The Tragedy Archetype
What is Tragedy?
The idealized world of Romance is replaced
by the real world of Tragedy where
greatness can be crushed and goodness
defeated.
While Romance glorifies the beauty and
power of youth and innocence, tragedy
presents the problems and challenges of
adulthood.
Types of Tragedy
The Pure Hero
 Loss of Innocence
 Sacrificial Victim
 Classic Tragic Hero
 Spiritual Death
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The Pure Hero
1. An innocent victim of
tragic events:
--an accident
--a natural catastrophe
--an innocent bystander
2. An innocent person who
is unjustly accused of a
crime
3. We empathize, feel pity,
and dignify this tragedy.
Loss of Innocence
• Innocent, young hero
faces harsh world of
experience
• Innocence is left
behind
• Hero recognizes
maturing significance
of event
• Hero gains wisdom or
is crushed
Sacrificial Victim

Hero willingly suffers
or dies for a just
cause, or a scapegoat
is sacrificed to rid
world of evil
 There is victory in
defeat--cause is
strengthened
 Destiny singles out
this person for
greatness
Sacrificial Victim
Classic Tragic Hero

Important person
brings about his/her
own downfall due to a
“tragic flaw” (greed,
ambition, cowardice,
lust, hatred)
 Hero destroyed by
outside force
 Catharctic experience
for audience
Classic Tragic Hero
Spiritual Death

Hero is trapped,
humiliated, ridiculed,
or tortured
 Hero can not control
his destiny
 Frequently set in
prisons, war, asylums
 Some hope is left but
very little
Typical Plot
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Hero accepts “the call to
adventure” and embarks
on perilous physical or
psychological journey to
achieve his goal
Destiny intrudes: fate,
bad luck, the hero’s flaw,
a stronger enemy blocks
the hero
Hero is defeated
The audience
experiences catharsis
Typical Tragedy Themes
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Tragedy is part of REAL WORLD experiences
and events
Innocence may lose; evil may triumph
All people have the capacity for wrong-doing
People suffering tragic events and emerge wiser
and stronger--hope remains
People can feel pity and learn from the tragic
events of others (empathy and catharsis)
Tragic events occur to both the lowly and the
high and mighty
Common Motifs and Settings
Cold, harsh world--gloomy settings,
autumn, rain storms
 Isolation
 Cruelty--unintentional or intentional
 Dark colors
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