The Beggar's Opera (1921)

The Beggar's Opera is a satirical play written by John Gay, first performed in 1728. The play is set in London and tells the story of a group of criminals and their interactions with the wealthy and powerful members of society. The main character, Macheath, is a notorious thief and womanizer who becomes involved with the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The play is known for its use of popular songs and its criticism of the corrupt political and social systems of the time. In this 1921 edition of the play, the text is presented with an introduction and notes by John Palmer, providing historical context and analysis of the play's themes and significance. The Beggar's Opera remains a classic of English literature and a landmark in the development of the modern musical.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.