Ancient Greek Tragedy
* Oedipus Rex by Sophocles: The story of Oedipus, a king who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother.
* Antigone by Sophocles: A play about Antigone, a young woman who defies the king's decree and buries her brother, leading to her own tragic death.
* Medea by Euripides: A powerful and violent play about Medea, a sorceress who seeks revenge on her husband Jason for betraying her.
* Hamlet by William Shakespeare: A revenge tragedy about Hamlet, a prince who is haunted by the ghost of his father and seeks to avenge his murder.
* Macbeth by William Shakespeare: A play about Macbeth, a Scottish general who murders the king and becomes king himself, but ultimately faces a tragic downfall.
* King Lear by William Shakespeare: A play about King Lear, an elderly king who divides his kingdom among his daughters, leading to betrayal, madness, and tragedy.
* Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: A romantic tragedy about two star-crossed lovers who are forbidden from being together, leading to their tragic deaths.
Renaissance Tragedy
* The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd: A revenge tragedy about the murder of Hieronimo's son, leading to a cycle of violence and revenge.
* Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe: A play about Faustus, a scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power.
* The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster: A play about the Duchess of Malfi, who secretly marries her servant, leading to her imprisonment, torture, and death.
Modern Tragedy
* Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller: A play about Willy Loman, a traveling salesman who struggles with his failing career and the pressure to succeed.
* A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams: A play about Blanche DuBois, a fading Southern belle who is forced to confront her past and her own fragility.
* Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett: A play about two men who wait endlessly for the arrival of Godot, who never appears, reflecting the absurdity of existence.
* Long Day's Journey into Night by Eugene O'Neill: A play about the dysfunctional Tyrone family, a family torn apart by addiction, guilt, and tragedy.
* The Crucible by Arthur Miller: A play about the Salem witch trials, exploring themes of mass hysteria, religious persecution, and the danger of unchecked power.
* The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare: A play about Macbeth, a Scottish general who murders the king and becomes king himself, but ultimately faces a tragic downfall.
This is just a small selection of the many famous tragedies in literature. Each of these plays explores universal themes of love, loss, betrayal, ambition, and the human condition, making them relevant and powerful to audiences even today.