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Birth of Melodrama
Melodrama was born in France. This is a style of art that focuses on an emotional appeal, often including romantics. There are several Acts that claim the first melodrama, but the most popular one is Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Pygmalion. Britannica says this in the play first performed in 1770, “on a society torn by violent political and social upheaval and exposed to the influences of the English Gothic novel and of Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) and Romanticism from Germany.” (Britannica.com) -
English Melodrama
The first English Melodrama is created in Thomas Holcraft’s A tale of Mystery. This play in particular involves a woman who faced many trials and tribulations but through everything has strength in a romantic relationship. An article about melodrama says this, “the first play in English to be labeled a melodrama was Thomas Holcraft’s A Tale of Mystery that was written and produced in 1802.” (Medium.com) -
August Friederich von Kotzebue
Popular French Melodrama writer August Friederich von Kotzebue dies after writing over 200 domestic melodramatic acts. Born In 1761, According to an article by the Northern Virginia Community College Von Kotzebue “Often introduced controversial views without offending the audience, helping them to ask questions of life and society.” (nvcc.edu) -
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Famous Philosophers Shape Realism
Philosophers such as Auguste Comte, Charles Darwin, and Karl Marx express their ideas on society and how it can become better. These societal figures influence the way the world views how society should be run, as well as ways we can improve. Some of their ideas are featured in realism in theater -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's cabin is the most popular melodrama in the United States. This is an anti-slavery novel that focuses on Uncle Tom, an enslaved Christian, and the lives of other enslaved African Americans. According to an article by the Northern Virginia Community college, it says this about the play's popularity, “established the single-play format. 325 performances in New York.” (nvcc.edu) The article then goes on to say that there have been 12 movie versions since 1900. -
Realism Sweeps Through Theatre
Realism Begins. The idea of realism in theater is that theater can be utilized in a way that will better society by focusing on solutions to common problems in society. According to the Northern Virginia community college, realism was built on this, “Art—according to the realist view—had as its purpose to better mankind.” (nvcc.edu) -
The American Civil War
The civil war shifts the view of American literature from focusing on emotion and romantics to real life issues. The civil war marks a time where the United States is in total disagreement and conflict is raging throughout the country. After the war, society decided to focus on society and how we can get better and build back up as a country. -
A Doll's House
Henrick Ibsen's' A Doll’s House is performed and displays a powerful Message. Ibsen is, “Considered the father of realism, he holds a place in history as a founder of modernism in theatrical works” (Courttheatre.org). A doll's House, a production about a mother whose life has been built around her husband and children and shows that people need to find who they are as an individual to be able to identify who you are without the people that shape your life. -
The Lady from the Sea
Ibsen writes The Lady from the Sea, a production that features the idea of women having their own identity. The story is about a woman who married a merman. “She goes with him, embarking on a domestic journey underneath the waves as she and her husband make a new family of seven children.” (Courttheatre.org) The article then goes on to say that the lady visits her homeland and returns. She then makes the decision to leave her life and her family forever and go out on her own. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Reaches New Heights
500 Companies are showing Uncle Tom's Cabin (nvcc.edu), Exposing the United States to the racial issues that have faced them for over a century. The production proves its popularity as it is being spread all around the world.