- This anti-slavery novel was adapted into a highly successful melodrama play that toured the United States and Europe.
2. "The Drunkard" (1844) by William H. Smith
- This temperance melodrama depicts the downward spiral of a man who becomes an alcoholic and the impact it has on his family.
3. "East Lynne" (1861) by Ellen Wood
- This melodrama about a woman who leaves her husband and children to elope with her lover became one of the most popular plays of the Victorian era.
4. "The Two Orphans" (1874) by Adolphe d'Ennery and Eugène Cormon
- This French melodrama tells the story of two sisters who are separated and forced to endure many hardships before being reunited.
5. "Camille" (1852) by Alexandre Dumas
- This romantic tragedy follows the life of a courtesan who falls in love with a young man from a wealthy family.
6. "The Streets of New York" (1857) by Dion Boucicault
- This melodrama set in New York City features a variety of characters from different social classes and explores themes of crime, poverty, and redemption.
7. "Hazel Kirke" (1880) by Steele MacKaye
- This American melodrama tells the story of a young woman who is torn between her love for two men.
8. "The Girl of the Golden West" (1905) by David Belasco
- This Western melodrama set in California during the Gold Rush features a strong female protagonist who must defend her home and her lover from outlaws.
9. "The Old Homestead" (1886) by Denman Thompson
- This rural melodrama depicts the lives of a farming family in New England and explores themes of family, love, and loss.
10. "Peg o' My Heart" (1912) by J. Hartley Manners
- This Irish melodrama tells the story of a charming young woman who comes to live with her wealthy relatives in England.