The Threepenny Opera is like a study in criminality at all levels. You've got the small-time guys, like the kid who comes into Peachum's shop, in trouble for begging on a block that he wasn't "licensed" to use. This moment reveals how petty crime is almost never an isolated event; it's part of a larger, organized system. So the big guys, like Mac—whose gang has assignments, shares their take, and pays off the cops—absorb the little ones into their organizations. Add to that the layer of the corrupt cops, who accept the payoffs, and you can see that criminals aren't just the guys who rob and kill. They're also the guys behind the scenes, doing the accounting and taking bribes to look the other way.
Questions About Criminality
- Why are Mac's guys loyal to him? Why don't they just strike out on their own?
- What is the origin of Mac and Jackie's friendship, which allows Mac to lead his criminal life pretty much as he wishes?
- Where does Mac end up at the very end of the play, and what does this show us about criminality?
- How does Peachum make his living?
Chew on This
The real criminals of The Threepenny Opera are those in power, who encourage lawlessness while pretending to uphold the law.
Er, actually, the real criminals of The Threepenny Opera are the violent men who terrorize the city.