- Industrialization and urbanization: The rapid growth of cities in the 19th century led to a sense of social upheaval and anxiety. Melodrama provided an escape from the harsh realities of industrial life, offering audiences a world of clear-cut moral conflicts and ultimate justice.
- Rise of the middle class: The growing prosperity of the middle class created a demand for entertainment that reflected their values and aspirations. Melodrama appealed to this audience with its emphasis on domestic virtues, such as honesty, loyalty, and chastity.
- Gender roles and expectations: Melodrama often reinforced traditional gender roles, with women portrayed as virtuous heroines and men as strong, protective heroes. This appealed to audiences who were grappling with changing gender roles and expectations in Victorian society.
2. Theatrical conventions
- Spectacle and sensation: Melodramas often featured elaborate sets, costumes, and special effects, which were designed to overwhelm the senses and create a heightened emotional experience for the audience.
- Stock characters: Melodramas relied on a stock set of characters, such as the virtuous heroine, the villain, and the comic sidekick. These characters were easily recognizable and relatable to the audience, who could root for the good characters and hiss at the villains.
- Emotional manipulation: Melodramas were often manipulative in their emotional appeals, using music, lighting, and gestures to create a heightened sense of suspense, excitement, and pathos.
3. Popularity of print media
- Penny dreadfuls: Penny dreadfuls were cheap, popular publications that often featured sensationalist stories of crime, mystery, and horror. These publications helped to popularize the melodrama genre and reach a wide audience.
- Novels and plays: Many melodramatic stories were originally published in serialized form in newspapers and magazines, and later adapted for the stage. This helped to spread the popularity of melodrama beyond the theater to a wider reading audience.