**[First developed in Greece] Characteristics:**
1. **Main character is involved in a struggle that ends in disaster.**
1. **character, often called the** __***tragic hero***__**, is a person high rank who has the respect of the community**
2. **The tragic hero’s downfall is usually the result of some combination of fate, an error in judgment, and a personality weakness often called a tragic flaw**
3. **Once the tragedy is in motion, the downfall is usually inevitable**
4. **The tragic hero gains wisdom or insight by the play’s end**