A corrupt London constable who is summoned (and, the text implies, paid) by Peachum to arrest Macheath at the brothel in Wapping. When Smith takes Macheath to be jailed at the Old Bailey, Macheath attempts to bribe him—and it’s clear that Smith is willing to be bought. Smith demands a huge sum of money in exchange for letting Macheath go—a sum that even Macheath and his gang struggle to procure quickly. Smith is emblematic of the corruption and greed which infect every level of society—he has no morals, no scruples, and no beliefs, and instead owes his allegiance only to the highest bidder.
Constable Smith Quotes in The Threepenny Opera
The The Threepenny Opera quotes below are all either spoken by Constable Smith or refer to Constable Smith. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 3, Scene 3
Quotes
ALL: Combat injustice but in moderation:
Such things will freeze to death if left alone.
Remember: this whole vale of tribulation
Is black as pitch and cold as any stone.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Constable Smith Quotes in The Threepenny Opera
The The Threepenny Opera quotes below are all either spoken by Constable Smith or refer to Constable Smith. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 3, Scene 3
Quotes
ALL: Combat injustice but in moderation:
Such things will freeze to death if left alone.
Remember: this whole vale of tribulation
Is black as pitch and cold as any stone.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
