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John Gay (30 June,1685 - 4 December,1732) was an English poet and dramatist. He is better remembered for ''The Beggar's Opera'' (1728), set to music by Johann Christoph Pepusch. A characters, including Captain Macheath & Polly Peachum, became domestic list.

Biography

Homo was innate inside Barnstaple, England and was educated at the town's grammar school. In allowing school he was apprenticed to the silk mercer in London, but existence aweary, based on data from Samuel Johnson, "of either the restraint or the servility of his occupation," he shortly returned to Barnstaple, in which he spent a few period by using his uncle, a Revolutions per minute. John Hanmer, a Nonconformist minister of the town. He so returned to London.

A dedication of his Rural Sports (1713) to Alexander Pope was the beginning of the lasting friendly relationship. Around 1714, Gay wrote ''A Shepherd's Week'', the series of 6 pastorals drawn from English rustic life. Pope experienced urged him to undertake this project sequentially to ridicule a Arcadian pastorals of Ambrose Philips, who experienced been praised by The Guardian (1713), to the neglect of Pope's claims when a number one pastoral writer of the age & truth English Theocritus. Homosexual's pastorals totally achieved this goal, however his ludicrous pictures of the English united states lads & their loves were observed to exist as entertaining in their have account.

Homophile experienced good been appointed secretary to the British ambassador to the court of Hanover through the influence of Jonathan Swift when the dying of Queen Anne three months later put an prevent to a lot his hopes of official employment.

Inside 1715, probably with a select few support from either Pope, he produced ''What five hundred'ye call for it?'', the striking skit on contemporary tragedy, with favorite information to Thomas Otway's Venice Preserved. It left the public then ignorant of its rattling meaning that Lewis Theobald & Benjamin Griffin published a ''Complete Key to what five hundred'ye call for it to show you it. Around 1716 appeared his Trivithe, or even a Art of Walk wall street of London, a verse form within threesome books, for which he acknowledged getting received many hints from either Swift. It contains graphic & humourous descriptions of the London of that period of time. Inside January 1717 he produced the comedy of 3 Hours fallowing Marriage, which was grossly indecent forgoing existence amusing, & was the complete failure. He got assistance from either Pope & John Arbuthnot, but it allowed it to exist as assumed that Homophile was a resole creator.

Homophile got many patrons, & inside 1720 he published Poems in Many Occasions by subscription, ingesting £1000 or even sir thomas more. In this month James Craggs, a secretary of state, presented him by having occasionally South Sea stock. Homophile, disregarding a advice of Pope & more of his friends, invested with 100% of his money within South Sea equity, &, holding in to the prevent of the South Sea Bubble, he lost all about. A shock is said to keep close at hand mass produced him perilously sick. His friends did non fail him at this juncture. He experienced patrons around William Pulteney, afterwards earl of Bath, in the third earl of Burlington, who constantly entertained him at Chiswick or even at Burlington Home, & in the third earl of Queensberry. He was the frequent visitant by having Pope, & received changeless kindness from either William Congreve and Arbuthnot. Around 1727 he wrote for Prince William, afterwards duke of Cumberland, his famed Fifty-a single Fables inside Verse'', for which he naturally hoped to benefit a few preferment, although he has lot to say within a babies of the subservience of courtiers & the vanity of court honours. He was offered the situation of gentleman-usher to the Princess Louisa, world health organization was however a tyke. He refused this offer, which entirely his friends seem to use regarded, for there is no super conspicuous understanding, as an indignity. He experienced never rendered any favorite services to the court.

He for sure did nothing to conciliate a favour of the government by his next production, The Beggar's Opera, a lyrical drama produced on the January 29, 1728 by John Rich, in which Sir Robert Walpole was caricatured. This illustrious piece, which was said to use at times mass produced "Rich gay and Gay rich," was an innovation around numerous respects. the sarcasm of the play has a double allegory. A characters of Peachum & Macheath represent a noted highjacker & mobster Jonathan Wild and the cockney housebreaker Jack Sheppard. At a equivalent period, Jonathan Uncivilized was understood to represent Robert Walpole, whose government experienced been tolerant of Uncivilized's theft & a South Sea directors' throw off penalty. Under handle of the stealer & highwaymen world health organization estimated inside it was disguised the satire on society, for Gay mass produced it plawithin that in describing a moral code of his characters he mean a corruptions of the governing class. Section of the profits of the Mendicant's Opera can use at times been due to the playing of Lavinia Fenton, afterwards duchess of Bolton, in the a portion of Polly Peachum. A play run sixty-both nights. Swift is said to use suggested a subject, & Pope & Arbuthnot were constantly consulted when a act was around progress, however Homo must become look on a resole creator.

He wrote the sequel, Polly, on a dangerous undertaking of Polly Peachum in the West Indies; its production was forbidden per Lord Chamberlain, no doubt through the influence of Walpole. This work of "oppression" stimulated there are no loss to Homosexual. It proved an fantabulous ad for Polly, which was published by subscription inside 1729, and brought its creator many m pounds. A Duchess of Queensberry was dismissed from either court for enlisting subscribers in the palace. A Duke of Queensberry gave Homophile a front yard, & the duchess continued her warm patronage until Gay's dying, which took place in December 4, 1732. He was buried inside Westminster Abbey. A epitaph in his grave is by Pope, & is followed by Homophile's possess mocking couplet:

Partial list of works
The Present State of Wit - 1711 The Rural Sports - 1713 The Shepherd's Week - 1714 The What Five hundred'ye Call for It - 1715 Trivia, or even A Art of Walking wall street of London - 1716 Poems in Many Occasions - 1720 Fifty-1 Fables inside Verse - 1727 The Beggar's Opera - 1728 Polly - 1729 Fables - 1738 Wine

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The Beggar's Opera
Transcription of John Gay's 1765 work.

John Gay (1685-1732)
Considering Gay primarily as a poet, this site contains Samuel Johnson's "Preface" to Gay's works, links to Gay's works on line, and a selection of poems.

An Elegy on a Lap-dog
Gay's 1720 poem.

The Contemplator's Short History John Gay and The Beggar's Opera
Biography and information about work plus links to related material, embedded audio, and links to lyrics and MIDI files.

John Gay
List of his poems with lyrics from the Lied and Art Songs Text Page.

John Gay
Wikipedia article focused mainly on his literary abilities, especially his Beggar's Opera. Includes portrait, internal references to related people and topics, and quotes.

John Gay
Biography, works, and links.

John Gay
Biography, bibliography, and works.

A Unique Masterpiece
A commentary on Beggar's Opera with a bibliography and biography on John Gay.

Beggar's Opera and its Sanskrit Puns
Puts forth evidence that John Gay's classic contains Sanskritic wordplay.


Arts: Literature: Poetry: Poets
Arts: Literature: World Literature: British: 18th Century
Arts: Music: Composition: Composers
Arts: Music: Composition: Composers: Baroque
Arts: Music: Composition: Composers: By Region: Europe: English




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