A drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic. In opera, a passage in which the orchestra plays a somewhat descriptive accompaniment, while the actor speaks; as, the melodrama in the grave digging scene of Beethoven's "Fidelio"
A dramatic form characterized by excessive sentiment, exaggerated emotion, sensational and thrilling action, and an artificially happy ending Melodramas originally referred to romantic plays featuring music, singing, and dancing, but by the eighteenth century they connoted simplified and coincidental plots, bathos, and happy endings These melodramatic traits are present in Gothic novels, western stories, popular films, and television crime shows
A melodrama is a story or play in which there are a lot of exciting or sad events and in which people's emotions are very exaggerated. Sentimental drama marked by extravagant theatricality, subordination of character development to plot, and focus on sensational incidents. It usually has an improbable plot that features such stock characters as the noble hero, the long-suffering heroine, and the hard-hearted villain, and it ends with virtue triumphing over vice. Written by such playwrights as Guilbert de Pixérécourt and Dion Boucicault, melodramas were popular in Europe and the U.S. during the 19th century. They often featured spectacular events such as shipwrecks, battles, fires, earthquakes, and horse races. Melodrama died out as a theatrical form in the early 20th century but remained popular in silent film. It can still be seen in contemporary film genres such as the action movie
A play in which the typical plot is a conflict between characters who personify extreme good and evil Melodramas usually end happily and emphasize sensationalism Other literary forms that use the same techniques are often labeled "melodramatic " The term was formerly used to describe a combination of drama and music; as such, it was synonymous with "opera " Augustin Daly's Under the Gaslight and Dion Boucicault's The Octoroon, The Colleen Bawn, and The Poor of New York are examples of melodramas The most popular media for twentieth-century melodramas are motion pictures and television (Compare with drama )
In opera, a passage in which the orchestra plays a somewhat descriptive accompaniment, while the actor speaks; as, the melodrama in the gravedigging scene of Beethoven's "Fidelio"
A term applied to any literary work that relies on implausible events and sensational action for its effect The conflicts in melodramas typically arise out of plot rather than characterization; often a virtuous individual must somehow confront and overcome a wicked oppressor Usually, a melodramatic story ends happily, with the protagonist defeating the antagonist at the last possible moment Thus, melodramas entertain the reader or audience with exciting action while still conforming to a traditional sense of justice See sentimentality
A play characterized by stereotypical characters, exaggerated emotions, and simplistic conflict Examples of a Melodrama: " The Brute" by: Anton Chekhov (Kirszner & Mandell, pgs 1039-1051) " Tender Offer" by: Wendy Wesserstein (Kirszner & Mandell, pgs 1301-1308) N -back to top-
A dramatic work with a musical setting where the dialogue is spoken - for the duration of the work or for certain scenes only Many operas have melodramatic scenes of this kind
A drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic. In opera, a passage in which the orchestra plays a somewhat descriptive accompaniment, while the actor speaks; as, the melodrama in the grave digging scene of Beethovens "Fidelio"
In theatre, melodrama developed in the nineteenth century and provided a way of looking at a difficult issue to do with moral behaviour Modern day television soap operas are derived from this tradition
Originally a term for musical theatre, by the nineteenth century this became the designation of a suspenseful, plot-oriented drama featuring all-good heroes, all-bad villains, simplistic dialogue, soaring moral conclusions, and bravura acting
Now, a drama abounding in romantic sentiment and agonizing situations, with a musical accompaniment only in parts which are especially thrilling or pathetic
Melodramatic behaviour is behaviour in which someone treats a situation as much more serious than it really is. `Don't you think you're being rather melodramatic?' Jane asked + melodramatically melo·dra·mati·cal·ly `For God's sake,' Michael said melodramatically, `Whatever you do, don't look down.'. if you behave in a melodramatic way, you become more angry or upset than is really necessary