‘Tragedy’ encompasses all areas of twenty-first century popular culture: from literature to film to television, the genre is everywhere.  But why is it that audiences take pleasure in observing the tragic plight of others – is it simply a self-esteem issue?  Do we thrive off the suffering of characters from films and literature, as we realise that the ‘tragedy’ of our own lives just doesn’t quite compare? Or is it something more: does tragedy enact the position of humanity as a whole, exposing the insignificance of the human condition, and subsequently stimulating us as we subconsciously identify with the tragic character? The answer is extremely subjective.

Ultimately, tragedy can be both enlightening and entertaining as it reoccurs throughout the arts from the classical to the modern. Since the theatrical classics such as Aeschylus’s Oresteia, which depicts endless cycles of suffering throughout the family unit, and Shakespeare’s ‘tragedy’ of the public sphere as explored in plays such as Hamlet, Macbeth and so forth, tragedy has evolved to dominate the arts, especially in our society, as it manifests on our TV screens, governs popular theatre productions, and is the frequent genre of prevalent literature. Still the question remains: why has tragedy maintained its position as a popular form of entertainment since the classical periods? Understandably earlier audiences such as the Elizabethans, seated in their public amphitheatres, would have relished in tragedy as a popular genre of the theatrical world, as the playhouse comprised the dominant form of leisure at the time. But why is it still so captivating for modern audiences in our society today?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ‘tragedy’ is “that branch of dramatic art which treats of sorrowful or terrible events”,[1] indicating its creative contribution to the arts as a space where artists can explore their ‘dark’ side; where audiences can observe and even enjoy the misery of others. It is this artificial space in the dramatic arts where tragedy becomes entertaining, yet for those who make the connection between tragedy and reality another definition becomes significant: tragedy is “an unhappy or fatal event…in real life”[2]. Without wishing to sound too pessimistic, tragedy is inevitable in life. Everybody suffers now and again: whether it is a broken heart or the loss of much-loved pet, tragedy is something that we cannot escape as we progress through life. The genre wields power over the narrative of our lives, allowing it to persevere in the arts, and develop in its conventions and styles.

Over centuries we have seen tragedy evolve: moving from theatrical and literary forms to huge blockbuster movies, current music, and popular television programmes. The global popularity of films such as Titanic, which grossed over $600 million, serves as evidence for the twentieth and twenty-first century obsession with the tragic genre. We can see how ‘tragedy’ has penetrated today’s culture through morbid storylines in TV soap favourites such as Hollyoaks, as well as the poignant lyrics of multi-platinum selling musicians such as Adele. Tragedy manifests in popular documentaries which examine heartrending real-life events: in September, Channel 4 riveted two million viewers in its broadcast of 9/11: The Fireman’s Story. In effect, tragedy has shifted from the melodramatic vision of the Greeks – Sophocles’ Oedipus gouging out his eyes after committing unintentional parenticide and incest (woah!) – to the serious as it operates to entertain, to educate, and to memorialise tragic events within humanity and society.

The popularisation of tragedy is comprehensive. While some may prefer comedy and others revel in the romantic, statistics show (in viewings and film grossings, that is) that tragedy is a seminal part of our artistic culture and maintains its status as a dominant device of recreation. Ultimately, there are a number of reasons as to why our society is still engrossed with tragedy as it continues to exhibit itself within popular culture. As an audience, it may be that we recognise ourselves in the tragic character; we empathise with them as they experience their tragic fate. After all, life is not all rainbows and sunshine. It may be that the tragic genre is an escape: an insight into the life of a character who has been marked by misfortune, where we can get away from our own lives for a few hours. For the philosophical individual, tragedy may indicate the ‘meaning of life’: that we are in this world to experience suffering, and tragedy is irrevocably linked with humanity, and thus engenders theoretical knowledge.

The answer is debatable; the perpetual power and presence of ‘tragedy’ in our culture is not.

Simone Gayle

Image: Franco Folini on Flickr