Forms: 4–6 tragedye, (4–5 tregeedie, tregedie), 4–7 tragedie, 5 -idie, (trajedi), 5–6 tragedi, -ide, 6 tragœdie, (trigide, -idy), 5– tragedy. [ME. a. OF. tregedie, tragedie (14th c. in Godef.), ad. L. tragœdia, a. Gr. τραγῳδία, app. goat-song, f. τράγος goat + ᾦδή ode, song.
As to the reason of the name many theories have been offered, some even disputing the connection with ‘goat.’ See L. H. Gray, in Classical Quarterly, VI. 60, and references there given.]
1. A play or other literary work of a serious or sorrowful character, with a fatal or disastrous conclusion: opp. to COMEDY1 1. † a. In mediæval use: A tale or narrative poem of this character.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., II. pr. ii. 23. (Camb. MS.). The cryenges of tragedyes…. Tragedye is to seyn, a dite of a prosperite for a tyme þat endith in wrecchydnesse. Ibid. (c. 1374), Troylus, V. 1786. Go litel booke goo litell my tregeedie. Ibid. (c. 1386), Monk’s Prol., 83 (Corpus). Or elles tregedys [v.rr. -ies, -ise] first wol I telle.
c. 1430. Lydg., Misericordias, 65. At funeral feestys men synge tragedies With wooful ditees of lamentacioun.
1531. Elyot, Gov., I. x. Than shall he, in redyng tragoedies, execrate and abhorre the intollerable life of tyrantes.
1593. Churchyard (title), The Earle of Mvrtons Tragedie.
b. Applied to ancient Greek and Latin works: the original (Dorian) being lyric songs, the later (Attic and Latin) dramatic pieces.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 25. The tragidés divers and unkouth of morall Senec.
1484. Caxton, Curiall, 11. As seyth Seneke in hys tragedyes, Age cometh to late to peple of smale howses.
1546. Langley, Pol. Verg. De Intent., I. ix. 17 b. As the Alters were kindled with fyre, and the Goate layed on it, the Quire in honor of Bacchus, songe this Meter called a Tragedie.
1579. Lodge, Def. Poetry (Shaks. Soc.), 24. Tragedies and Comedies … wer inuented … to no other purpose, but to yeelde prayse unto God for a happy haruest, or plentiful yeere.
a. 1637. B. Jonson, Horace’s Art of Poetry, 312. Thespis is said to be the first found out The tragedy, and carried it about, Till then unknown, in carts, wherein did ride Those that did sing, and act.
1789. T. Twining, Aristotle’s Treat. Poetry, II. § 12. 88. Now, the subjects of the best Tragedies are confined to a few families —to Alcmæon, Oedipus,… and others, the sufferers, or the authors, of some terrible calamity.
1873. Symonds, Grk. Poets, ix. 277. His [Arion’s] Chorus were attired like Satyrs in goat-skins, to represent the woodland comrades of the god: hence came the name of Tragedy or Goat-song.
c. Applied to a modern stage-play.
1538. Bale, Thre Lawes, 1465. Companyons I want to begynne thys tragedye.
1597. Shaks. (title), An excellent conceited Tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet. Ibid. (1611) (title) The Tragedie of Cymbeline.
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., II. Pref., Wks. 1851, III. 146. The Apocalyps of Saint Iohn is the majestick image of a high and stately Tragedy,… intermingling her solemn Scenes and Acts with a sevenfold Chorus of halleluja’s and harping symphonies.
1703. Farquhar, Inconstant, IV. iii. Cry then, handsomely; cry like a queen in a tragedy.
1775. Harris, Philos. Arrangem., Wks. (1841), 316. This excellent tragedy [Macbeth] … is not only admirable as a poem, but is perhaps … one of the most moral pieces existing.
1838–9. Hallam, Hist. Lit., III. III. vi. § 90. 339. Five of his sixteen plays are tragedies, that is, are concluded in death.
2. That branch of dramatic art that treats of sorrowful or terrible events, in a serious and dignified style: opp. to COMEDY1 2. (Sometimes personified.)
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, II. 852. Tragidie, who so list to knowe, It begynneth in prosperite, And endeth euer in aduersite; And it also doth þe conquest trete Of riche kynges and of lordys grete.
1508. Dunbar, Lament for Makaris, 59. [Death] That scorpioun fell hes done infek Maister Iohne Clerk, and James Afflek, Fra balat making & trigide.
