19th Century Melodrama

During the theatrical 19th century, the most prominent type of theatre production was the melodrama. Melodrama is a type of production that includes many specific characteristics. Melodrama comes from “music drama”. Music is used to increase or elicit emotions and to signify certain characters. Traits of good and evil are personified in main characters of a melodrama. There are certain character types seen in melodramas such as a hero, a heroine, a comic character, and a villain. This type of production has a specific formula. First, an antagonist creates a threat or problem, next the hero escapes the problem and/or rescues the heroine from a dangerous situation, and finally the situation or problem is resolved through strong morals and virtues. The ends of melodramas often show a switch of fortune in the characters such as a switch from poverty to wealth or extreme danger to safety. Three acts are usually used in melodramas. Suspense also plays a big role in these shows, increasing with each action of the antagonist. The evil is punished and the good is rewarded. Most often a happy ending is used as the resolution to melodramas.

http://www.wayneturney.20m.com/melodrama.htm

http://www.cvrperformingarts.com/drama/Theatre_history/Melodrama/Melodrama_facts.htm

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/melodrama.htm