SH+P5+2014-15+Tragedy

Tragedy Sarah Cook Audience: The intended audience of tragedy is the people that have experienced a tragedy in their life. People who have experienced tragedies like the death of a loved one can be especially sensitive to tragedies. An individual who has experienced a tragedy will be able to connect and understand when hearing about other individuals tragedies. Pavlina states, “Current social conditioning still encourages us to think in terms of our emotional attachments”(1). Individuals who have experienced a tragedy will be able to connect with others that have experienced similar tragedies. Pavlina explains that not all tragedies are the same to different individuals. An individual may not feel as much emotional pain to something they don’t believe is a real tragedy. Another audience would be the audience of a play, like Macbeth by Shakespeare. In the current society, individuals are lead to believe that some instances are tragedies and some are not at all. In the play, the audience is meant to think that the death of a loved one is a tragedy. They would feel for the characters in the play because they know they are experiencing pain.

Works Cited Pavlina, "Personal Development for Smart People." // Dealing With Tragedy and Loss //. 1st Jun. 2006. 5th Jan. 2015.

Rosales, "Can You Affect How Personal Tragedy Impacts Your Professional Life?"//.// //Women Grow Businesses//. 30th Jan. 2013. 6th Jan. 2015.

Tragedy Daniel Hernandez Aim: The embodiment of tragedy lies within those who have had first hand experience. In many aspects the aim of a Tragedy is to develop a curiosity in one born from one’s emotions. Tragedy is defined to be “a plot in which the protagonist, because of some inherent flaw in his/her character, dies” (Dr. Hodgson 1). Therefore, a tragedies underlying purpose is to create a deeper revelation in emotions from the viewer. In many plays and epic’s, tragedy is used to create greater suspense and brings the viewer to a new found understanding. In modern day, the definition of a tragedy has fluctuated from a “protagonists death” to “any occasion of grief” (Dr. Hodgson 1), this shift in definition has produced mass amounts of misuse and now the purpose of tragedy in modern day has become a way to manipulate and control the emotions of those who view such periods of grief. However, the most projected and consistent purpose of a tragedy remains untouched; “Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its katharsis of such emotions” (S. H. Butcher 2).

Works Cited S. Storer, and Dr. J.W. Hodgson. "Understanding Dramatic Tragedy." //Cameron Universit//y. Cameron Edu, 6 Oct.. 2009. Web. 6 Jan 2015. Pavlina, "Personal Development for Smart People" // Dealing With Tragedy and Loss //. 1st Jun. 2006. 5th Jan. 2015.

Tragedy DeErick Smith Historical: Tragedy impacts history substantially as it is widely seen throughout past societies. It is and has always been a popular piece of entertainment in theatre due to the fact that it invokes many different feelings in the audience. For instance, “the spectators of a well-written tragedy receive from sorrow, terror, anxiety, and other passions, that are in themselves disagreeable and uneasy. The more they are touched and affected, the more are they delighted with the spectacle” (Hume 1). Furthermore, “tragedy evokes pity and fear in the audience, leading finally to catharsis (the purgation of these passions)” (Schwartz 1). Tragedies mix and change one’s emotions which makes it entertaining in the end. An example of a tragedy is Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare. This tragedy impacted history greatly because it created a lot of controversy between who was more of the tragic hero in the story; Brutus or Cassius. Another famous tragedy by William Shakespeare was Macbeth. In both tragedies, the main characters end up dying and the audiences is “pleased in proportion as they are afflicted, and never are so happy as when they employ tears, sobs, and cries to give vent to their sorrow, and relieve their heart, swelled with the tenderest sympathy and compassion” (Hume 1). Tragedies impact history significantly as it affects the audience in such a way that is unforgettable; the audience is able to connect and relates themselves to the story because of the overwhelming emotions in which caused popularity throughout history. Works Cited Schwartz, Debora B. "Shakespearean Tragedy" //Shakespearean Tragedy//. Web. 04 Jan. 2015.

Hume, David. “Of Tragedy.” Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1742. //Library of Economics and Liberty.// Web. 6 Jan. 2015.



Tragedy Kayla Long Cultural: On December 14, 2012 twenty six victims at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Sandy Hook Connecticut were mercilessly murdered by Adam Lanza, a disturbed 20 year old. Twenty children were shot for no other reason than attending the wrong school that day, and six faculty members died defending the innocent lives of the 700 children that went to school that day. Adam Lanza committed suicide after murdering his victims, while the most tragic part may be that families and friends will never have an explanation or a reason why. The tragedy of Sandy Hook Elementary caused great suffering, and distress for the community and America as a whole. The family of a second grader who was murdered in the shooting has had trouble moving forward with their lives. One news article elaborates saying “It hardly mattered that what Mark and his wife, Jackie, really wanted was to ignore Mother’s Day altogether, to stay in their pajamas with their two surviving children, turn off their phones and reward themselves for making it through another day with a glass of Irish whiskey neat (Saslow 1). Not only did this tragedy affect the Sandy Hook community but it affected America as a whole. New gun control laws began surfacing, including proposals for more invasive back ground checks before the purchase of a gun. Obama even addressed the nation publically the day of the shooting saying "We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics”(Obama). An address from the president helped the nation come together to support the Sandy Hook community. A tragedy like the one at Sandy Hook Elementary for instance will cause widespread reactions when many innocents are harmed without explanation.

Works Cited Saslow, Eli and Linda Davidson. "After Newtown shooting, mourning parents enter into the lonely quiet". //Washington Post//, 8 June, 2013. Web. 5 January, 2015.

Obama, Barack. “President Obama Makes a Statement on the Shooting in Newtown, Connecticut” United States Government. //White House//, Washington D.C., In. 14, December 2012