations change things to a more linear structure). The protagonist is a respected teacher at a conservative school with her own special club of girls she motivates. Although the headmistress tries to dismiss her, Jean Brodie is almost untouchable. She also has two men pining after her. But, due to her own arrogance and desire to teach what she wants, she ends up wrecking her students' lives - she grooms one girl to have an affair with a teacher, one ends up running off to Spain and dying in the Civil War, and another eventually dies in a fire because she's too emotionally stunted from the bullying she received. Jean's faithful pupil Sandy eventually betrays her and she ends up dismissed, and her two suitors end up with other women - fed up of her mind games.
133	* ''Literature/TheArtsOfDarkAndLight'' follows what appears to be the downfall of the once great Amorran Republic, and certainly that of one of its foremost champions, General Sextus Valerius Corvus, as he struggles to preserve it.
134	* ''Literature/WarriorCats'':
135	** The ''Power of Three'' arc features as one of its protagonists Hollyleaf, an ambitious and proud cat [[LawfulStupid dedicated to following the warrior code]], who seems to have a bright future ahead of her with her diplomatic and political instincts and supposedly being a subject of a prophecy promising her more power than even their [[AncestorVeneration worshipped ancestors]]. But after finding out that [[ChildOfForbiddenLove her birth secretly defied the code she cares for so much]], and also realizing she might not truly be a part of the prophecy and someone is threatening to tell this secret to everyone, her frustration with being ordinary and wish to have some kind of power makes her feel like she must do ''something'' about it, her pride won't let her accept the social stigma of everyone knowing about her and her siblings' birth, and her KnightTemplar devotion to the code convinces her that said cat threatening to reveal the secret, who [[AssholeVictim has shown himself to be a very horrible cat and attempted murderer]], needs to be dealt with. So she kills him, [[BecameTheirOwnAntithesis breaking the code she follows]], but her guilt over the murder and horror and self-hatred over her birth just causes her to self-destruct further afterwards and ultimately run away from her Clan having lost all of her former standing and goals, seemingly dying at the end. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] in the next arc in which she is revealed to be alive and has a chance to atone for her previous actions.
136	** The "manga" ''Winds of Change'' follows as its protagonist Mudclaw, the [[NumberTwo deputy]] of [=WindClan=] and next in line for leadership, who is respected and devoted to his Clan but xenophobic and prone to thinking the worst of other Clans out of a desire to protect his own Clan's security. When his leader dies, he is suddenly replaced as his successor under suspicious circumstances that he did not witness but [=ThunderClan's=] leader did, and though unbeknownst to him this was actually a legitimate switch motivated by said leader's fear of Mudclaw's tendencies leading his Clan to war and strife, Mudclaw's suspicions makes him interpret it as a conspiracy by [=ThunderClan=] to install a puppet friendly to their interests as leader, and that xenophobia combined with his ego not accepting being cheated of his position, leads him to attempt a coup [[BecameTheirOwnAntithesis against his own Clan]] fully believing it is to save it. In the end, he fails, losing everything he has, and dies shortly after, not before realizing just how foolish he had been.
137	** One plotline in the first half of the ''A Vision of Shadows'' arc concerns [=ShadowClan=] apprentices rebelling against their Clan in favor of Darktail's group of rogues. The story particularly follows Needletail, whose alienation and perceived lack of being cared for in her Clan leads her to romanticize the violent lifestyle of Darktail's group, the Kin, as a way of finding a purpose, despite having clearly seen how cruel it can get. The result is the fall of [=ShadowClan=] to the rogues and everyone being caught in a nightmarish situation where one misstep will mean getting killed by their paranoid and tyrannical leader. While Needletail doesn't have a particularly high position in her Clan, she is certainly in a lot better position at the start than she ends up in - imprisoned, having lost her LoveInterest to the Kin's violent politics, and realizing far too late just what she has done, before herself being killed.
138	* The ''Literature/HorusHeresy'' novels set in the ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' universe is one giant tragedy made out of a thousand smaller tragedies, detailing the galaxy-spanning civil war that turned the Imperium of Man into the brutal, superstitious regime it has come to be known as. Worlds are shattered, heroes are damned, dreams are killed, and all hope for a brighter future is lost. All because the Emperor couldn't be bothered to be a proper father to his Primarchs.
139	[[/folder]]
140
141	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
142	* ''Series/BreakingBad'' has practically become the [[TropeCodifier modern codifier]]. It started off as more of a BlackComedy. But as the stakes got higher and higher and [[VillainProtagonist Walter]] became more ruthless and [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain lost more of his humanity by the episode]] due to numerous {{Fatal Flaw}}s, primarily his massive {{Pride}}, it changed into this. Many literary and television critics have even gone so far as to call it ''THE'' modern Shakespearean tragedy.
143	** The ''Breaking Bad'' SpinOff ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' possibly ticks even more of the boxes, especially with it being a {{Prequel}} and the audience thus knowing [[DoomedByCanon it won't end well]]. Jimmy [=McGill=] is [[ReformedButRejected a former conman who tries to put his misspent youth of criminality behind him and make an honest living]], but is constantly thwarted by [[SelfFulfillingProphecy those close to him having no faith in him]], and his own [[ATragedyOfImpulsiveness impulsiveness]], [[FatalFlaw greed]], and [[HisOwnWorstEnemy self-sabotaging tendencies]]. He is also portrayed as a kind-hearted and sympathetic {{Woobie}} who gradually [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain evolves into something far sleazier and far less lovable]]. The [[FlashForward Flash Forwards]] to his life post-''Breaking Bad'' show us that he is condemned to follow a RiseAndFallGangsterArc.
144	* ''Series/GoodbyeMyPrincess'': Cheng Yi's desire for power destroys his marriage (twice!), ruins his own life and Xiao Feng's, and is directly responsible for Xiao Feng being DrivenToSuicide to escape him.
145	* ''Series/HouseOfCardsUS'' features [[TheCorruptible Peter Russo]], a Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania, in a story that has the elements of a tragedy. He is a man of status with the potential for greatness, and genuinely wants to take care of his constituents, his girlfriend, and his kids. However, his fatal weakness for [[TheAlcoholic alcohol]], [[HookersAndBlow women, and drugs]] enables [[VillainProtagonist Francis Underwood]] to manipulate him into [[ForcedIntoEvil compromising his principles]] while serving as his [[UnwittingPawn pawn]]. [[spoiler: Once Peter is [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness no longer useful]] to him, Francis orchestrates the [[OffTheWagon fall from the wagon]] that destroys both his career and private life and then kills him as a cruel form of "mercy" while he wallows in [[DespairEventHorizon despair]].]]
146	%%* Creator/GeorgeRRMartin characterizes ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'' as a Shakespearean tragedy.
147	* ''Series/TheKingsWoman'': Ying Zheng's obsession with Gongsun Li ruins any chance they had of being happy together and his refusal to let her leave results in her [[DrivenToSuicide death]].
148	* ''Series/MyCountryTheNewAge'': Seon-ho decides to betray Hwi so he can win their training fight. Later when Hwi returns Seon-ho decides to support his father and use Hwi as a spy. All of his bad decisions destroy their friendship and set in motion the events that lead to both of their deaths.
149	* ''Series/TheRiseOfPhoenixes'': Ning Yi sets out to avenge his brother. He succeeds, but in the process causes a lot of suffering for his family, his friends, and Zhi Wei. By the end Zhi Wei can't live with herself after all the deaths she and Ning Yi are responsible for, so [[DrivenToSuicide she kills herself]].
150	* ''Series/RuyisRoyalLoveInThePalace'': Hongli claims he loves Ruyi but does nothing to help her when she's dragged into his other wives' schemes and in-fighting. His behaviour ruins any chance they had of being happy together and destroys Ruyi's life.
151	* ''Series/SpeerUndEr'': The whole miniseries depicts Speer's life like this: an ambitious man whose overbearing pride and desire to see his architectural dreams realized drove him to employ his abilities in the service of evil, later resulting in his own fall from grace.
