The Beggar’s Opera
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Introduction Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 1, Scene 3 Act 1, Scene 4 Act 1, Scene 5 Act 1, Scene 6 Act 1, Scene 7 Act 1, Scene 8 Act 1, Scene 9 Act 1, Scene 10 Act 1, Scene 11 Act 1, Scene 12 Act 1, Scene 13 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 2, Scene 3 Act 2, Scene 4 Act 2, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 6 Act 2, Scene 7 Act 2, Scene 8 Act 2, Scene 9 Act 2, Scene 10 Act 2, Scene 11 Act 2, Scene 12 Act 2, Scene 13 Act 2, Scene 14 Act 2, Scene 15 Act 3, Scene 1 Act 3, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 3 Act 3, Scene 4 Act 3, Scene 5 Act 3, Scene 6 Act 3, Scene 7 Act 3, Scene 8 Act 3, Scene 9 Act 3, Scene 10 Act 3, Scene 11 Act 3, Scene 12  Act 3, Scene 13 Act 3, Scene 14 Act 3, Scene 15 Act 3, Scene 16 Act 3, Scene 17
Themes
All Themes Moral Corruption and Hypocrisy Gender, Love, and Marriage Class, Capitalism, and Inequality Opera, High Art, and Performance
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Polly Peachum Peachum Lucy Lockit Lockit Macheath Mrs. Peachum The Beggar The Player Mrs. Coaxer Filch Robin of Bagshot (“Bob Booty”) Mrs. Diana Trapes
Terms
All Terms Cordial Newgate Prison Transportation
Symbols
All Symbols Account Book
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Foil Frame Story Genre Hyperbole Idioms Imagery Irony Metaphors Mood Motifs Paradox Pathos Satire Setting Similes Situational Irony Style Tone
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The Beggar’s Opera

by

John Gay
Download this LitChart! (PDF)
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The Beggar’s Opera Symbols

Account Book

Peachum’s account book represents the way modern economies corrupt people by making them care more about money than morality or other people. Peachum carries his account book with him everywhere and meticulously records every…

read analysis of Account Book

Account Book Symbol Icon
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