Publisher's Synopsis
The Beggar's Opera is a satirical play written by John Gay in 1728. The play is set in London and follows the story of a group of beggars, thieves and prostitutes who form a criminal gang and engage in various illegal activities. The main character, Macheath, is a notorious highwayman who is wanted by the law. He is also a womanizer and has several mistresses, including the daughter of the Beggar King, Polly Peachum. Polly is in love with Macheath and helps him escape from the police, but she is also being pursued by her father who wants her to marry a wealthy man. The play is a parody of the Italian opera, which was popular at the time, and features a mix of ballads, folk songs and popular tunes of the day. The Beggar's Opera was a huge success and was performed over 60 times in its first year alone. It is considered one of the most important works of 18th century English literature and has influenced many subsequent works of art and literature.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.
