What Do You Think of a Story Where the Protagonist Dies at the End?

Hello everyone. I'm new to the sub and I know this post in not an actual writing critique, but a theoretical question. That being said I have stumbled upon this site and I can see a lot of legitimate critiques and discussions going on, and I genuinely think I can get something out of this discussion.<br><br>Here is the details: I'm currently writing a fantasy novel. I have a solid plot, completed world building and characters. The story is going to be a 5-book series, with the first book completed and the second one on the way. So far I have received positive feedback from my beta-readers. I am considering traditional publishing, but I am not sure if my story will be picked by an agent. You see, I have a pretty controversial ending in mind, which is the protagonist dying at the end of the story. I am considering to change this ending to a more traditional one, where the protagonist survives.<br><br>I have received feedback from a couple of people online and offline, and the general feedback seems to be negative. I want to know what you think about a main character dying at the end of the story. Do you think an agent will pick up a story with this ending? Do you think that a traditional publisher will be happy about this ending? Do you think that such an ending alienates the readers? Let me know.<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>Edit: There seems to be some confusion so I will present a more detailed explanation of the story and the ending. The story is going to be a high fantasy 5-book series. There is going to be a lot of character deaths on the way, including several important secondary characters. One of the main themes of the story is the passage of time and the effects it has on the characters. I don't want to give too much away but I can say that my main character has a pretty bad start in life and the story is pretty much about him getting his life together, finding his purpose and trying to leave his mark on the world. The story has a relatively happy ending, with some sadness involved, as the main character dies on a bed surrounded by his friends and family. The story ends with the main character looking back on his life and realizing that although he has made his fair share of mistakes, he lived in the best way he could. There is going to be some reflection on the passage of time and how it affects us all. So the ending is not meant to be bleak or nihilistic.<br><br>So what you think. Do you think that a character dying at the end alienates the readers?