Tragedy

Tragedy

Noun · /ˈtrædʒɪdi/ · a serious dramatic work ending in disaster; a catastrophic real-world event; a deeply sad situation

Definition

A tragedy is, first, a genre of drama originating in ancient Greece — a serious play in which the protagonist's downfall results from a fatal flaw, fate, or conflict with forces beyond their control. Second, in everyday English, a tragedy is any deeply distressing event: a fatal accident, a loss, a failure of justice. Third, informally, it can describe any frustrating setback, though this usage is often considered trivial given the word's weight.

Origin

From Greek tragōidia — from tragos meaning goat, and ōidē meaning song or ode. The literal meaning is goat song. The precise origin of the goat connection is debated: it may refer to a goat as a prize, a goat sacrificed at the festival, or performers wearing goat skins. Greek tragedy developed in Athens in the fifth century BCE, with Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides as its masters. Through Rome and the Renaissance it became the foundational model for serious dramatic art in the Western tradition.