152	* ''Series/SteptoeAndSon'' sees working class rag-and-bone men Albert Steptoe and his son Harold plying a dying trade in 1960s and '70s London, with Harold's attempts to break away from his life continually thwarted.
153	[[/folder]]
154
155	[[folder:Music]]
156	* WASP's rock opera ''Music/TheCrimsonIdol'' qualifies due to the protagonist's desire to return to his parents' good graces - after they heartlessly disowned him - leads to a long trail of self-destruction fueled by drugs and hollow fame, culminating in his suicide.
157	[[/folder]]
158
159	[[folder:Theatre]]
160	* Creator/WilliamShakespeare wrote quite a few: ''Theatre/{{Macbeth}}'', ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'', ''Theatre/KingLear'', and ''Theatre/TitusAndronicus'' (just to name a few). ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', though commonly labeled as one, isn't actually a tragedy per se, as the ultimate unhappy ending comes as a result of bad luck. It is often classified a tragicomedy or a problem play, because, while it has a tragic conclusion and the title characters' youthful impulsiveness contributes to their demise, it more closely follows the comedic form.
161	* A textbook classical tragedy would be ''Theatre/OedipusTheKing''. The hero, Oedipus (of the famous [[UsefulNotes/OedipusComplex complex]], though he does not necessarily possess it), is a heroic[[note]]when used by the Greeks, "heroic" does not describe a character's morality but rather their PowerLevels. Anyone demi-human, transhuman or superhuman was a "hero"--Medusa, for instance.[[/note]] and generally admirable man who ruled Thebes wisely. However, it is struck by a strange drought that no one can explain. Sages say that [[FisherKing since the land and king are one]], the king has done something to poison the land, and [[ProphecyTwist only he]] can [[FigureItOutYourself ferret out that mistake]]. Despite warnings from sages and wise men that Oedipus [[YouDoNotWantToKnow won't like what he discovers]], he learns that the previous king heard a [[SelfFulfillingProphecy prophecy]] that his son would kill him and marry his mother, so the king had his son [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat bound and abandoned in a forest]] and he went into hiding to avoid being killed. However, the son survived and killed him unrecognized for cutting him off in traffic, and afterward killed the Sphinx [[RiddleOfTheSphinx (of the riddles)]] and was rewarded with the kingship of Thebes, including the widowed queen. [[DramaticPause ...]] [[{{Squick}} Yep.]] His mother-wife commits suicide in shame, and he blinds himself in sorrow.
162	** ''Theatre/{{Antigone}}'': The children of Oedipus and Jocaste didn't fare much better.
163	* ''Theatre/TheOresteia'', a dramatic trilogy by Creator/{{Aeschylus}}, consisting of ''Theatre/{{Agamemnon}}'', ''[[Theatre/TheLibationBearers Choephoroi]]'' and ''Theatre/{{Eumenides}}'') and ''Theatre/{{Electra}}'' are classic (indeed quite literally) tragedies. The theme of fatal flaws and dramatic irony is applied to heroic men, such as Agamemnon and Orestes, but also to the house of Atreus as a whole. Apparently the Oresteia is also one of the first examples of NightmareFuel as during the premiere of the play the haunting song of the furies caused a pregnant woman to promptly miscarry and die in the process. One could probably write a tragedy about that too.
164	* Many classical {{revenge}} stories, such as the above-mentioned ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', were tragedies. The avenger usually succeeded in destroying the villain responsible for whatever awful crime set him on his vendetta, [[PyrrhicVictory but he all too often destroyed himself and/or everything he cared about in the process]]. See also the Nietzschean concept of "HeWhoFightsMonsters".
165	* In recent hindsight, ''Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors'' also qualifies due to having several motifs of the Greek tragedy archetype - the singers Crystal, Chiffon, and Ornette representing the classic Greek chorus, and Seymour's arc mirrors that of several tragic Greek protagonists - to achieve his dreams, he first sacrifices his enemy Orin Scrivello), then his father figure (Mr. Mushnik), then his love (Audrey) - and finally, when everything starts crashing down around him, himself.
