A tragic hero can be defined simply as the protagonist of a tragedy. The Greek philosopher Aristotle, however, endowed this individual with a number of specific characteristics. The first of which is his ability to evoke fear and pity from an audience.
Earthquakes are caused by either volcanic activity or shifting of massive tectonic plates underneath the surface of the earth. The plates have a ton of pressure and are pressing against each other, and when the plates suddenly shift it causes the entire ground to move, shake or break apart.
Earthquakes are destructive because they break open the earth's crust. An earthquake is a sudden shift of the earth's plates and often creates large crevices in the surface. Earthquakes can also cause avalanches and flash floods which both ruin vegetation and wear down the earth's crust.