A literary genre.
A spectacle of exceptional calamity, depicting a movement from prosperity to catastrophe. The focus of tragedy is on the tragic hero, a great person of high social who is standing in a moment of tragic choice and displays a tragic flaw of character (Aristotle's hamartia, New Testament sin). The plot highlights the element of human choice, placing responsibility for the downfall upon the hero.
The pattern is dilemma > choice > catastrophe > suffering > perception > death.
(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. The Bible as Literature by Leland Ryken, Page 133)
Tragedies of the Bible
The Bible portrays evil and its consequences, but there are relatively few full-fledged tragedies compared to hero stories through the intervention of human repentance and divine forgiveness.
The prototypical biblical tragedy is the Fall (Genesis 3). Adam and Eve face the dilemma of whether to obey or disobey God's prohibition. They make their tragic mistake, which leads to scenes of suffering and perception.
A masterpiece of biblical tragedy is King Saul's life (1 Samuel 8-31), a tragedy of weak leadership. His dilemma was his dual allegiance toward obeying God and taking the path of expediency to please the people. The narrative and psychological center is Saul's disobedience in God's command to destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15). Catastrophe, suffering, perception, and death follows.
Samson (Judges 13-16) follows the tragedy pattern.
David (1 Samuel-2 Samuel) follows the pattern of initial prosperity, catastrophe, and suffering. His downfall is localized in the Bathsheba-Uriah debacle.
Some of Jesus' parables depict wrong choices and are tragedies.
(The Origin of the Bible: Newly Updated by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip W. Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry, 2020. The Bible as Literature by Leland Ryken, Page 133-134)