The inception of literary tragedy can be traced back to ancient Greece. One can easily argue that tragedy is heavily influenced by bloodlust: most, if not all, Greek tragedies culminate in macabre finales filled to the brim with unbridled anguish: for example, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex culminates in the titular character committing regicide, incest, and self-mutilation. At the heart of tragedy, however, is not bloodlust but catharsis. Continue reading