The protagonist of a tragedy is typically a good person, but they have a tragic flaw that leads to their downfall. This flaw is often hubris, or excessive pride.
2. The protagonist's downfall is caused by a series of events that are beyond their control.
The protagonist's downfall is not simply due to their own actions. It is also caused by a series of events that are beyond their control, such as fate or the actions of other characters.
3. The protagonist's downfall leads to a sense of pity and fear in the audience.
Aristotle believed that tragedy should evoke two emotions in the audience: pity and fear. Pity is the feeling of sympathy for the protagonist, while fear is the feeling of dread that the protagonist's fate could happen to us.
4. The protagonist's downfall leads to a catharsis in the audience.
Aristotle also believed that tragedy should lead to a catharsis, or a release of pent-up emotions, in the audience. This catharsis is meant to leave the audience feeling purified and cleansed.
Some examples of typical tragedies include:
- Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare
- Macbeth by William Shakespeare
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck