Aristotelian Authority On the Art of Poetry comments at length on the different forms of poetry, and discusses Greek tragedy in particular. Aristotle is supposed to have written on comedy, but the work has not survived. In the Renaissance, Aristotle's authority was such that his critical precepts were followed and admired by scholars. English playwrights of the renaissance, even those who were educated in the universities, however, followed native traditions in the theatre, a choice which earned them the scorn of later critics. Pity and fear Pity alone is not enough to make a play a tragedy.
Fear alone is similarly inadequate.
An average suspense-thriller may hold attention, but if we know the ending or have seen it already we rapidly become aware that the thriller is simply melodramatic.