Victorian melodrama emerged in the early 1800s as a theatrical form characterized by exaggerated emotions and stereotypical characters, reflecting societal struggles during the Industrial Revolution. The genre featured strong moral themes, with clear distinctions between good and evil, and utilized audience interaction and spectacular events to engage viewers. Notable elements included a focus on romanticism, impressive staging technology, and stock characters like heroes, heroines, and villains, often set against exotic backdrops.

1. Victorian Melodrama

2. Historical Context

The Industrial Revolution
− 1800's
− Shift from Rural to Urban living.
− Scientific discoveries led to machines.
− Some people became extremely rich, but
most ended up very poor.

3. Living Conditions and Consequences
 Terrible overcrowding
 Disease
 Alcoholism
 Helpless in the face of the rich

4. Current Event!

5. What does Melodrama mean?

A drama characterized by exaggerated emotions, stereotypical
characters, and interpersonal conflicts.
− Melo - “Music”
− Drama - “Drama”

Only two Theatres in London allowed to present dramas.
− Covent Garden, Drury Lane

Licensed by the king.

Other Theatres were required to have musical intervals.
− Popular romantic dramas known as Melo-dramas.

Included songs during the performances and
between scenes and at interval.

Romaticism
− Emotional theatre.

6. History of Melodrama

Became a Theatrical form in about 1800.

René Charles Guilbert de Pixerécourt
− La Femme a deux maris

First English play to be called a Melodrama
− A Tale of Mystery (1802) by Thomas Holcroft

Reaction to immorality of Restoration plays.

7. Features of Melodrama
Exaggerated and stylised movement and
extended vocal technique expressing extreme
emotions and sentimentality
Based on the large size of the theatres of the
time and the exaggerated characteristics/
behaviours of the characters
Stereotyped characters Usually one dimensional, they do not change
psychologically or morally
Good vs Evil: moral struggle The human struggle between pure good
(usually poor and downtrodden) vs pure evil
(usually the rich, greedy or powerful). There is
strict observance of poetic justice – good
always rewarded and evil always punished.
Audience interaction (breaking the 4th wall) Maximum sense of empowerment. The
people in the audience may be helpless at
home but they can beat the bad guys at the
show.
Spectacular events e.g. Chases, explosions, battles, fights, fierce
arguments, sea voyages, supernatural events.
These helped people to forget their own
troubles for a while.

8. Fast paced dramatic plots Exciting story, suspense, plot twists
(discoveries, hairbreadth escapes, secret
passages, hiding places, disguises)
Audience response Very basic emotional appeals involve “
arousal of pity and indignation at the
wrongful oppression of good people and
intense dislike for wicked oppressors”
Exotic locations Exotic/far away or ugly/desperate or
lush/beautiful – never ordinary

10. Melodrama's Stock Characters
1. Hero: Handsome, strong, brave, honest and reliable.
Status: Middle Class or Higher
2. Heroine: Beautiful, courageous, innocent and vulnerable.
Status: Middle Class or Higher
3. Villain: Cunning, without morals, dishonest, cruel and evil.
Status: Middle Class or Higher
4. Villain's Accomplice: Comic relief, bumbling sidekick.
Status: Lower Class
5. Faithful servant: Also provides comic relief, does dirty work. Usually discovers evidence
against the villain.
Status: Lower Class
6. Maid servant: Female character who is lively and flirts with the faithful servant.
Status: Lower Class

11. Staging, Technology

Proscenium Arch

Machinery available for complicated sets
− Fly towers & Counterweight
− Treadmills
− Electric lighting

“Sensation” melodramas
− Disaster's happened on stage
− The Poor of New York – Dion Boucicault

Real fire engines put out a real fire.