Melodrama in Harry Potter

“It was turning into the dirtiest game Harry had ever played in.  Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle.  Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he thought she was a Bludger.  George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor…

Harry, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field.

And then he saw something to make his heart stand still.  Malfoy was diving, a look of triumph on his face—there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny golden glimmer—

Harry urged the Firebolt downward, but Malfoy was miles ahead—

“Go! Go! Go!” Harry urged his broom.  He was gaining on Malfoy—Harry flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him—he was at Malfoy’s ankles—he was level—

Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Malfoy’s arm out of the way and—

“YES!”

He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded.  Harry soared above the crowd, an odd ringing in his ears.  The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers.” (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 309-312)

This passage depicts a Quiddich game between Gryffindor and Slytherin.  The reason why I found it to be a good example of melodrama is because there is the classic battle of good vs. evil in what was described as the “dirtiest game Harry had ever played in”, with the victim hero inevitably shining through in the end.  The Gryffindor team, led by the victim hero Harry himself, are portrayed as the white hats, as they battle the forces of evil portrayed by the Slytherin team, led by one of the most evilly depicted characters in the Harry Potter series, Malfoy, in what could otherwise be overlooked as a simple game played at Hotgwarts.  As the Slytherin team resorted to winning by any means necessary and unleashed a full on, and completely against the rules, attack, Gryffindor had to defend themselves from the dirty tactics of their rivals in order to hold out for the win.  As the scene approaches its climax, Harry saves one of his teammates from an ensuing attack from the entire Slytherin team, then proceeds to race off in order to snatch the Golden Snitch from Malfoy’s reach just by the slightest margin.  Once again, the victim hero has once again prevailed; good has defeated evil.

In a non-melodramatic sequence, the passage might be written something more along the lines of:

“Harry, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field.

And then he saw something to make his heart stand still.  Malfoy was diving, a look of triumph on his face—there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny golden glimmer—

Harry urged the Firebolt downward, but Malfoy was miles ahead—

“Go! Go! Go!” Harry urged his broom.  He was gaining on Malfoy—Harry flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him—he was at Malfoy’s ankles—he was level—

Malfoy looked down and saw Harry trying to get in a position to make a move for the Snitch.  But wasn’t going to let that happen, especially not in this championship game of the Quiddich Cup.

As Harry took both hands off his broom trying to make that final grab at victory, Malfoy quickly counteracted by slamming his broom into the side of Harry’s, sending him falling to the ground below.  With his path completely clear, Malfoy reached down and grabbed the Snitch.

“YES! THERE’S NO WAY YOU WERE GOING TO BEAT ME, POTTER!” Malfoy exclaimed as he threw his fist in the air victoriously.  The crowd fell completely silent, and the only audible noise in the entire arena was coming from the Slytherin team lauding Malfoy and celebrating their momentous win.”