Judge, 1894-12-15 · page 16 of 16
Judge — December 15, 1894 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical page mocks the tired, predictable tropes of late 19th/early 20th-century melodramatic theater. Judge magazine identifies overused character types and plot devices that had become clichéd: - The "circular saw" plot (a suspenseful device where victims face mechanical danger) - The innocent child character - The jolly innkeeper - The blond "hero" - The downtrodden heroine The cartoons illustrate these stock characters and scenarios. Judge's critique emphasizes that these elements were "played out," "chestnuts," and "stale"—suggesting playwrights relied on lazy formulas rather than original storytelling. This reflects Progressive Era skepticism toward popular entertainment conventions. The magazine urged writers to abandon hackneyed melodrama in favor of fresher, more sophisticated theatrical material. It's essentially early media criticism lamenting formulaic entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
comicbooks.com Please remember the “circular saw . F E Don’t put i ‘And leave out is“ played out.” i it’s a chestnut, it's been used too often. ‘The evertasting, “innocent kid.” Manton The * jolly inn-keeper.” ‘That blond-head “hero."* ‘The “ downtrodden heroine.” And, most important of all, don't put the above stale characters in your drama. Secnett a Widhelms Liho Co New York JUDGE GIVES A FEW HINTS TO OUR MELODRAMATIC PLAY -WRITERS.