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Beggar's Opera Paperback – 10 June 1999

by JOHN GAY (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 171 ratings
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A receiver of stolen goods informs on his chief supplier, setting in motion an increasingly absurd turn of events. This satirical 1728 play was to become the prototype for Threepenny Opera. The great lords and powerful public officials of early 18th century England are represented as highwaymen and thieves in this deliciously satirical ballad opera. In addition to its burlesque of the contemporary vogue for Italian operatic styles, John Gay's 1728 masterpiece ridicules a broad spectrum of political figures and social conventions - marriage, lawyers, trade, and even Walpole, the prime minister. Depicting crime and vice at every level of society, The Beggar's Opera offers a witty and powerful indictment of greed, hypocrisy, and corruption in all social classes. When Peachum, a receiver of stolen goods, discovers that a notorious highwayman has eloped with his daughter, the wily old villain turns informer and collects the reward money as his prospective son-in-law is hauled off to prison. Events take an increasingly absurd turn as the dashing outlaw romances the jailer's daughter and effects an escape, only to return to the shadow of the gallows for a farcical climax that parodies the sentimental tragedy of the day. The Beggar's Opera is in the satirical tradition of Swift and Pope. Its enduring relevance was recognized two centuries later by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, who used it as the basis for their landmark musical, The Threepenny Opera. This attractive, inexpensive edition of an influential comic gem will be applauded by theater lovers, students of literature and history, and other readers.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    64 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    10 June 1999
  5. Reading age
    14 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    13.34 x 0.64 x 21.59 cm
  7. ISBN-10
    9780486408880
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0486408880
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0486408884
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications (10 June 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 64 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780486408880
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486408880
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.34 x 0.64 x 21.59 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 171 ratings

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  1. William-Alan Landes

    William-Alan Landes

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  2. David Lindley

    David Lindley

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  3. John Gay

    John Gay

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  4. David Turner

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Moumita Debnath
5.0 out of 5 stars Review
Reviewed in India on 21 January 2022
Verified Purchase
A good Penguin Classic!
The Introduction is insightful.
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Emma R
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read
Reviewed in Canada on 21 September 2017
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I got the Kindle version and it has nice big text, not too long, and it's easy and enjoyable to read.
I really enjoyed the story.
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Eva
4.0 out of 5 stars Poetical justice
Reviewed in Spain on 19 January 2017
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Parodia de la Sociedad londinense en el siglo XVIII. Un clásico imprescindible para comprender la literatura inglesa y el genio crítico del autor.
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Lovely_Lila
2.0 out of 5 stars Sehr schwer verständlich. Lieber eine Verfilmung oder Aufführung davon anschauen!
Reviewed in Germany on 9 November 2015
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~ Kurzrezension ~

Habe es für die Uni gelesen. Aufgeführt oder verfilmt sicher sehr empfehlenswert, da die Botschaft interessant ist, die Musik sehr eingängig ist und die Mienen und Gesten der Schauspieler helfen, das Gesagte zu verstehen. Unter anderem ist es somit auch leichter, die Witze und den (teilweise echt lustigen) Humor zu verstehen.

Es auf Englisch zu lesen, würde ich (Nicht-Mutttersprachlern) nicht empfehlen, da es sehr schwierig zu verstehen ist. Viele Worte waren mir unbekannt (es kommen auch extrem viele Schimpfworte vor), es fehlt die Hilfe der Schauspieler beim Verständnis und ebenso die Musik - also kurz: So macht das keinen Spaß!

Bewertung:

Die Oper aufgeführt / Verfilmung: 4 Sterne
Das Buch: 2 Sterne aufgrund des mangelnden Lesespaßes.
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AshNicole
5.0 out of 5 stars This was originally just for a class,but a great book!
Reviewed in the United States on 3 March 2014
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Originally, I was not thrilled on reading this book. The book was assigned to me in my British studies class and I was not looking forward to it. However, I was pleasantly surprised at two things. First, it was short read and easy to comprehend. Last, it was really funny! John Gay's writing is tough yet flowery, which I love. I'm glad I did read this book because now I want to read some more of his work. On the contrary, this would be strictly for enjoyment purposes.
4 people found this helpful
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