Gimme, gimme, gimme: that's almost every character's mantra in The Threepenny Opera. You've got Peachum, who spends his days devising ways to get people to pay beggars more, inspiring pity with costumes and signs. Then there's Mac the Knife, who will do just about anything to just about anybody for a buck. Jackie Brown, chief of police, looks the other way while Mac and his gang commit all sorts of atrocities—in exchange for his cut of the take. In short, these are a greedy lot and their desire for more money outweighs every other desire in their lives.
Questions About Greed
- Which of Peachum's signs do you think would be the most effective for getting people to give to the beggars, and why?
- When Polly hears of the people who were killed so that Mac's men could get the things for her wedding, she seems horrified, but doesn't back out. What does this tell us about her character?
- How does Peachum control the beggars in London, and what methods does he use to make sure he is in charge?
Chew on This
Sorry, but no character in The Threepenny Opera is able to overcome their basic greedy nature.
The fact that so many people give to Peachum's beggars shows that not everyone in the world is greedy. Yay?