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Translated from Greek to literally mean "song-drama" it was originally a spoken text with musical background, as in Greek drama. The form was popular in the 18th cent., when its composers included Georg Benda, J. J. Rousseau, and W. A. Mozart, among others. Modern examples of the true music melodrama are found in Richard Strauss's setting of Tennyson's ''Enoch Arden'', and in Arnold Schoenberg's ''Pierrot Lunaire''. J. J. Rousseau's melodrama ''Pygmalion''. These helped create a vogue for stage plays in which the action was generally romantic, full of violent action, and often characterized by the final triumph of virtue. ("melodrama")


 
Melodrama may also be defined as anytype of drama, such as plays, television shows, or movies in which the characters are stereotypical and they use blown-up emotions to convey a basic satirical plot.
Any type of drama, such as plays, television shows, or movies in which the characters are stereotypical and they use blown-up emotions to convey a basic satirical plot.


== Examples ==
== Examples ==
Arnold Schoenberg's ''Pierrot Lunaire''<br>
Arnold Schoenberg's ''Pierrot Lunaire''-This is one of the most famous examples of melodrama.<br>
NBC's Soap Opera ''Passions''<br>
NBC's Soap Opera ''Passions''- Great example of stereotypical characters, and blown-up emotions.<br>
Henry Wood's ''East Lynne ''
Henry Wood's ''East Lynne ''-Melodramatic Film




== External Links ==
== External Links ==
[http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=ab78e200-ad5c-4eee-beab-78bed807001a&f Passions Trailer]<br>
[http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=ab78e200-ad5c-4eee-beab-78bed807001a&f Passions Trailer] In this trailer, the actors use their exagerated emotion acting skills.<br>
[http://www.northern.edu/benkertl/drama_dictionary.html#M ''Melodrama'' Defined by Tonya Hohenthaner ]<br>
[http://www.sdp-livres.com/im_aines/jam-b03.jpg ''Pierrot Lunaire Poster''] Poster of the famous Melodrama ''Pierrot Lunaire''<br>
[http://www.sdp-livres.com/im_aines/jam-b03.jpg ''Pierrot Lunaire Poster'']<br>


== Works Cited ==
== Works Cited ==
 
"Melodrama," The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 2004 ed.
Hohenthaner, Tonya ''Literary Dictionary M'' 2002.<br>
See D. Gerould, ed., ''Melodrama'' (1980).