AQA · A-Level · English Literature
Course version: 7717 · Version from Sept 2026
The type of the tragic text itself, whether it is classical and about…
Full specification wording
Aspects of tragedy: the type of the tragic text itself, whether it is classical and about public figures, like Lear, or domestic and about representations of ordinary people, like Tess
Tragedy is not one fixed form.
Checked against the AQA 7717 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 4 of 14
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Tragedy is not one fixed form. Classical tragedy, exemplified by King Lear, centres on rulers and public consequences: Lear divides a kingdom, and his error triggers war and national suffering. Domestic tragedy, exemplified by Tess of the d’Urbervilles, centres on ordinary people and private life: Tess is a rural worker whose suffering arises from poverty, gender and social judgement. When you analyse a text, identify which type it resembles, then show how that choice shapes the tragic effect. Ask who falls, what scale of harm follows, and who witnesses it. A classical fall can shake a state; a domestic fall can destroy a family yet leave the wider world unmoved. The type also affects how audiences feel pity and fear, and whether the tragedy feels remote or uncomfortably close.
What earns the marks
- Accurately classifies the text as predominantly classical/public or domestic/ordinary, using the terms classical and domestic with confidence.
- Explains how the status of the protagonist (ruler versus ordinary person) shapes the scale and reach of the suffering.
- Uses textual evidence, such as Lear’s division of the kingdom or Tess’s work in the fields, to support the classification.
- Connects the type of tragedy to audience response, for example public catastrophe versus private injustice.
- Compares classical and domestic features where a text mixes them, rather than forcing a single label.
- Shows how form and genre expectations influence meaning, not merely what happens in the plot.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Treating classical as simply old and domestic as simply modern.
Put it right: Define classical by public figures and state concerns, and domestic by ordinary people and private life.
Assuming a domestic tragedy cannot be tragic because the characters are not noble.
Put it right: Argue that ordinary suffering can carry equal tragic weight through its intensity and social resonance.
Describing the plot without linking it to type.
Put it right: After each point, state how the detail proves the text is classical, domestic or a blend.
Exam tips
- In your introduction, state the type you will argue for and the criteria you are using, then sustain that argument.
- Embed short quotations that reveal status or setting, such as references to crowns, courts, fields or cottages, and analyse their effect.
- When comparing texts, use connectives such as whereas, similarly and in contrast to sharpen the generic distinction.
Try the lesson
The start of the Aspects of tragedy: the type of the tragic text itself, whether it is classical and about public figures, like Lear, or domestic and about representations of ordinary people, like Tess lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
In the study of tragedy, texts can be categorised by their type. Which of the following correctly matches the text to its tragic sub-genre?
Listen
Tragedy is not one fixed form. Classical tragedy, exemplified by King Lear, centres on rulers and public consequences: Lear divides a kingdom, and his error triggers war and national suffering. Domestic tragedy, exemplified by Tess of the d’Urbervilles, centres on ordinary people and private life: Tess is a rural worker whose suffering arises from poverty, gender and social judgement. When you analyse a text, identify which type it resembles, then show how that choice shapes the tragic effect. Ask who falls, what scale of harm follows, and who witnesses it. A classical fall can shake a state; a domestic fall can destroy a family yet leave the wider world unmoved. The type also affects how audiences feel pity and fear, and whether the tragedy feels remote or uncomfortably close. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Accurately classifies the text as predominantly classical/public or domestic/ordinary, using the terms classical and domestic with confidence. Explains how the status of the protagonist (ruler versus ordinary person) shapes the scale and reach of the suffering. Uses textual evidence, such as Lear’s division of the kingdom or Tess’s work in the fields, to support the classification. Connects the type of tragedy to audience response, for example public catastrophe versus private injustice. A common slip: Treating classical as simply old and domestic as simply modern. Instead, define classical by public figures and state concerns, and domestic by ordinary people and private life. Exam tip: In your introduction, state the type you will argue for and the criteria you are using, then sustain that argument.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Classical tragedy
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Domestic tragedy
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Audience pity and fear
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Classical tragedy
- A type of tragic text about public figures, such as rulers, where the fall can shake a state and bring national suffering.
- Domestic tragedy
- A type of tragic text about representations of ordinary people and private life, where the fall can destroy a family yet leave the wider world unmoved.
- Audience pity and fear
- The response affected by the type of tragedy, and by whether the tragedy feels remote or uncomfortably close.
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