Tragedies became popular in ancient Greek times when most stories were written about a person of a high social class who experiences something that sends them plummeting down to the level of the plebeians. In most of these stories, the main character had a tragic flaw, like Achilles and his heel. One main characteristic is a sad ending. Whether it be death, disease, or heartbreak, a tragedy never end positively. The authors of tragedies use pathos to make the reader feel sympathy for the protagonist as they try to fix the mistakes they have made.
