melodrama part 1 - swanlea school
TRANSCRIPT
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