Reviews for The Melodramatic Fool

Reviews For: The Melodramatic Fool

Lady E 2008-02-23 ch 2,	abuseI don't remember coming across any stories on this site labeled as melodramas, so I won't comment on that. This two-parter was somewhat informative; I hadn't looked into the history behind the term melodrama before. However, I think you simplify the term too much. "(That’s because they have to show that they’re really, really evil or really, really good.)" - Yes, I imagine melodrama does draw a heavy line between good and evil, but that isn't the only reason for the extravagance and overemphasis on emotions. Highly emotional dramas simply appeal to many people (and have throughout history), not solely for the sake of delineating good and evil. Also, given the definitions you've adopted for melodrama, I would hesitate to casually label movies like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. They both have happy endings, the evil side -does- lose, and they're heavily plot-driven, but the characterizations are by no means stereotypical or overly dramatized, and I do think the stories themselves are quite complicated. Not to mention, the meaning of the term melodrama has changed throughout history, and it would be difficult to apply the original definition to today's culture. To be honest and without intending any offense, I felt very uncomfortable reading this, as if I were repeatedly running headlong into a wall. Your voice comes across as aggressive, narrow-minded, even belligerent, if partially informed.
randomperson 2006-04-18 ch 2, anon.	abuseGood for you in exposing what melodrama truly is; I thought it was just a general definition of dramatic stories until I read this. So, thank you for that. However, you used Lord of the Rings as an example of melodrama. Frodo does not resist the temptation of the evil ring very well (in most cases, he doesn't resist it at all, and not at the pivotal moment in the story). This therefore means he is not completely 'good' - he has some elements of 'bad' in him, therefore making it not pure melodrama. My apologies if I'm wrong in saying this, and I sound like a complete idiot, but that was just a thought. I'll leave my email so you can reply to me if you want. If you don't want to, don't.
rrmehta364 2005-10-24 ch 1,	abusehm...that may be the colloqial definition is the one used most often.
Liebe Sasa 2005-10-24 ch 2,	abuseAh Natey, how I've missed thee. ~Sasa
Taylor-Ame 2005-10-24 ch 2,	abuseAnd here I thought that you going to college would actually give you a life. For shame, Nathaniel. For shame.
dyers-eve 2005-10-24 ch 2,	abuseYeah, you seem to feel quite strongly about that.
Penny Dreadful 2005-10-21 ch 1, anon.	abuseMelodrama was just a play with music and song, literally melody drama. In London the liscensing laws meant only a few theatres were allowed to put on straight plays, hence the rise of melodrama and Music Hall as entertainment for the massive flux of new urban poor during the Industrial Revolution. And seeing as it was entertainment for the proles the stories would always be sensationalist and often simplistic, although ultimately moralistic in tone. In many ways they were equivilent to the medieval mystery plays. And the contempory equivilent is the soap opera. Now as far as I can see the stories claiming to be melodrama on here are still entertainment for the sub-literate. Mostly they're still sensationalist and simplistic, and more often than not (controversial as their writers would like to imagine) moralistic. So I don't begrudge them the phrase. And unlike my experience of melodrama none of them involve me cackling on stage dressed as a man. Which, I assure you, is a good thing.
America's Dream 2005-10-18 ch 1, anon.	abuseI'm not quite sure I agree with you, sir. And I don't think that your way is the only correct way. "melodrama: n. 1 Originally, a drama with a romantic story or plot, sensational incidents, and usually including some music and song. 2 Any sensational and emotional drama, usually having a happy ending. 3 Behavior or language of a theatrical nature" --Funk and Wagnalls "Standard Dictionary: International Edition" "melodrama: n. An extravagantly theatrical play in which action and plot predominate over characterization" --The Merriam-Webster Dictionary "melodrama: noun [C or U]a story, play, or film in which the characters show stronger emotions than real people usually do" --Cambridge Online Dictionary (http[colon]//dictionary[dot]cambridge[dot]org/) Melodrama may not be synonymous with angst, perhaps, but whenever I read those angsty stories or meet those angsty people, I sure as hell think they're pretty melodramatic.
shewaswhatever 2005-10-14 ch 1, anon.	abusemuch applause.
Formerly 2005-10-13 ch 1,	abuseBut you should note that, whether or not it was originally so, the word "melodramatic" has come to mean something somewhat different from the original melodrama. Just like "hopefully."
Osunale 2005-10-12 ch 1,	abuseThis needed to be said. Bravo.
fiona phobia 2005-10-12 ch 1,	abusei'm pretty sure you are my hero right now. :]

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