When did melodrama begin and who was involved? Hey if any one can help me out it

Question:

When did melodrama begin and who was involved? Hey if any one can help me out it would realy help thnx!?

Its for a homework project but if any one could help that would be great.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Hard to pinpoint any specific time or date without further info, but my guess is that it began back in pre-history, when folks telling stories or acting out their day began to stylize the telling to include easily-recognizable gestures, expressions or words to relay the message, instead of relaying the message with fresh words or signs---ie, substituting plot and incident for characterization....
In terms of theater, you can probably find the earliest forms of this in the Italian Comedia Del Arte (my spelling's probably not quite right), where you find stock characters (the Lovers, the Buffoon, the Old Geezer, the Miser, the Trickster, etc) in plays and sketches--starting in the late Renaissance, maybe....Try a search using the Comedia and you may get some good references as well as proper spelling and character types!