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Literary Criticism

John Gay never seemed to have achieved much in life, other than The Beggars Opera. This work is usually overshadowed by other more impressive works of fiction and theatre in Britain during the first half of the Eighteenth Century. Times were difficult and the gulf between the rich- the aristocratic- and the poor, just as the Industrial Revolution would soon poke its head through the London fogs. There was time for something that was both a comedy as well as a satire and, yet, in many ways, a tragedy as well. Added to the fact that Gay composed and improvised music to enhance his story of Macheath, Jenny and other characters that, had they been real and on the streets, would surely have frightened the wealthy who came to see the show.

What was fairly novel was the incorporation of music into the continuum of the story line, which, in truth, could be considered more a patchwork than a solid beginning, middle and end of a routine theatrical play. Yet, the fact that there was political satire and a comedy of manners as well as music all rolled up into one ante-0dated the eventual success of Sheridan and, much later, Gilbert and Sullivan- all of whom tweaked with far greater talents, the foibles of England's upper crust.

As for the Victorian Age, one can look beyond the many female writers- good, bad and indifferent, from the Brontes to Jane Austen to Marry Wollstonecraft to Mary Shelley. Here, there was a combination of gothic horror onm one side, romantic deviousness with happy conclusion on another, and the vitory of pluck over misfortune in still another area. However, this was also the time of the British Empire and its dominance on the seas, filled with high adventure. Surely, following the exploits of Lord Nelson one would come up with romanticizing sailors and their voyages. And yet, there was a stark re minder of tragedy at sea and the loss of life and virtue and the solace of memories. "The Rime of the An...

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Literary Criticism. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 11:16, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/2001112.html