Melodrama Novel

Melodrama Novel Ø If Wuthering Heights and Gone With The Wind were the only two melodramas I had read and viewed, then I would assume that a melodrama had a dominant female figure trying to get the attention from an evil man and that the female would be "in love" with two men, one of them being the evil man. There would be extreme behaviours and every scene would have exaggerated action. Feelings are very intense. Melodramas need a woman and man love relationship, which needs to be one of the central themes. One of the themes would be love.

Ø The characters have extreme emotions.

Ø The villain is evil.

Ø Situations are all life and death.

Ø Everything was frightening.

Ø Roots are in the gothic.

Ø In the 19 century there was an extravagant number of melodramas on the English stage.

Ø People love to watch them because they relate to them so well.

English: Ponden Kirk 'Penistone Cragg' A rock at t...

Heathcliff (1984 TV series)

English: Mary Heathcliff

Ø The characters are deceptionaly evil.

Ø There is an abundance of blood.

Ø In domestic melodrama, there is an exaggeration of all the bad things that could happen.

Ø A villain holds the heroine over the castle wall and the hero comes and saves her. This is a comparison to when Scarlet meets a man over a bridge and he tries to steal from her but then one of her servants comes and fights with the villain and then brings her safely back to her home.

Ø Land was the only thing worth working for.

Ø Comparisons of the two melodramas are as follows: Ø They contain tales of drinking and gambling and people out of control like when Hindley gambles all his money away and is drunk, and Red Butler goes to the brothel and gets drunk and gambles his money with some people in jail.

Ø Scarlet O' Hara is compared to Catherine.

Ø Ashley Whelks is compared to Edgar.

Ø Red Butler is compared to Heathcliff.

Ø Melanie is compared to two personalities Frances and Isabella.

Ø Twelve Oaks is compared with Thrushcross Grange.

Ø Red holds Scarlet and Red says that they are alike. This could be compared to when Catherine said that she was Heathcliff.

Nelly, I am Heathcliff. pg.84 Ø Scarlet throws a hand full of dirt at a Yankee who wants to buy her house. There is a comparison here to when Heathcliff throws applesauce in Edgar's face.

"Wait till I get hold of those elegant locks-see if I wont pull them a bit longer!" "They are long enough already," observed master Linton, peeping from the doorway.

"I wonder they don't make his head ache. Its like a colt's mane over his eyes!" He ventured this remark without any intention to insult, but Heathcliff's violent nature was not prepared to endure the appearance of impertinence from one whom he seemed to hare, even then, as a rival. He seized a tureen of hot applesauce, the first thing that came under his gripe, and dashed it full against the speaker's face and neck. Pg.61 Ø Scarlet marries Red Butler to save Tara. Catherine would marry Edgar to save Heathcliff.

Ø Scarlet is in hell, for she says she was raised on it. This is a referral to Joseph Ø Scarlet has nightmares. Lockwood was terrified when he had dreams and encounters with Catherine's ghost Ø Scarlet and Red Butler have a child together and the little girl dies the same way Starlet's father dies, by falling off a horse. The means of death was similar through the generations in melodramas.

Ø Melanie dies and wants Scarlet to promise that she looks after her son. Frances dies and Catherine takes Hareton away from Hindley Ø Heathcliff overhears a part of the conversation with Nelly and Catherine where Catherine was explaining that she loves Heathcliff and that she is only marrying Edgar for his money. He walks out before he hears the whole thing. Scarlet was talking to Ashley about how Ashley really loved her. Red hears this and he walks out without hearing the part that Ashley could never leave because of his son.

Ere this speech ended, I became sensible of Heathfliff's presence. Having noticed a slight movement, I turned my head, and saw him rise from the bench, and steal out noiselessly. He had listened till he heard Catherine say it would degrade her to marry him, and then he stayed to hear no farther pg.82 Ø At the end of melodrama there has to be something hanging. In Gone With the Wind, Red says, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." Then Scarlet says, "Oh well tomorrow is another day." When Heathcliff dies and Catherine and his ghost walk together on the moors. It leaves you with the thought that there is more to come. The ending seems unfinished.

Heathcliff: The Movie

English: Ponden Hall, Stanbury A view of Ponden Ha...

Deutsch: Zebrafinken (Heathcliff und Lorelei)