The Threepenny Opera

Content warning: This section of the guide discusses sexual content.

Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera portrays a corrupt society, in which morality is a facade and power is dictated by exploitation. This post-Christian world is ruled by a capitalist elite, which has implemented corruption as an intrinsic and inescapable part of life. Through the play’s characters and their cynical justifications, Brecht argues that corruption is systemic, meaning that it is woven into the very fabric of law, justice, and survival. The text presents a grim reality: Those in power exploit the weak, and those who wish to survive must play by the same unscrupulous rules.

One of the clearest manifestations of systemic corruption is the relationship between Peachum, Macheath, and Tiger Brown, which reveals how law enforcement and crime are two sides of the same coin. In an exchange in Act III, Peachum confronts Brown about Macheath’s ability to roam freely despite his criminal status, saying that Macheath does so “Because he’s your pal, Brown” (94). Here, Brecht shows the blurred lines between law and crime, revealing how those in power selectively enforce justice based on personal alliances rather than moral principles. Brown’s admission that he must suppress the beggars’ protest in order to preserve his position further exemplifies this theme.