166	* ''Moira'' is what happens when Music/SoundHorizon decides that classical Greek tragedy would make for one hell of a SymphonicMetal RockOpera.
167	%%* ''Theatre/MissSaigon'', a SettingUpdate of Puccini's ''Theatre/MadameButterfly''; most of his other works were tragic as well.
168	* Neil [=LaBute=]'s ''{{Theatre/Bash}}'' is a SettingUpdate of three Greek tragedies, examining how everyday people are capable of committing great evil just to save themselves.
169	* Elizabeth Cary's ''Theatre/TheTragedyOfMariam'' ends with the death of the title character at the hands of her impulsive and jealous husband.
170	* ''Theatre/LaNona'': Chicho's FatalFlaw is {{laz\|yBum}}iness. He's so horrified at the idea of him getting a job and therefore spending less time composing tangos that he's half the reason why his family ends up in financial ruin. Other than his grandmother, only he remains in the end--the rest of his relatives are either dead or have left. Because of la Nona's insatiable appetite and apathetic attitude, he kills himself to avoid having to take care of her.
171	[[/folder]]
172
173	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
174	* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' is marinated in this, particularly as the Horus Heresy became more fleshed-out. The setting's gradual in-universe descent into the shitter is punctuated with people making bad decisions based on their flaws that end up coming back to bite them catastrophically, usually with the assistance of one of the setting's fascinating variety of evil gods.
175	** The Necrontyr's resentment of the Old Ones' longer lifespans was used by the C'tan to trick the Necrontyr into becoming the zombie-robot Necrons.
176	** The Eldar empire descended into excess and wouldn't back away despite warnings, leading to it basically orgying a Chaos God into existence and turning the heart of the Eldar empire into the Eye of Terror.
177	** The Horus Heresy saw a lot of mini-tragedies as half the Primarchs succumbed to their failings and fell to Chaos, all set against the backdrop of one big tragedy as the Emperor's egotism and separation for humanity led him to alienate the nine sons who would turn on him and eventually kill him.
178	*** In particular, Magnus the Red is portrayed as having gone through an arc not too dissimilar from a classical tragedy: his arrogance led to him assuming he knew better than everyone else about the Warp and how to use it, starting a chain of events that ended with Magnus' desiccated homeworld burned to black glass and a significant chunk of his Legion killed in the engagement.
179	** One of the most tragic ones: The Emperor was a militant atheist and crushed all religion in his empire in the mistaken belief that this would starve the Chaos gods of power. In fact it's not belief that keeps Chaos strong (faith in the Emperor is one of the more potent weapons against daemons) but ''emotion'', the only way to wipe it out would be to suppress rage, desire (see "orgying a god into existence", above), hope and love in all sentients in the galaxy (something only the Necrons have tried, [[OmnicidalManiac through very direct methods]]).
180	[[/folder]]
181
182	[[folder:Video Games]]
183	* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow'', the story of a ByronicHero fated to go down to the path of darkness, only trying to save his childhood sweetheart from death and never succeeding - and his offsprings, fated to fight against him himself.
184	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' has tragic elements, at least in Kratos' backstory.
185	* While ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' isn't itself a tragedy like [[Literature/FateZero its prequel]] mentioned above, many of the heroic spirits have a backstory in their previous life that definitely falls into this category.
186	** Archer's entire backstory is just one big tragedy, having once been the [[spoiler: incredibly idealistic protagonist before his ideals betrayed him.]]
187	** Saber's backstory mirrors many of the same failures as Archers, [[{{Foil}} but in a different context]]. Whereas Archer dedicated too much of his life trying to [[spoiler:be the ideal hero of his dreams that saves everybody]], Saber, during her life as [[spoiler:King Arthur]], dedicated too much of her life into trying to be the perfect ruler. To her, this meant that she should abandon all emotions and that she shouldn't even be considered a human because she saw these characteristics as hindrance to her rule. In the end, she accomplished her goal of being the perfect ruler, but she completely failed as a human being and her subjects rebelled against her not because she was a tyrant, but because nobody wanted to follow someone as emotionless and inhuman as her. Saber spends large part of the Fate route convinced that she was a poor ruler [[spoiler:and wishing that she could remove herself from power in the past by using the power of the grail. However after spending time with Shirou, Saber ultimately comes to understand that nobody could have ruled the country better than she did and it was doomed from the start.]]
