Melodrama--Very popular form in late 18th and 19th centuries--Develops out of comic opera, sentimental comedy--Originally French, comes to England and then US--Name literally translates to “music drama”--Reinforces community values--Values emotion rather than reasonCharacteristics of a Melodrama Script--Clear division between good and evil--Designed to provoke sentimental reactions (happiness, pity, sorrow, fear)--Moments of extreme tension, but justice is done at the end--Usually ends happily; if not, ends beautifully and sentimentally--Often adapted form novels (may have large, complex plots)--Melodrama for social reform (particularly common in US)--Identifies a particular social problem (alcoholism, slavery, etc)--Creates villain that embodies that problem--Defeat of the villain means defeat of the problemCharacters in a Melodrama--Stock characters embody social norms/ideals--Heroines: delicate, innocent--Heroes: strong, noble--Villains: immoral and malicious (often tries to force heroine to marry him)--Other common characters:--Hero’s sidekick: assists hero, good (but perhaps not quite as noble), sometimes provides comic relief--Fallen woman: prostitute, woman who was otherwise “led astray,” often compassionate, kind, but can never redeem herself fully--Mother figure: maternal, kind, often used by villain to manipulate heroineMelodrama in Performance--Music—singing and underscoring--Visual spectacle--Animals, flooded stages, panoramas, pyrotechnics, etc.--Many scenes with elaborate scenery--Scripts often written to allow for dramatic special effects at the end of each scene--Acting style—presentationalUncle Tom’s Cabin--Based on Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel--Second most popular book of the 19th century (after the Bible)--Characters/ideas widely used in many formats, like advertising--Many adaptations—most produced by play of the 19th century in the US--In 1899, 500 touring companies produced this play--Major characters: Uncle Tom, Little Eva, Simon
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