When society thinks of tragedy we think of a terrible or horrible accident happening to a person or to a group of people, most of the times resulting in hospitalization or worse, death. Another example of this type of tragedy could be a loved one who goes away on vacation and contracts a rare and unusual disease which could possibly result in death. Not all types of tragedies always result in a certain death. Tragedy in a classical Greek sense sets up a protagonist to begin the action in the tragedy. What lead to the tragedies is the protagonist’s characteristics.
These characteristics are naturally supposed to be positive and noble but in the end, these characteristics are what caused the downfall in the protagonist. Everyone loves vacations because they get a break from reality and get to relax for once. Coming back home from vacation is probably the worst part of the experience, especially if you came back not knowing you contracted an infection from your vacationing destination. Not only have you contracted this horrible infection, you find out that it is an incurable disease.
“The disease, which causes severe bruising and uncontrolled bleeding, is untreatable and is fatal in a third of cases” (Cameron, 1). Not only does the United Kingdom need to worry about the person who has the disease, they need to make sure no one else has contracted it and that it does not spread. This incident is forming the first type of tragedy because this is an incurable disease from another country that has and is claiming other people’s lives uncontrollably. “A man has died after becoming the first person in Britain to contract a terrifying infection that has claimed countless lives in the developing world” (Cameron, 1).
There are records that show that many lives had been taken from this disease in the developing country. This information leaves Britain worried that more of their people may contract this disease, spread the contagion, and die. This event commences the second tragedy because someone has already dies of this terrible disease and there is only fear that other people may contract this disease which would lead to a wide spread of deaths causing a worldwide tragedy. These events lead to sudden change and death without warning which made the whole situation a tragedy.
Accidents happen every second of the day. These types of accidents may include, but aren’t limited to, car crashes, school shootings, or physical fights as a result of bullying. When people’s lives are taken in these situations this then becomes a tragedy. “It’s the type of scenario that can become all too common when you mix alcohol with testosterone: A perceived slight, a few heated words and suddenly the fists start flying. And it’s the exact type of situation that can have deadly consequences” (McIntyre, 1).
This shows how people can be going about their day when all of a sudden an argument starts, escalates, and results in unexpected fatality. All of this then becomes a tragedy. “Jurors clearly accepted the claim by Somers he acted in self-defense. Gary Rent,33, a University of Manitoba graduate student, died after being punched in the head, falling to the ground, landing hard on the pavement and suffering a traumatic brain injury”(McIntyre, 1). The situation just mentioned is considered a tragedy because two people were going about their normal day when they all of a sudden got into an argument and started fighting.
The fighting made a quick turn and one punch to the head resulted in someone’s instant death. This was not the intentions of these people but something unexpected happened and resulted in this tragedy. This type of tragedy involves unexpected death in all types of accidents. Every single person deals with their own tragedy in their everyday lives. One may not realize it but the way you act and the personality you have, and how you personify yourself, may lead you to a huge downfall somewhere down the road.
For example, many doctors are being removed from their practice solely because of the way they act and their actions they perform. “Medical tribunals more frequently remove or deregister doctors for character flaws and lack of insight rather than for errors in care or poor clinical knowledge, the study of doctor misconduct in Australia and New Zealand found”(Davey,1). This statement shows that doctors are more likely to be fired due to their characteristics that they may deem positive but are in reality very negative.
“ ‘ Our findings…show that failings…such as mistreatment and diagnosis result in removal from practice much less frequently than misconduct involving personal failings, such as inappropriate conduct towards patients, unprofessional personal conduct and non-adherence to practice conditions already imposed by the board,’ the study, published this week in the British Medical Journal” (Davey,1). These doctors are not being respectful or professional to their patient’s bodies. They are disrespecting the privacy of their patient’s body by engaging in sexual activities and relationships with their patients.
Medical tribunals find that the doctor’s characteristic flaws are more likely to put them in danger of being deregistered as a doctor, than giving patients unethical prescriptions and misdiagnosis. In this case the doctors are the protagonist and their Achilles heel is that they help treat people but their characteristics flaws are that they take advantage of their job and have sexual relations with their patients. This results in being a negative characteristic and ends up in them failing and losing their license to practice.
The doctor is viewed as a hero because he/she helps cure and heal people but because of their characteristic flaws they end up failing in the end and losing their right to practice. Tragedy happens in many ways. One type is the tragedy of a sudden or unexpected death of a person or a group of people. Most importantly the other typ of tragedy is the type in the classical Greek sense which deals with a protagonist and an Achilles heel. Every single person experiences tragedy within themselves. Many people don’t realize their characteristic failings which in the long run hurts only themselves.
Recognizing your tragedy can help you succeed in life and not be held back from your Achilles heel.
Works Cited Davey, Melissa. “Medical Tribunals Judging Morals over Errors. ” Sydney Morning Herald[Sydney] June-July 2012, First ed. , News and Features sec. : 3. Print. Cameron, Lucinda. “Tragedy as Air Passenger Becomes First Person in UK to Die of Congo Virus. ” Mail on Sunday 7 Oct. 2012: 11. Print. Mcintyre, Mike. “Jury Has Not-guilty Verdict in One-punch Bar Death. ” Winnipeg Free Press. N. p. , 6 Oct. 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2012. .