Lear as a Tragedy The story of King Lear is a tragedy by the classical definition of the word. As stated by the definition, a tragedy is when a great figure falls a great distance through the mistakes brought on by pride. The reader is then left feeling pity and fear for the character's loss. The events in King Lear provide a great example of a tragedy, with King Lear himself as the great figure …showed first 75 words of 1335 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1335 total…of his overwhelming pride. And the struggle he goes through to regain his composure is cut short by the evil plot of others. He loses his kingdom, his daughters, and eventually his life. This leaves the reader to feel pity for the king, as well as fear that such horrible things could happen to such a powerful man. This story truly is a tragedy. Works Cited Shakespeare, William. King Lear, Penguin Putnam Inc., New York. 1963.