According to Dictionary.com, a tragedy is an art form based on human suffering; furthermore, it is a dramatic composition, which deals with a serious or dark theme, typically that of a great person destined, due to a defect of character or a conflict with an overbearing force, such as destiny or society, to fall or destruction. Tragic elements are those in which a protagonist suffers from disconnection from society and also makes a mistake or displays poor decision making. There are usually deaths that occur at or near the end of the show. The Merchant of Venice can be classified as a tragedy because it contains the rather sinister elements that are generally found in tragedies and the play Antigone can be considered a tragedy, due to the serious consequences of how the story unfolds. As a tragedy, The Merchant of Venice focuses on the collapse of a Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who leaves the stage destroyed and at the end of the play it is inevitable that he becomes Christian and gives up his possessions. In this play, Shylock is the tragic hero because he has a tragic flaw. His fault is quite evident throughout the work, namely that his material prosperity impoverishes his judgments on a daily basis. An example where it is clear that he is simply worrying about his own things is when his daughter Jessica runs away. He says: “O my ducats! Oh, my daughter! Eloped with a Christian! Oh, my Christian duchies” (Shakespeare 2.8.15-16). He incorporates his daughter into the middle as if she were one of his assets. Towards the conclusion of the play, Shylock is humiliated. Shylock experiences disgrace when Portia, disguised as a man, uses his observations and bond against him. This happens because the...... middle of paper ...... song of Venice is noticed by a prickly and ostracized Jewish moneylender, Shylock, who seeks revenge in opposition to a Christian merchant who fails on credit. Shylock and Antonio experience personal distress together that can classify these comedies as tragedies. Antigone is a story characterized by true misfortune as Creon is overwhelmed by his individual measures and Antigone's tragic individual fatality marks the beginning of that collapse. Antigone and Creon have each other's vital tragic flaws that ultimately end up in their tragedies, therefore, Antigone and The Merchant of Venice compare equally in making these two plays tragedies. Works Cited "Tragedy". Dictionary.com. Dictionary, 2011. Web. 1 December 2011.Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992.Sophocles,. Antigone. Clayton: Prestwick House, 2005.