Influence of Beggars Opera on Political and Social Life - Essay Example

Gay-Opera Only in a society that one can distinguish the merits and demerits of a man. The history of literature itself shows that copious literary creations are born when the contemporary society needed it. Gay’s Beggar’s opera was, no doubt, such an attempt and was a great success. The theatre goers of London were tired of Italian opera that had been dominating English stages for at least two decades. Beggar’s opera was a relief and it offered a new kind of mockery of domestic origin in which the contemporary political cultural and social circle of London was drawn perfectly. John Gay paved the way for a new theatre genre with the creation of Beggar’s opera that still exist today. The beggar’s opera is a three act ballad opera, a new form created by John Gay, an eighteenth century poet and dramatist. He has got the idea of the beggars’ opera from Jonathan Swift. Ballad Opera is a satire genre performed by actors, not by singers, in which dialogue alternates with song. The opera contains 69 songs. The opera begins with the introduction by a beggar. Hence the name ‘Beggar’s opera’. The later eighteenth century Britain was a place of corruption and turmoil .The authorities also turned a blind eye towards the corruptions. The era was termed as a century of ‘transition’ and of many ‘contradictions and complexities’. There were rigid ‘class distinction’ and the ‘low life was considered as a fit subject for comedy’. According to M Dorothy George “the dominating impression of life in eighteenth century London is one of uncertainty and insecurity” .She points out that Beggar’s Opera was an accurate picture of the manners of the time. The period of Charles 11 brought about changes to the politics and also livens up the dead theaters. The writers who could enjoy the audience with satire and pathos made their chance with the circumstances. The depiction of the current society with the criminal characters was supported whole heartedly and the play broke all the time record of theatre performance. Through the beggar characters and suitable plots, John gay had drawn the existing society of corrupted politics and degenerated, valueless life of the people, with ease and filled with satire. The typical eighteenth century English life was depicted with supreme care, even in the theme, characterization and dialogue. The use of underworld thieves and prostitutes to depict the social events is an admirable attempt of Gay. The play begins by the song of an old woman which shows the dilemma of the society. ”Through all the employments of life Each neighbor abuses his brother; Whore and rogue they call husband and wife: All professions are rogue one another. The priest calls the lawyer a cheat, The lawyer be knaves the divine; And the states man, because he so great, Thinks his grade as honest as mine. “ The writer skillfully pictured the chance of the values that prevailed in the current society. The England at the time of Sir Robert Walpole ( the first prime minister of Britain) was nothing but a playground of thieves and robbers. The notorious thieves like Jonathan Wild and Jack Sheppperd was characterized as Peachum and Macheath in the play. The play satirizes the upper class as well as people of high rank. Walpole has such a suffering wife when he lies with his mistress. Thus Gay made the statesman and politicians to recognize themselves. Though they are aristocrats, they are not free from the criminal characteristics of the lower class. Gay’s intention was to delineate this fact. The gap between the two classes is only in the manner of punishment they receive for the same sins. The awful influence of capitalist movement gave rise to the degeneration of values. The society give birth to class distinction based on financial conditions, ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ The century has an awful practice of hiding immoral activities behind religious belief. At the end of Act 11 the moral values are more emphasized when Macheath and Jenny sing a song. In that song they mention that before preaching morality, the moralists should make sure that everyone has food to eat. Morality is tool for the rich to maintain their position. At the same time the poor people is suffering to maintain a normal life. For them the hollow moral value practiced by the rich has nothing to play with their own lower class life. Peachum is such a character who uses biblical quotations and interprets it in his own ways. . Peachum is a fence and a thief- catcher. When he checks out his accounts he finds Macheath an unproductive thief to be hanged without delay. Polly being secretly married to him overhears her parent’s decision and tries to save him. They come to know about the marriage from the servant. Love and affection plays nothing in the world of thieves and prostitutes. So Mr. Peachum and Mrs. Peachum remain firm in their decision. Polly allows him to escape. Macheath goes to a tavern. He was cheated by the whores there and was captured and sent to the prison run by Lockit. Peachum and Lockit are representatives of economic degradation where as Macheath, Polly and Lucy represent disintegrated sexual life of the lower class. The methods adopted by the corrupt politicians of the time were not much different from that of beggars, murderers and thieves. They are depicted as well mannered thieves by John Gay. Macheath enjoys the company of endless ladies pretending love for them. Act 11 scene 111describes his attitude about woman. Macheath says “the town perhaps h hath been as much obliged to me ,for recruiting it with free –hearted ladies…”(72) In addition to the thief characters , the prostitutes also enjoy their life of spoil Mrs. Vexen says …”has sent two or three dozen (men)…to the plantations” (she had earned money from them through prostitution). The criminal characters find it an easy way to attain their side by selling their body without any hesitation. Jenny is another example for this. She does not really love Macheath. Yet she lies with him. The process of selling to gain something is a capitalist nature. The moral weakness of the society was nastiest that Gay dramatized it in an easy way. When Macheat secretly marries Polly, Lucy, the daughter of Lockit is already carrying from Macheat. In Lucy’s own words “You base man –how can you look me in the face after what has passed between us ….see here perfidious wretch, how I am forced to bear about the load of infamy you have laid upon me .O Mac heath though has robbed me of my quite to see the tortured would give me pleasure”. The impending actions of Polly and Lucy show their callousness in its richness. Lucy decides to poison Polly, but has a narrow escape. Polly is the only person who has actual love for Macheath. But her love causes her to continue his unruly ways. It is to be noted that the power of evil is so much that the good, loving nature of Polly turns to that of a thief. Later they realize that Macheath is recaptured in another case. He was sentenced to be hanged. At that time also four other new women appears there claiming Macheath as the father of the infants. Now he was busy to accept the punishment. But later for the audience, the beggar appears and announces the release of Macheath and they celebrate his wedding with Polly. The punishments impinged or even the jail cannot transform the criminal characters. This is because they do not find the judiciary and the government away from crimes. The immoral decay of the world outside the theatre and that which exist even in the life of the audience is portrayed in the play. What the commentator remark at the end of the play is to be noted.” The Lower people have their vices in a degree as well as the rich, and are punished for them ----- that rich people never are”. Beggar’s opera had changed the current political and social outlook that led to the creation of Licensing Act of 1737.The obvious presentation of the existing society and the corruption prevailed in the era was effectively passed to the audience through the play. The present society is not much varying from that of eighteenth century. The theme of the play is, in every matter, adequate now itself. This is one of the reason for the popularity of the play. But there were several criticisms on the use of mean characters like thieves, prostitutes, and criminals. According to Dr Thomas Herring “favorable presentation of criminals “is not acceptable. But later we see that the change in the administration made improvements in the social conditions. Work cited Gay, John, The Beggar’s Opera, Dover Publications, New York, 1999 . George, M Dorothy, London Life in the 18th century, Kegan Paul, Trench Trubner,London,1925. Read More