188	* ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2'' tells the story of Roxas. A boy who was never meant to be born but who, despite that fact, decides to find purpose in life. After meeting his best friends Axel and Xion, it seems like he finally found the life he always wanted to have forever. Of course, the fact that said friends were also anomalies that weren’t supposed to exist, means that finding their Disney Happy Ending was a fool’s errand from the beginning. Even when all three clutches for dear life to their identities, their feelings, and even their own lives, at the end, it is this fervent desire to exist which brings their ultimate doomed fate to pass. Creator/{{Disney}} fans who are not fond of tragedy should avoid this game completely, [[spoiler:or play the whole saga all the way to ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' where this tragic ending is ultimately reversed]].
189	* ''VideoGame/LiveALive'', The game's [[spoiler:8th]] chapter is one and pretty much tells us the origin story of the overarching BigBad Odio:
190	** [[spoiler:We meet KnightInShiningArmour Oersted and his Best Friend Streibough, and they are both in a tournament to win Princess Althea's hand, and Oersted wins. With Streibough being the best friend of the now future king Oersted, he should have tons of privileges and glory. However Streibough wants only the best and when Althea gets kidnapped, he used it as an opportunity to make his best friend commit regicide and after faking his own death he rushes and saves Althea first, because of how ambiguous everything is in the medieval chapter. There are several ways to interpet Althea's SpitefulSuicide, but any way one believes it she did it because she believed in lies told by Streibough. Anyways with both Hasshe and Uranus dead, Oersted heads to the mountain, hoping that after all this time, Althea still believes in him, she instead commits her spiteful suicide, however it may have been prevented if Oersted isn't a HeroicMime [[FallenHero before snapping]], Althea allowing him to at all explain what he is in before making assumptions, the people of Lucretia not being so naive, finally and most importantly of all... Streibough sallowing his pride. Alas that didn't happen and [[ThenLetMeBeEvil as such]] Odio is born...]]
191	* ''VideoGame/MafiaII'' follows two best friends who join the mob and get involved in the criminal underworld. Naturally, chaos and tragedy ensue.
192	* ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'' is a classic tragedy, and it stands out due to drawing comparisons between the protagonist and the player as the story unfolds.
193	[[/folder]]
194
195	[[folder:Web Originals]]
196	* ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'': Billy's obsession with being accepted, catalysed by the antagonism of [[{{Foil}} Captain Hammer]], leads to [[spoiler:him losing the only person he really ''wanted'' to accept him]].
197	* Red from ''WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions'' discusses this in her trope talk on the subject. Broadly, she thinks a staple of tragedy is a protagonist who is brought low by a FatalFlaw, one that might not have been a flaw in a different situation (Hamlet's doubtful and overly cautious nature and Othello's impulsiveness, for instance), and divides it into three cathegories;
198	** Classic Tragedy, in the style of ''Theatre/OedipusTheKing'', is defined by the presence of a GreekChorus which informs the audience of the situation and provides DramaticIrony. It established the trend of having a protagonist of high position, such as a king, nobleman, or general, who is brought low by forces beyond their ability to change, factoring on their FatalFlaw.
199	** Shakespearean Tragedy, in the style of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'', follows the same structure but shakes (heh) it up by introducing collateral damage; Whereas Classic tragedy tended to focus narrowly on one person and their suffering, Shakespeare's plays often had innocent supporting cast get dragged into the story and suffer as a result.
200	** Modern Tragedy, in the style of ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman'', again follows the same pattern, but kicks many traditions, such as having the protagonist be lowly workers instead of mighty kings.
201	** Red also notes that a tragedy is only a tragedy from the perspective of the main character. From an outside perspective, a tragedy of a man breaking down might read more as a psychological horror, while most sympathetic villains are in themselves tragedies, seen from an outside perspective.
