Melodrama

A melodrama, inbroadest sense, isserious drama that can be distinguished from tragedy byfact that itopenhavinghappy ending. In practice,israther pejorative term.

Historical sense

Melodrama,its historical sense, wassortplay withromantic, sensational plot which also contained songs or music used as interludes. The word itself isportmanteau word made from melodydrama. In 1775, Jean-Jacques Rousseau producedplay, Pygmalion,which music was playedaccompany certain scenes andspoken words ofactors. The additionsongsplays togetherspoken passages was,course,beginningmusical theatre,operetta, andGerman Singspiel. The useunsung musical accompanimentsaction on stage wasprecursor ofmodern film score; almost all films have musical backdropscertain scenes.

Current use

Salty Sam was tryin'stuff Sweet Sue inburlap sack.

He said, "If you don't give medeedyour ranch, I'm gonna tie you torailroad tracks!"

---Along Came Jones, by The Coasters

In current usage,sensationalistic plotsthese original melodramas have swallowed upother senses ofword. Melodrama as currently used ismildly pejorative wordliteraryother sortscriticism, meaningdrama primarily characterised by sensational plotsblatant emotional appealsconventional sentiment, but whichtypically distinguished from tragedy by often havinghappy ending. When melodramaused inpejorative sense, itusually becausecritic feels thatsensationalism ofplot lacks realism, or thatcharactersstock heroesvillainslittle roomcharacterization. Melodramaubiquitous on television: itevident,example, inlong seriesTV movies about diseases or domestic violence, orlarge numberhour-long television programs about lawyers, police officers, or physicians.

Issues melodrama issubspeciesmelodramawhich current events or politicsgivendramatic treatment, hopinguse some recent crime or controversy asvehicledraw an emotional response fromviewer. The usual method isinvolve lawyers, police officers, or physicians, who can then make speeches aboutcrime or controversy being dramatized. By this artifice,dramatist seeksengageaudience's recently refreshed sensefear or moral disapproval, while simultaneously maintainingposture thatdrama so producedtimelysocially engaged.

See also: soap opera, legal drama, serial, kitsch, camp