Final answer:
Melodramas were popular with the middle class in the 19th century because they offered entertainment that catered to their social and cultural needs. The rise of the middle class led to a desire for their own style of entertainment, separate from traditional plays. Melodramas offered moral simplicity, clear divisions between good and evil, and a happy ending.
Step-by-step explanation:
Melodramas were highly popular with the middle class in the 19th century because they provided a form of entertainment that catered to their social and cultural needs.
The rise of the middle class during the Industrial Revolution led to a desire for their own style of entertainment, separate from the traditional plays featuring kings and princes. Melodramas offered moral simplicity, clear divisions between good and evil, and a happy ending, which appealed to the middle class audience.