Publisher's Synopsis
The Beggar's Opera is a satirical play written by John Gay in the 18th century. The play is set in London and follows the story of a group of criminals, prostitutes, and beggars, who are led by a notorious thief named Macheath. The play is a parody of the Italian opera, which was popular at the time, and features a mix of spoken dialogue and popular songs of the day.The plot revolves around Macheath's love affair with Polly Peachum, the daughter of a wealthy fence who controls the local beggars. Polly's parents disapprove of the relationship and conspire to have Macheath arrested and hanged. However, Macheath is able to escape from prison with the help of his gang and is ultimately pardoned by the king.Throughout the play, Gay uses satire to comment on the corruption and hypocrisy of society, particularly the justice system and the wealthy elite. The Beggar's Opera was a controversial work when it was first performed in 1728, but it has since become a classic of English literature and has been adapted into numerous stage productions, films, and operas.MATT. We retrench the Superfluities of Mankind. The World is avaritious, and I hate Avarice. A covetous fellow, like a Jackdaw, steals what he was never made to enjoy, for the sake of hiding it. These are the Robbers of Mankind, for Money was made for the Free- hearted and Generous.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
