Thomas Elsaesser and the Theory of Melodrama

Written by Bill Miller

Thomas Elsaesser is a key figure in the study of melodrama, particularly for his influential 1972 essay "Tales of Sound and Fury: Observations on the Family Melodrama." In this groundbreaking work, he identified family melodrama as a distinct subgenre that deals with generational and gender-based tensions, often framed within the dynamics of a family business or household structure. Elsaesser challenged the simplistic view of melodrama as merely sentimental or conservative, arguing instead that it can reveal deeper ideological struggles and cultural anxieties. His approach combined psychoanalysis, Marxist theory, and formalist analysis, paving the way for a more nuanced understanding of melodramatic aesthetics in postwar cinema.