The Beggar's Opera
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Book: Good
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A landmark work of eighteenth-century English literature, The Beggar's Opera is a satirical ballad opera that chronicles the criminal underworld of London through the roguish adventures of highwayman Captain Macheath and his entanglements with the women who love — and betray — him. John Gay masterfully skewers the political corruption and moral hypocrisy of his era, drawing sharp parallels between the thieves and prostitutes of Newgate and the aristocrats and politicians of Westminster. Written with biting wit and set to popular tunes of the day, the work presents its gallery of scoundrels with such irreverent charm that audiences are left laughing even as the satire cuts deep. First performed in 1728, it became one of the longest-running theatrical successes of its time and remains a foundational text in the tradition of political comedy and musical theatre. Its influence stretches across centuries, directly inspiring Bertolt Brecht's The Threepenny Opera and cementing Gay's reputation as one of Britain's most subversive dramatic voices.
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Description
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: No dust jacket
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
Condition remarks: Condition as shown in image
A landmark work of eighteenth-century English literature, The Beggar's Opera is a satirical ballad opera that chronicles the criminal underworld of London through the roguish adventures of highwayman Captain Macheath and his entanglements with the women who love — and betray — him. John Gay masterfully skewers the political corruption and moral hypocrisy of his era, drawing sharp parallels between the thieves and prostitutes of Newgate and the aristocrats and politicians of Westminster. Written with biting wit and set to popular tunes of the day, the work presents its gallery of scoundrels with such irreverent charm that audiences are left laughing even as the satire cuts deep. First performed in 1728, it became one of the longest-running theatrical successes of its time and remains a foundational text in the tradition of political comedy and musical theatre. Its influence stretches across centuries, directly inspiring Bertolt Brecht's The Threepenny Opera and cementing Gay's reputation as one of Britain's most subversive dramatic voices.
