Final answer:
The term 'soap opera' derived from the original sponsorships by soap companies, aiming to advertise their cleaning products to the show's primary audience of housewives. Soap, as a product, has been used for centuries for cleansing and hygiene. The connection between them is commercial and historical.
Step-by-step explanation:
Relationship Between Soap and Soap Opera
The relationship between soap and soap opera originates from the historical fact that soap operas were named after soap because they were originally sponsored by soap companies. This format of melodramatic serial drama was targeted towards housewives and initially aired during the daytime, hence the name - as soaps were the products being advertised to this demographic. Soap companies played a big role in the creation and sponsorship of these shows, which is where the 'soap' in 'soap opera' comes from.
On the other hand, soap as a product is a material used for cleansing and hygiene. The manufacturing process involves the treatment of fats with a base, like lye, to produce a mixture that can effectively remove dirt and grease due to its surfactant properties. Soaps have been made for millennia and remain a common daily use product in modern times due to their functional importance in personal cleanliness and hygiene.
The common link between soap and soap opera is thus not etymological or in purpose, but commercial and historical, arising from the sponsorship and advertising strategies of the mid-20th century.