THE
BEGGAR’S OPERA
A Presentation by Crystal Ross and Reilly Stoner
BASIC INFORMATION
 The Beggar’s Opera was written by English playwright John Gay.
 It premiered on January 29, 1728 at the Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theatre.
 It originally ran for 62 consecutive performances; it was the first
play ever recorded to have a tenure that long.
 It served as the basis for Elisabeth Hauptmann and Bertolt Brecht’s
Die Dreigroschenoper (The Threepenny Opera).
 The premise of the play stemmed from a letter that Jonathan Swift
(renowned satirist and author of Gulliver’s Travels) sent to
Alexander Pope (satirical poet known for his translations of Homer
and Shakespeare).
 Gay originally intended for the songs to be sung a cappella; however,
John Rich (the director of the Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theatre) called for
the addition of a score close to the opening of the show.
TITLE AND THEMES
 As evidenced by the title, The Beggar’s Opera satirizes Italian opera
and the upper class of England’s obsession with it in the 18 th century.
 The title also characterizes Gay’s mockery of Italian opera by
aligning it with commonplace English characters and music from
everyday life (like church hymns and folk songs).
 By pairing the crooks and whores with the lofty aristocrats, Gay
tackles the theme of social inequity and the natural hypocrisy of all
men (regardless of class).
 Gay satirized politicians of his time (particularly the Whigs).
 The Beggar’s Opera suggests that marriage isn’t a selfless venture,
but rather a lustful fulfillment of two (or more) people.
 Throughout The Beggar’s Opera, Gay typifies the dishonesty and
corruption of government officials and law enforcement.
SETTING
 The Beggar’s Opera takes place in 18 th century London, specifically
around the area of Newgate Prison.
 At this time, there was a large economic shaft between the wealthy
and the desolate.
 Italian opera was a fad amongst the English upper class at the time
of its release; this is why John Gay chose to lampoon it.
 The significance of the play’s setting is that, during the 18 th and 19th
century, London was plagued with gangs and other organized crime
(think Oliver Twist). This allowed Gay to examine the corruption of
both the criminal underground and the established government, as
well as make connections between the two.
CENTRAL CONFLICT
 Peachum, an upper class crime affiliate, is enraged to discover
that his daughter, Polly, has secretly married a notorious
highwayman and gang leader by the name of Macheath. He
and his wife decide that, in order to ensure financial security
for their daughter and themselves, they must murder
Macheath.
 The play splits focus between Macheath’s two lovers, Polly and
Lucy. However, all of the action revolves around Macheath;
this makes him the protagonist of the play.
 The antagonist role is filled by both Peachum and his
accomplice, Lockit. It is predominately Peachum who strives to
bring down Macheath, so he would be considered the primary
antagonist.
CHARACTERS
 Macheath – He is a highwayman and leader of a London
gang.
 Peachum – He is an upper class crime affiliate that wants
to kill his daughter’s husband, Macheath.
 Polly – She is the daughter of Peachum and the wife of
Macheath.
 Lucy – She is the daughter of Lockit and a mistress to
Macheath.
 Lockit – He is a corrupt jailer employed by Peachum.
BRIEF SUMMARY
At the start of the play, Peachum and Mrs. Peachum both learn that
their daughter, Polly, is married to the highwayman, Captain Macheath. They
decide that if they were to kill Macheath, then all money would go to the
widow. Scared, Polly warns Macheath and he fleas.
He runs to a tavern where spies of Peachum throw him in the
Newgate Prison. Macheath’s former lover, Lucy, and daughter of the jailer,
Lockit, confronts him. Since he has a better chance of being freed by her, he
lies about his marriage to Polly. Lucy steals the keys and set him free.
Macheath is captured once again and Lockit and Peachum demand to
know who his wife really is. Four pregnant women then arrive and Macheath
asks to be hanged. The audience demands a happy ending, so the beggar
writes that Macheath declares his love for Polly and they sing and dance as the
curtain closes.
QUOTES
•“A lawyer is an honest employment, so is mine. Like me too he acts in
a double capacity, both against rogues and for ‘em; for ‘tis but fitting
that we should protect and encourage cheats, since we live by ‘em.” –
Peachum
•This quote portrays the morals and motivation that Peachum has throughout the play for
wanting to kill Macheath: self interest and success lead to true morality.
•“Suspect my honour, my courage, suspect any thing but my love.—May
my pistols miss fire, and my mare slip her shoulder while I am pursu’d
if I forsake thee!” - Macheath
•This quote fools the audience into thinking that Macheath is as courageous and honorable
as he says he is to Polly, when he turns out to be a coward in the next act and having very
little loyalty.
UNUSUAL REFERENCES
•Newgate? - A former London prison whose
unsanitary conditions became notorious in the
18th century before the building was burned down
in 1780.
•Bob Booty? – Robert Walpole (A british
statesman who is generally regarded as the first
prime Minister of Great Britain)
PERSONAL REACTION
Crystal Ross
While reading the play, I was very interested in the
mocking style of Italian Opera that Gay portrayed. Not just in
the writing, but in the character’s personalities. Macheath, for
example, was shown as the heroic male character in the
beginning, yet turned out to be a deceitful coward. Also, how,
in the end, they break the fourth wall and appease the audience
by changing the ending to the model of a regular Italian Opera.
Over all, I thought it was very enjoyable and entertaining.
PERSONAL REACTION
Reilly Stoner
To me, "The Beggar's Opera" is one of the most
accurate portrayals of economic disparity in fiction, and it does
so with a harmonious mix of colorful characters and satirical
social commentary. John Gay does a terrific job of conveying a
message while still giving each of his characters a distinct
voice. Ultimately, The Beggar's Opera is a play worth its merit and
an important milestone in the history of theatre.