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CHAPTER LIV MELODRAMA NEXT to drama, in the descending scale, comes melodrama. This may roughly be defined as a form of drama in which the visual effect is of greater importance than strict probability. Exact truth may be strained to some degree in order to obtain an excuse for some striking action that shall add its effect to the more purely mental phase of the drama. In drama the hero threatens the villain and defies him to do his w^orst. In melodrama he knocks him dov^n. In drama the villain may seek the love of the heroine in vain. In melodrama he may abduct her if he thinks the Board of Review will permit him. Thought still gives force to the action, but the action that presents the thouglit is more violent and it is per- missible to strain slightly after effect. 2. Melodrama is favored above drama by a majority of play patrons because of this greater vividness of action. This is particu- larly true of the higher forms of melodrama in which the distortion of fact is so slight as not to insult the intelligence, though a greater effect is gained. 3. In melodrama it still remains necessary to present the idea back of the action, but we can torture the idea a little. It must still give the punch to the play, but it must be supplemented by the physical punch, the real left hook to the actual chin as well as the mental blow on the senses of the spectator. In drama the villain seldom hires assassins to do away with the hero. In melodrama this is per- missible if there is a fairly logical excuse for their use and pres- ence. We can make use of realities that are slightly improbable as applied to general life. 4. It is seldom that a silk-hatted villain is attended by a gang of cloth-capped thugs, but it is by no means uncommon in real life for the gangsters to have as protectors if not chiefs men of apparent standing in the community who exchange their political puU for po- litical asset as represented by the gangster voters. The condition is so unusual that it is not applicable to the lives of the generality of men, but since it does exist and since the gang will give heightened effect to melodrama the use of the gang is permissible. 5. This is a general example of the latitude to be employed and approved in melodrama. It must not be too radical to find accep- tance, but on the other hand it need not be so generally understood as to be acceptable as fact. It's a good story. The incident may be true. Anyhow, it's a good story. The incident is true enough, at any rate. This may mislead the beginner into an abuse of this license, for excess will inevitably turn a melodrama into a travesty or burlesque of drama. 6. Nothing can point the exact limits, for the lines between drama. 267