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. He states, in a revengeful streak, “Tonight, Peachum, I’ve hit on the solution, and I believe I may say, saved a friend from mortal peril. I’ll simply smoke out your whole nest” (95). In the confrontation between Brown and Peachum, the beggars, the most vulnerable ones, are weaponized and ultimately harmed. Ultimately, Brecht’s message is that the law does not serve the people; rather, it serves itself and those who manipulate it to their advantage.

Beyond the corruption of individual characters, The Threepenny Opera suggests that the entire structure of society is built on exploitation. This idea is most emphatically expressed in the “Second Threepenny Finale: What Keeps Mankind Alive?” The song attacks the hypocrisy of the ruling class, who preach morality while ignoring the fundamental needs of the people: 

You gentlemen who think you have a mission 

To purge us of the seven deadly sins 

Should first sort out the basic food position 

Then start your preaching: that’s where it begins (88). 

Brecht argues that corruption is a necessity for survival. Those in power construct a moral framework that justifies their own dominance while keeping the lower classes subdued.

Therefore, The Threepenny Opera portrays corruption as an unavoidable constant in human society (or at least capitalist society). The characters do not challenge the system; they navigate it, using whatever means necessary to secure their own survival. Peachum manipulates beggars, Brown abuses his authority, and Macheath profits from crime—all while maintaining the veneer of respectability. The play suggests that in a world driven by economic disparity and self-interest, morality is a luxury few can afford. As the finale chillingly concludes, “For once you must try not to shirk the facts: / Mankind is kept alive by bestial acts” (89).