A Melodrama

 A Melodrama: In a melodrama, a lot of exaggerated emotions and excitement are used to create a lot of melodrama. Dialogues are highly charged with an extravaganza of emotions and sentiments. The dramatist relies on dialogues that are often bombastic or excessively charged with sentiments. To intensify emotions, music is also used in melodramas. In a way, the dramatist plays with the emotions of the audience. Usually, there is a happy ending in a melodrama. Examples: Beverly Hills, The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979), Imitation of Life (1959), The Lady from Musashino (1951), Brief encounter (1945) , etc. are several examples of melodramas.

Problem Play-Examples

 Problem Play: Actually, this type of drama was invented in France in the 19^th century by Alexander Dumas, who dealt with sensational and controversial issues in his plays so as to make them more interesting to the audience. The status of the problem play was further raised by a Norwegian dramatist, who introduced some specific problems of societies in his plays. Such types of drama were realistic in nature and tried to expose the social problems prevailing in the society of those times. The master of the modern problem plays or the drama of ideas is Bernard Shaw.

Elements of a Problem Play: (i) A problem play deals with ordinary human problems. (ii) These problems are presented with high technical skills. (iii) Action is moved through dialogues (iv)

Examples: Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’(1879), Bernard Shaw’s ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ (1902) and  Candida 

What is a Comedy? Types of Comedy

 Comedy: A comedy deals with light subject matter that is meant for creating fun and entertainment for the audience. It always has a happy ending. It developed in several forms with the passage of time. Its four major types are: (i) Comedy of Humour (ii) Comedy of Manners (iii) Romantic Comedy (iv) sentimental Comedy (v) Tragi-comedy

The dramatist often relies on language by means of puns, light satire, humour and wit, etc. to create laughter. The subject matter deals with the life of common people and their actions and reactions to certain situations in their lives and thus humour is created.

Examples: Twelfth Night, a Midsummer Night’s Dream