Melodrama Part

1 Thislearningisallaboutadifferent

styleofdramacalledMelodrama!…….sowhatisitallabout?........

Melodrama

LESSONONETHE BACKGROUND

What is melodrama?

MelodramawasaformofDramapopularin19thcentury.ThewordisamixtureoftwowordsMelodyandDramaThetermoriginatedfromtheearly19th-centuryFrenchwordmélodrame,whichcomesfromtheAncientGreekwordsmelos(music)anddrān(todoorperform).

When was melodrama popular? AlthoughitoriginatedinFrance,MelodramamovedacrosstoEnglandandwasmostpopularduringthe19thcentury.QueenVictorialovedthetheatreandsoitbecameaverypopularformofentertainmentatthistime.

Melodrama

TASK1:FindoutthreemorefactsaboutMelodrama

ItwasatypeoftheatrethatappealedtoEVERYONEnotjusttherich.Amodernpopulartheatricalequivalenttodaymaybe‘pantomime’.

THE characters

Melodramaalwaysusesthesamecharacters.Theyarecalled‘stock’characters.

TASK2:Researchandwritedownthedefinitionofstockcharacters

MEET THE CAST

The villain

• Characteristics:Aschemingandevilpersonwhousuallycapturesthedamselindistress.Heisslyandwouldoftenhaveagesturesuchastwiddlinghismoustache!Hemayhaveadistinctiveevillaugh.

• Lineshemightsay:‘She’smine!’‘Preparetomeetyourdoom!’‘Iwillhavemyway’

The hero

• Characteristics:• Acharmingandbravecharacterwhoisseenas‘good’.Heisfearlessandseenasa‘gentleman’.Hewilldoanythingtorescueadamselindistress.

• Lineshemightsay:‘Unhandthefairmaiden.’‘Neverfeardearlady.’‘takeyourhandsoffher’‘Iwillsaveyou’

• 

The DAMSEL IN

DISTRESS

• Characteristics:•  Afeminineoftenhelplesscharacter.Shewouldbeusuallypoorbutladylikeandpretty(boththeheroandthevillainloveher).Sheisloyaltoherparentsandkind.

• Linesshemightsay:‘Help!’‘Letmego’‘Myhero’

The loyal servant

•  ThisservantcouldbeloyaltotheHeroortheVillainCharacteristics:•  Asimplecharacterwhoisveryloyalandwilldoanythingtohelptheirmaster.ThiscouldbeaservanttothedamselandherfamilyORasidekickforthevillainorhero.Theycouldacomicrole

• Linestheymightsay:‘Yesmaster’‘HowcanIbeofassistance’‘Yourwishismycommand’

The old parents

Characteristics:•  Theoldparent(s)ofthedamselindistress.Theyarepoorbutkindandhavegoodmoralvalues.Theyareworriedaboutmoney.

• Linestheymightsay:‘Mydearchild’‘Wearepenniless’‘Weareforeverinyourdebt’

characterisation

Nowyouhavemetthecast…

TASK3:Find(ordraw)apicturethatshowswhateachcharacterwouldlooklike!Presentation:Labelthecharactersandanydistinguishingtraits

Melodrama

LESSONTWOTHE STORYLINE

Aims of melodrama Melodramaaimedtoappealtotheemotionsoftheaudienceandtakethemonajourneyofsuspenseandexcitement.Melodramaproductionsusedthrilling,sensationalplotsandfamiliar,recognisablecharacters.Theywereverydramaticandverypopular!

Typical Features OverthetopactingstyleExtremesofemotionforcharacters(andfortheaudience)Extremegoodvs.extremeevil–goodalwayswins!EvilcharacterswereoftenrichTherewasoftenchaseorfightThedamselwastiedtorailwaylineSensationalistplotswithlove,action,violence&thrills

Basic plotline just one example!

Theheroandvillainbothlovethesamegirl(damselindistress)TheDamselispoorandliveswithheroldparent(s)–shelovestheHeroTheyhavealoyalservantTheyareveryshortonmoneyThevillainoffersmoneytotheoldparentsiftheywillagreetohimmarryingthedamsel-theysaynoHekidnapstheDamsel(Thevillainmayhaveaservanttoo)TheherorescuestheDamselfromthevillainThevillainisdefeated–thehappycoupleliveHappilyEverafter!�

The use of music MusicwasveryimportantinMelodramaandwasusedtoenhancethetension.ItwasalsoimportantinsilentfilmsoftheeraClickontheicontolistentoatypicalsoundtrackusedinmelodrama

AN EXAMPLE Thislittleclipisonlyforfunbutcapturesthemoodquitewellhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwGusb6iHKc

sCRIPT

TASK4:WritetheScene5whichisfinalsceneinthestorykeepingthemelodramastyle!

Nowreadthemelodramascriptforscenes1–4

Now upload your work

TASK4:WritetheScene5whichisfinalsceneinthestorykeepingthemelodramastyle!

Checklistoftaskstoupload

Task Activity Tick

1 FindoutthreemoreinterestingfactsaboutMelodrama

2 Writedowndefinitionofstockcharacters

3 Drawings/collageofallthestockcharacters(withlabels/descriptions)

4 Scriptofscene5