Melodrama is what? Meaning of the word

Reading an entertaining book, looking at a picture or a play in the theater, almost every person has heard the word "melodrama" at least once. Despite the fact that it is used quite often in speech, not everyone knows what exactly this term means and how it differs from the drama.

Melodrama: the meaning of the word

This term refers to the literary genre (sub-genre of drama), whose works concentrate on demonstrating the feelings, spiritual and spiritual experiences of actors in unusual circumstances. As a rule, in order to better reveal the inner world and the motives of the actions of the heroes, the melodrama uses the opposition: love and hatred, good and evil, honesty and deceit. Often works of this type have a sad ending, but there are exceptions.

It is worth remembering that since melodrama is an intermediate genre, it can contain both tragedy elements and comedies.

Also this genre is quite widespread in cinematography and theatrical art.

The history of melodrama

The word melodrama means in translation from the Greek language "a dramatic song". However, the term has nothing to do with Ancient Greece, because it appeared in the XVII century, and besides in Italy. At first it was used to designate one of the types of opera.

Over time, melodrama evolved. This was due to the efforts of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who made sure that the works of this type were not sung, but read aloud accompanied by dramatic music, in order to intensify the impact on listeners.

The first musical melodrama was the work "Pygmalion", the music to which was written by the then famous composer O. Quanier.

During the XVIII century. This genre has undergone serious changes. At one time the melodrama was very close to the comic opera, but gradually moved away from it. By the fiftieth year of the XIX century. It spread more in the theater. And with the advent of cinema has become one of the most popular of its genres.

Melodrama in the Russian literature

In the Russian Empire, fashion for this genre came pretty soon after France. The first Russian literary melodrama is Karamzin's sentimental story - "Poor Lisa". Also, this genre can be attributed and "Masquerade" Lermontov.

Classical melodramatic works are Ostrovsky's plays "Talents and admirers", "Guilt-free guilt" and "Late love".

In the second half of the XX century. The most famous melodrama plays belong to the playwrights A. Arbuzov, A. Salynsky and A. Volodin.

Melodrama in the movies

As in literature, and in cinematography, the first melodrama films began to be shot in France at the beginning of the 20th century. However, at that time they were more like detective stories or horror films, because they contained a lot of bloody scenes and an intriguing mystery.

With the development of the genre of cinema, melodramas began to be shot in most countries of the world (Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Germany, the United States and the Russian Empire). It is noteworthy that in Tsarist Russia the most famous actress, who was filming in melodrama tapes, was Vera Kholodnaya from Odessa. The most popular melodrama with her participation is "Silence, sadness, silence." Also enjoyed the success of the paintings "By the Fireplace", "Life for Life" and the like.

In the next two decades, the melodrama did not lose its significance in the cinema, but, on the contrary, only strengthened its position. The most famous melodrama films of this period are "Lady Hamilton", "Lady with Camellias" and "Blue Angel".

In the 50-60's. Films of this genre in Europe and the United States are out of fashion. But in India, melodrama films in this period began to enjoy incredible popularity. It is worth noting that, unlike European and American cinema, where melodramatic stories often talked about love, Indian issues raised social issues.

Since the second half of the 60's, the melodrama has become popular all over the world and is so to this day. Classic films of this kind - "Your name" (Japan), "Man and Woman" (France), "Cranes Are Flying" (USSR), "Love Story" (USA).

Distinctive features of melodrama

This genre of drama has a number of features.

• First of all, this is the exaggerated emotionality of the main characters, on which all attention is concentrated.
• The main task of works of this kind is to make readers (viewers) empathize with the characters. Melodrama appeals to emotions, not to the mind of man.
• The finale of the classic work of this genre is tragic. However, in the XX century. With the light hand of Berthold Brecht, who made popular the open ending in theatrical plays, this fashion spread to melodrama and became one of their distinctive features. In recent years, melodramas increasingly have a happy ending.
• Although in such works the themes of social inequality are sometimes raised or attempts are being shown to confront society, a love story is at the center of classical modern melodrama.

Melodrama - the genre of drama

Do not completely identify the drama and melodrama. The latter is considered more superficial, calculated mainly on the female audience.

Most often the events of melodramatic works occur with unusual people (aristocrats, rich men, well-known characters of history) and are covered with a fairytale and a halo of romance. At the same time, classical drama more often describes the fate of ordinary people, in which everyone is able to recognize themselves or their loved ones.

Also, the way of depicting the main characters is distinguished by drama and melodrama. In the first characters are more realistic, and in the second - on the contrary. The characters of the heroes of melodrama, as a rule, are hypertrophied, they are easily divided into bad and good ones. In a drama, it is often difficult for characters to understand and classify, as their actions and feelings are extremely contradictory.

In melodramas often there are elements of eroticism, while for the drama this detail is not necessary, and if it is, it looks more dim.

For almost four hundred years of its existence has experienced a lot of melodrama. It affected its features. Today, thanks to the development of cinematography, melodrama is one of the most popular genres. Every year thousands of film-melodramas are shot for every taste, and today almost every inhabitant of the planet can find a work of this kind, which he will have to his heart.