Melodrama: History and Features Essay

AMC Film Website on Melodrama

The AMC film website provides a comprehensive account of melodrama to enable the reader to understand this form of drama deeply. The author of the website defines melodrama as a subtype of drama, which is designed in a manner that sparks the emotions of the viewer (Dirks). As opposed to the modern dramas, which are characterized by talking artists, chatting actors and music distinguish melodramas from other genres. The music played in such dramas is sensational, a strategy that is meant to advance the purpose of such drama, which is to ignite emotions. In addition to offering a comprehensive definition of the term, Dirks also cites characteristics of such drama to enable the reader to differentiate it from other types of performances.

The article was authored and edited by Tim Dirks before it was presented to the American Movie Classics Company with the view of adding to the existing knowledge regarding melodramas. The American Movie Classics Company is a leading corporation, which provides basic cable and satellite television channels in the US. The business was established in 1984, with its initial services being limited to a few households in the US. However, today, the company offers its services to almost every household in the country. Additionally, the company bears numerous articles from various authors such as Dirks concerning conventional dramas.

The American Movie Classics Company only picks articles from authors who have great experience in the field of movies and drama, implying that they are likely to write accurate articles. Tim Dirks is a renowned film-appraisal columnist who initiated the Filmsite.org website over two decades ago, specifically in 1996. Since this time, he has played the role of the only contributor, administrator, editor, and writer of the entire materials that bear subjects, which concern Filmsite.org and AMC Networks. Hence, he is keen on emphasizing reliable content that is presented to the website. Additionally, the website is usually updated annually to make it a reliable source of information for contemporary writers. Therefore, it may be concluded that the website is highly accurate and reliable.

The website is authored using simple language, which is easily understandable by an ordinary reader. The choice of simple language for this website is informed by the view that the use of complicated language would make it incomprehensible to the reader. Since the article is designed to educate ordinary people about melodramas, the use of complex language would inhibit the achievement of this goal. However, as much as the language is simple, other few terms, for instance, genres and sub-genres, are derived from the field of drama. Such terms may require the help of an expert in the field to interpret because they are technical, although Dirks does not use them extensively in the text.

One of the primary points that Dirks makes regarding melodramas is that they are greatly designed to induce viewers’ emotions. This point is emphasized throughout the article, hence making it appear as the central theme. The other point, which is equally emphasized by the author, regards the characters involved in such dramas. According to Dirks, melodrama actors involve mostly victimized women. In most cases, the article points out that such female artists are meant to arouse the emotions of the feminists. Moreover, the article points out the difference between traditional and contemporary melodramas. The history of this type of dramas is also extensively covered.

The Victoria and Albert Museum

This article explores the history surrounding melodrama while shedding some light on the development of this type of theater in the 19^th century. The article commences by exploring the conventional melodrama and its origin, as well as its evolution in the stated period. According to the article, this form of theater emerged in the period between 1780s and1790s, gaining much popularity until the early 20^th century (Victoria and Albert Museum). The article also summarizes the characteristics of the early melodrama to give the reader an insight into the nature of conventional theaters. According to the article, the early melodrama was characterized by short scenes, which were regularly intercepted by music.

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A), which is situated in London, authored this article. The department of art, culture, and sports sponsors the museum, which is managed by a board of trustees appointed by the country’s prime minister. Victoria and Albert Museum is one of the largest repositories in the world. It has a collection of historical works of art, including artifacts, historical documents, and various art designs. The primary objective of the museum is to enrich the lives of the citizens by offering an environment in which they can learn about art and design.

As stated previously in this paper, it is important to consider the authorship of an article to determine its reliability. The author of the current article, V&A, is an internationally recognized museum, which hosts an anthology of historical decorative art and design works. Given that melodramas fall under the purview of historical arts, it is expected that information regarding the dramas is available in the museum.

Therefore, the article may be said to be highly accurate and reliable since it is written based on information present in one of the most reputable museums in the world. Another factor that may be used to determine the reliability of an article is the time it was authored. Articles, which are regularly updated, tend to be more accurate and reliable compared to the ones, which remain in their original format. The current article is updated yearly, with the latest revision being carried out in 2016. Therefore, the article may be said to be free of errors or irrelevant information, hence making it a reliable source of information regarding melodramas.

Just like the first article, the current one is authored in a simple language, which the reader can easily comprehend. However, the author of the current article integrates the writing with pictures to cause the reader to understand the major themes. The pictures appear on the left-hand side of each section (Victoria and Albert Museum). Consequently, it suffices to declare the article reliable and informative.

One of the important points that are made in the article is that conventional melodramas were mainly designed to appeal to the middle class. The article substantiates the view by claiming that heroes and heroines in such dramas were mainly the working class (Victoria and Albert Museum).

The other point that is worth mentioning is that the article suggests that the rapid growth of melodramas in the 19^th century was largely attributed to the need to play dramas, which were based on true stories about life. Consequently, major novels of the time were turned into melodramas to reflect an ingenuous account of the situation on the ground. Lastly, the article points out the case where good and evil characters dominated the dramas to cause emotions to the audiences, especially based on how they were strategically deployed to victimize the good ones.

British Library

Jacky Bratton, through the article titled “Theater in the 19^th Century”, which appears in the British Library, provides an account of the development of theater throughout the period. The two theaters, including Covent Garden and Drury Lane, acted as the pioneering management licensed in the 17^th century to organize performances such as the melodrama. Bratton identifies the duopoly as the initial players that bolstered the development of theater in London, especially during the beginning of the 19^th century.