1598. Meres, Palladis Tamia, 282. Plautus and Seneca are accounted the best for Comedy and Tragedy among the Latines.
1632. Milton, Penseroso, 97. Som time let Gorgeous Tragedy In Scepter’d Pall com sweeping by.
1757. W. Wilkie, Epigoniad, Pref. 5. In Epic poetry, Tragedy, or any other of the higher kinds of poetical composition.
1861. Paley, Æschylus, Prometh. (ed. 2), 799, note. This use is common in Homer, but rare in tragedy.
1900. W. L. Courtney, Idea of Tragedy, 12. Tragedy is always the clash of two powers—necessity without, freedom within.
3. fig. An unhappy or fatal event or series of events in real life; a dreadful calamity or disaster. (Cf. COMEDY1 4.)
1509. Hawes, Past. Pleas., xii. (Percy Soc.), 49. His chere is dolorus, As in bewaylyng a woful tragedy.
1535. Layton, in Lett. Suppress. Monasteries (Camden), 76. To tell yowe all this commodie, but for thabbot a tragedie, hit were to long.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 207. The warre of Hungarie made all those parts full of tragedies and miserie.
1657. Trapp, Comm. Job i. 19. Lately at Witney … a scurrilous blasphemous Comedy was by the fall of the room wherein it was acted, turned into a Tragedy, as ending with the deaths of six.
1871. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xx. 572. The turning-point of William’s reign, the tragedy of the fate of Waltheof.
† b. A doleful or dreadful tale; a passionate complaint. Obs.
1565. Jewel, Def. Apol., II. xiii. (1611), 255. Iudge thou how iust causes M. Harding had to mooue these Tragedies.
1594. Spenser, Amoretti, liv. I waile, and make my woes a Tragedy.
1611. Bible, Transl. Pref., 2. Herevpon they raise vp a tragedie, and wish in their heart the Temple had neuer bene built.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., Apol., 538. Some would raise such Stirres and Tragedies about.
† c. With of or possessive: Sad story, unhappy fate, misery, misfortune; esp. sorrowful end, violent death. Obs.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. Prol. 264. Sen I suld thi [Dido’s] trigidy endite.
a. 1592. Greene, Alphonsus, I. Wks. (Rtldg.), 227/1. This sword … should the author be To make an end of this my tragedy.
1598–9. [E. Forde], Parismus, I. (1661), 68. I fear he is destroyed by the treachery of that wicked homicide…, who is not contented with his tragedy, but also seeketh my destruction.
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 186. He ceased not to bewaile my misery, and to recount my Tragedy as if it had been the burning of Troy.
1678. Marvell, Growth Popery, Wks. (Grosart), IV. 412. Men sit by, like idle spectators, and still give money towards their own tragedy.
1738. Wesley, Psalms, XCI. iv. Thou … shalt look on and see the Wicked’s dismal Tragedy.
¶ 4. Misused for TRAGEDIAN 1. Obs. rare–1.
1460. Capgrave, Chron. (Rolls), 49. Sophocles and Euripides … were cleped Tragedies. Trajedi is as mech to sey as he that writith eld stories, with ditees hevy and sorowful.
5. attrib. and Comb., as tragedy-actor, -air, -drum (DRUM sb.1 3), -god, -king, -player, -queen, speech, strut, -victim, -writer; tragedy-man, the chief tragic actor at a theater.
1820. W. Tooke, trans. Lucian, I. 481. Lay aside your proper character and assume that of a *tragedy-actor.
1897. ‘A. Hope,’ Phroso, v. Her *tragedy-air was quite delightful.
1702. Steele, Funeral, IV. i. 59. He is a *Tragedy-Drum to one of the Play-Houses.
1820. W. Tooke, trans. Lucian, I. 505. Properties necessary for the equipment of a *tragedy-god.
1900. Macm. Mag., May, 50/1. More like a *tragedy-king than a monarch of history.
1821. Blackw. Mag., X. 588. The vacant situation of *tragedyman.
1552. Huloet, *Tragedie player, tragœdus.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xlvi. She bowed me out of the room like a *tragedy queen.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., V. i. A short *tragedy speech.
1791. Paine, Rights of Man (ed. 4), 27. A *tragedy-victim expiring in show, and not the real prisoner of misery.
1552. Huloet, *Tragedie wryter, tragicus, Sophocles.
c. 1740. G. Walmsley, in Hawkins, Johnson (1787), 39. Johnson is a very good scholar and poet, and, I have great hopes, will turn out a fine tragedy-writer.
