We all convince ourselves that we want happy endings, that the conclusion should be wrapped up in a neat bow and shelved away in nostalgia. But this is a farce. What we really crave is tragedy.
Artists have always looked towards tragedy as a source of inspiration, and some of the greatest surviving literary works reflect this. Shakespeare's greatest works are his tragedies – the same applies to Greek tragedians. Considering theirs is the measure by which we scale literary genius, the fascination with tragedy is undeniable.
But why, though? Why are we so in love with getting our hearts broken? Because happy endings sever the imagination, leaving little else to be fancied. Tragedies, however, inspire endless emotions – empathy, regret, melancholy, and so on.
Perhaps the reason we love tragedies so much is because we relate better to them. True, things work out in our lives all the time, but some of the most potent resonant memories are the ones that break our hearts, bring tears to our eyes, or cause us to wonder, "what if?"
Tragedy is beautiful. I am not saying this as some sadist, but as a romantic who witnesses tragedy on a daily basis. Sure, we all want paradise on Earth, but even in this broken world, there is beauty. It's like a flower; we can all admire a flower in the wild, but sometimes a flower blossoms from a crack on a pavement or a wall. The epiphany here is that beauty exists not because of favorable circumstances, but despite them. Even the harshest moments can birth solitary beauty.
No matter how much we deny it, we love getting our hearts broken. Romeo and Juliet would have not become so popular had Shakespeare penned a happy ending for the two. We only think we want the happy ending, but what we actually crave is the opposite.
