In literature, tragedy is any composition with a somber theme carried to a disastrous conclusion; a fatal event; protagonist usually is heroic tragically flawed.
The best method for me to memorize this term is thinking of Shakespeare's plays. We recently read Hamlet in our class and encountered a tragic event when Polonius' death led to Ophelia's,which led to Laertes', Gertrude's Claudius', and eventually Hamlet's deaths.
There are others plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, and Macbeth that incorporate tragedy.
These are awesome examples! "Et tu Brute?" You hit the nail on the head on this one.
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