The play The Threepenny Opera is set in various locations throughout London, but several scenes take place in a jail cell. Mac the Knife, the notorious criminal, is sent to jail twice. He escapes once and is pardoned the second time, but both times is visited by his friends, enemies, and lovers (who are basically his frenemies) in the prison. The way that the outside comes in— bringing Mac money, coming to have discussions with him, and, of course, letting him escape–twice—means the lines between freedom and confinement are pretty blurry in the play. It's like the cops are putting on a show of locking Mac up, while everyone knows that he's free as a bird.
Questions About Freedom and Confinement
- Who puts Mac in jail, and who lets him escape? What does this tell us about the nature of his confinement?
- What does Mac ask for as his last meal before execution? Why do you think he asks for this food?
- When Mac has the chance to flee the city to freedom, he chooses to go to his old haunts instead, where he is instantly caught. Why does he behave this way?
- Why do Lucy and Polly visit Mac in jail?
Chew on This
Confinement is an illusion in The Threepenny Opera, showing audiences that they are free to make changes in their lives (and their wardrobe).
Freedom is an illusion in The Threepenny Opera. Everyone is in a metaphorical jail cell of their own.