Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
Loading... The Begger's Opera (original 1728; edition 1921)by John Gay, C (see note) Lovat Fraser (Illustrator), John Drinkwater (Foreword)
Work InformationThe Beggar's Opera by John Gay (1728)
Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Meh. I wanted to like it more than I actually did, perhaps I didn't because generally plays and books that are from that time period I rarely find easy reads. I did however love everything by Moliere and I also loved ' She stoops to conquer ' but that might not be as old as this, I've forgotten when that was written. 2-2.5 no reviews | add a review
Belongs to Publisher SeriesIs contained inThe Poetical Works of John Gay by John Gay (indirect) Plays written by Mr. John Gay, viz. The captives, ... The beggar's opera. Polly, ... Achilles, ... The distress'd wife, by John Gay (indirect) The Longman Anthology of British Literature, Volume 1C: The Restoration and the 18th Century by David Damrosch Has the adaptationInspiredHas as a commentary on the textNotable Lists
Drama.
Fiction.
HTML: The Beggar's Opera is the only ballad opera that is still popularly performed today. A ballad opera is a satirical musical, which uses the form of an opera but incorporates popular songs and ballads as well as operatic numbers. The Beggar's Opera satirizes the corruption to be found in all levels of society. Its immense popularity provided funds for the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, to be built and also catapulted its leading lady to fame. It has continued to be performed ever since its premier in 1728. .No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)822.5Literature English & Old English literatures English drama Queen Anne 1702-45LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
July has been my month for thieves, pickpockets, and denizens of mean streets, real and fanciful. I started the month by reading a recent fantasy novel, The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, which inspired me to read Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera, which brought me to John Gay, one of the early sources of it all. I have just embarked on Daniel Abraham’s new novel, The Age of Ash, another fantasy that begins with a detailed description of a three-person cutpurse team in action. Why does popular culture so love gangs of urban miscreants? There may be some wish-fulfillment in the dream of taking money from the undeserving rich. We admire the immoral efficiency of criminal gangs. Gay apologizes for not delivering poetic justice all around, but justice is just what we say we want, not what we really want. Even murder is fine if it is done with style. Murder, he says, is as “fashionable a crime as a man can be guilty of.” Lawyers are the worst criminals because they steal your “whole estate.” I have never seen the play produced and wonder how the doggerel and social stereotyping would play to a modern audience. But I could be wrong—we certainly like the updated versions. 4 stars. ( )