The Lit Fuse Device in Melodrama and Comedy

The Lit Fuse device is common in melodrama and comedy.The very old "Perils of Pauline" movies are a melodramatic example. The villain, Snidely Whiplash, demands, "You must marry me!""No! No! I won't marry you!" she cries."But you must marry me!""No! No! I won't marry you!""But you must marry me!""No! No! I won't marry you!"If he can't have her, nobody can. So Snidely ties her to the railroad