Notably, the Lord Chamberlain’s office facilitated the growth of the melodrama by issuing licenses to theaters such as Jane Scott’s Sans Pareil that staged plays and music performances. Bratton also underlines that the ingenuity and innovativeness of the new theaters entertained the new genre of theatrics. Moreover, in 1843, parliamentary legislation encouraged the issuing of licenses to theaters that staged melodrama, as well as other forms of literary performances. Eventually, the new evolution of the genre facilitated by television and film in the 20^th and 21^st centuries demonstrates the current state of melodrama.

Bratton, an emeritus professor, facilitated the production of the article available on the British Library website. The producer of the source is affiliated with the Royal Holloway University, where she concentrates on the areas of theater and cultural history. Bratton’s work is mainly focused on the development of music and melodrama in the 19^th century by covering important events that triggered the emergence of new genres of art. In this regard, the author presents her findings regarding the origins of the different forms of theatrics, venues, and artists.

The British Library website is considered reliable since it acts as an online collection that focuses on the exploration of literary materials from the Romantic and Victorian times. The website is reliable since it provides well-researched information regarding the various aspects of art since ancient times. Notably, the website has a wide range of sources, including 1,200 collection pieces, nearly 200 articles, and 25 films. The project is a digital library that offers a cultural heritage and literature of the Victorian and Romantic artists across a range of generations since the first to the 21^st century. Therefore, the validity of the historical information in the field of literature available on the website makes it reliable.

The website provides the information in a formal diction that narrates the origins of literature in the Victorian and Romantic periods. The official articulation used makes the information easy to comprehend. In this respect, the “laid back” tone offers readers an attitude that hooks them to learn more about the origin of literary forms, writers, and venues.

Overall, the author makes several points regarding the development of melodrama among other forms of literature during the Romantic and Victorian periods. First, Bratton highlights that the issuance of licenses to London theaters, which emphasized staging plays and song performances, contributed to the growth of the melodrama in the early 1800s. Secondly, the ingenuity and inventiveness of artists played a considerable role in facilitating the delivery of entertainment and education to the audience. Thirdly, Bratton pinpoints the perception that embracing the style of Shakespeare in literature led to the slow growth of literary dramatists in the 19^th century. Finally, the development of film and television in modern societies has contributed to the delivery of melodrama to various audiences.

Oxford Bibliographies

The Oxford Bibliographies website offers an overview of the origin and development of the genre of melodrama during the Victorian age. Juliet John describes the melodrama as “song drama,” and a genre arrived in Britain from France during the French Revolution. The author underlines that the 19^th century facilitated the growth of melodrama, thanks to the embracement of a culture that valued going to theaters. Before the emergence of the genre, critics generated by the Arnoldian tradition belittled the necessity of introducing music to drama.

However, the popularity of cultural studies in the 1960s offered an opportunity for increased critics in the field of melodrama. Besides the said theater limitations, John highlights that the new histories and theories in the field of drama contributed to the incorporation of music in plays. Particularly, class and Marxist approaches were substantially embraced in literature, leading to the popularity of melodrama, especially during the 19^th century. The aesthetic aspect of literature was also incorporated, thereby denoting the state of modern literature.

The website, Oxford Bibliographies, facilitated the production of the source authored by Juliet John. The website provides a wide range of autobiographical information covering various forms and themes of literature. Professor Juliet John is an acknowledged researcher in various fields of literature, including melodrama, the Victorian novel, 19^th-century theater, journalism, film, and neo-Victorianism. The source provides a general overview of Victorianism, particularly its developments throughout the 19^th century.

The source is reliable since it provides autobiographical information regarding key scholars who facilitated the growth of melodrama. Furthermore, the contribution of recognized scholars, including Juliet John, makes the source reliable to a considerable degree. The article reveals the role of different experts in the literature field, including Brooks, Heilman, and Bentley. Further, the website is among the top sources that provide background information for research in different areas of literature.

The article employs a language that is clear, unambiguous, and objective. John unearths the episodes that influenced the growth of literature genres, including melodrama. Notably, the article is free from complicated and technical terminologies, thereby making it easy for the reader to comprehend. The adequacy of the ordinary language used in the article instills an understanding of the richness of different forms of theatrics. The plain and direct language grants the article a classical status.

John presents melodrama as one of the entertaining theatrics that incorporates music. The French promoted the development of the genre, a move that led to its boom in the Victorian theaters throughout the 19^th century. The author identifies the French Revolution period as one that witnessed the emergence of melodrama in Britain. Before the popularity of the literary genre in Britain, critics of literary works viewed melodrama as a field that diverted from the traditional theater performances.

The growth of English and Cultural Studies in the 1960s attracted critical attention to the field of melodrama, thereby offering an opportunity to gain a greater audience. Notably, the publication of Brooks in 1976 triggered increased critical attention in melodrama. Popular culture in the 19^th century also created an environment that embraced the integration of music in drama as depicted by the contemporary shows on televisions and films. Further, debates that discuss Brook’s influential view on melodrama contributed to the further development of the field. Moreover, the introduction of aesthetics in melodrama led to increased theater performances that incorporated music.

Works Cited

Bratton, Jacky. “Theater in the 19th Century.” British Library. Web.

Dirks, Tims. “Melodrama Films.” AMC Filmsite. Web.

John, Juliet. “Melodrama.” Oxford Bibliographies. Web.

“Victoria and Albert Museum.” 19th-Century Theater. 2016. Web.