The word tragedy comes from the tragoidia, literally meaning goat song. It is thought that this is because the goat was a prize for in a competition for choral dancing or that a dance was done around the goat before a ritual sacrifice. Another theory is that the word wasn't tragoidia, but was trygodia coming from trygos, meaning grape harvest. The word ode was combined with ode because of choral events being introduced during the grape harvest.
It is said that Thespis created dialogue. Before him, there was narration that happened, but conversation did not happen between the chorus and anybody else. Thespis addressed his speech to the chorus. This custom as continued by Phrynichus.
This paved the way for tragedies of all types. When Aristotle wrote Poetics, he stated that tragedy could only depict those with high power and status. However, as theatre continue, this definition was rejected. It was found that the common man can experience tragedy and this can also be expressed on stage. Even though many of Shakespeare's characters are of high status, it is said that he rejected Aristotle's statement about tragedy. Today, tragedies that deal with with high society and the common man are written.
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