202	[[/folder]]
203
204	[[folder:Western Animation]]
205	* The story of King Andrias in ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'' can certainly be read as a tragedy. [[spoiler:Andrias is the prince of a mighty empire, has two beloved and trusted friends by his side, and has been granted the honor of leading the invasion of Earth by his father. His flaw is his ConflictingLoyalty between his friends and his family, so when his friend Leif speaks out against the empire's actions, Andrias does not take a strong stance with or against her. She is forced to take drastic measures leading to the Empire's fall, for which Andrias blames himself, driving him further under the thumb of his abusive father for the next thousand years]].
206	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'': The whole show could just as well be titled "The Tragedy of Jinx". To wit: [[spoiler:By the final scene in the final episode, Jinx has burned all her bridges, more or less permanently prevented peace between Piltover and Zaun, and made clear that she will never [[UsedToBeASweetKid return to the innocent child she once was]].]] It's a similar tragedy to that of [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Anakin Skywalker]] becoming [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith Darth Vader]], where a major character does not die physically, but undergoes a spiritual death instead.
207	* ''WesternAnimation/InfinityTrain'': The DarkerAndEdgier Book 3 was confirmed to have been written from the perspective of being a "Tragedy" by WordOfGod. Simon and Grace's co-dependent relationship and miscommunication result in them being drifted increasingly further apart, [[spoiler: Grace refuses to understand the deep emotional unwellness that Simon was undergoing and push back on his toxic characteristics as well as stick up for herself until too late, costing her Hazel's companionship, and Simon's refusal to recognize his wrong-doing coupled with his InferioritySuperiorityComplex, emotional trauma and general PsychopathicManchild tendencies results in his death after going into a crying fit after believing he had just killed his closest friend, with only Grace's survival and attempt to lead the former Apex members as a RayOfHopeEnding.]]
208	[[/folder]]
209
210	!!Subversions:
211
212	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
213	* ''Anime/PrincessTutu'' is [[{{Postmodernism}} postmodern in nature]], but none of the characters are familiar with postmodernist conventions, instead believing that they're living through a classic tragedy. Much of the story's conflict comes from characters trying to find ways to fulfill their goals without making the same mistakes that normally doom tragic heroes (or, in a few cases, giving up on goals that would lead to an unhappy ending.)
214	[[/folder]]
215
216	[[folder:Film]]
217	* ''Film/HardCoreLogo'' is a variation on the Greek tragic formula, disguised as a BlackComedy and set in the Canadian punk scene rather than among the social elite. Joe Dick's arc fits the tragic hero model best, but really, the band is such a DysfunctionJunction that it's hard to pin the ensuing trainwreck on any single member's single major character flaw.
218	[[/folder]]
219
220	[[folder:Theatre]]
221	* Creator/TomStoppard's ''Theatre/RosencrantzAndGuildensternAreDead.'' Despite their flashes of GenreSavvy and occasional (dark) comedy, the ending features a complete lack of awareness on the character's part. The futility of their project is laid bare, they die accomplishing nothing except discover their names (and that's still iffy). The downfall being external (but necessary). The minor status of the ''protagonists'' to "incidental" characters like Theatre/{{Hamlet}}.
222	* Creator/BertoltBrecht's ''Theatre/MotherCourageAndHerChildren'', as well as ''Measures Taken''. Catharsis is withheld in order to demand revolutionary action from the audience.
223	%%* ''Theatre/WaitingForGodot'' is a low and existential tragedy.
224	* Creator/ArthurMiller's ''Theatre/DeathOfASalesman''. Willy Loman is a middle-class indebted salesman who delusionally believes that the right attitude and personality can spell success. This leads to disaster in his life and the lives of his children, especially Biff, and Willy Loman is never able to understand the cause of his misfortune and dies unaware. Miller subverts a classical tragedy by making a middle class man the subject of his play and making the protagonist never understand reality because of his blind spot at any point which ultimately [[spoiler: leads to his death]]. By his own admission, Miller didn't really make the subversion of tragedy work out, as Loman is kind of a pathetic figure.
225	[[/folder]]
226

Context Main / Tragedy