Spoiler warning D:

This discussing of suffering and tragedy got my thinking. I've read King Leer, great play. If you haven't read it yet DO IT.
Anyway the Brothers of Dostoevsky. Here is a link. It's a bit long, and Dostoevsky can be a bit...heavy, but it's worth taking time to study, it is referenced...so often.
Here is a link to the online chapter (yay e-text :D)

All this makes me think of a movie. A Dog of Flanders. I saw an animated version, so i couldn't say anything for the live action, but this movie is the most tragic story I have ever read/seen. It's based on a book, so you could probably check that out too.

This is where spoilers begin, if you don't want anything given away don't read further.

In King Leer, he isn't that innocent. It begins with his idiotic idea of love being measurable. So while it is terribly tragic, there is a reason all the trouble began.

In Brothers it is much worse, but with the kid he still did something (throwing the rock like a punk) to start the tragedy going for him. I'm not saying that isn't one of the most terrible things I have ever read, I am simply noting that these tragedies have a start.

In a Dog of Flanders, it doesn't. The Story is about a poor boy, Nello, that lives with his Grandfather and his dog Patrasche. Patrasche was adopted by them after escaping a nasty owner that beat him and such and Nello nursed him back to health. Nello and his grandfather are milk farmers and Nello is a talented artist. Nello is friends with a girl who's father owns the windmill in the village, basically owning the town.
The story starts with Nello wishing to see canvases painted by Rubens that are on display at the church, but there is a fee and he can not afford it. The trouble starts when Patrache's previous owner spots Nello with the dog and goes after them. In order to ensure Patrache stays with the family Nello's Grandfather pays the previous owner his life savings. Later Nello is playing with the windmill owners daughter in secret (her parents don't want her playing with the poor boy) and the windmill catches fire because the overseer forgot to oil the gears. It is blamed on Nello. Now the town won't do business with him and his grandfather, and to top that off his grandfather grows ill and dies. So Nello is alone and broke. He enters an art contest. The winner of the contest would get a full tuition to a prestigious art school. Basically he loses to the rich kids that can afford more supplies. Still alone, still poor, christmas rolls around. it's freezing and his landlord (the mill overseer) kicks him out of the home as he can't afford the rent. So he starts a long walk to the church. On the say he finds a large bag of money. It belongs to the mill owner, his friends father, surprise surprise it's a large chunk of his savings. Nello returns it to the house, leaving patrache there.
The family finds it and discovers he hasn't taken a single coin, despite the fact just one would make his life much better. They see they greatly misjudged the poor kid. Also a man from the art school comes saying he wants to personally fund Nello's education. Fantastic. they go to find him and discover he was kicked out of the house. The finally find him in the church. Nello died of exposure, in front of the Rubens picture...happy because he got to see something everyone else had just taken for granted.
That is a seriously depressing story, and the reason it reminds me of Job. despite all that terrible stuff brought upon him for no apparent reason, the kid doesn't lose his faith in humanity. He's still nice and he actually dies happy.
that story will always have my vote for most tragic >.> Sorry Prof. Sexson