Final answer:
Melodrama is a form of theater that emphasizes action and uses heightened emotions, stylistic excess, and mise-en-scene. It features stock characters, clear divisions between good and evil, and often employs music and special effects. Melodramas were popular in the 19th century and continue to be a popular form of entertainment.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a melodrama, the characters tend to overplay their emotions and the action is more important than the characters themselves. Melodramas are known for their heightened emotions, stylistic excess, and use of mise-en-scene. They often feature stock characters, such as the villain, the hero, and the damsel in distress, and typically have a clear division between good and evil.
Music and special effects, like fire and explosions, are frequently used to enhance the emotional impact of the play. Melodramas were popular in the 19th century and continue to be a popular form of entertainment, with examples like 'The Phantom of the Opera.' They often have straightforward plots that follow a cause-and-effect chain of events and culminate in a happy ending.