Beggar's Opera-Ending

As I read the play, I was expecting Macheath to die. Not only did he have multiple women hating him and loving him at the same time (a problem that honestly death makes an easy solution for-just saying) but he was already in prison sentenced to die. He did technically have money which associated him with the higher class audience that the beggar refers to, but when he said "it is difficult to determine whether the fine gentlemen imitate the gentlemen of the road or the gentlemen of the road the fine gentlemen" I missed the whole part when people were trying to imitate fine gentlemen. The beggar was making a point that both groups are very similar only the gentlemen of the road are looked down upon. I think Hogarth made the two rather indiscernible in the play to further illustrate the unfair treatment of the lower class and to make fun of the aristocracy. I still think Macheath could have and should have died. There would have been resolution that way instead of "ok well I guess I'll take Polly" and no one else says anything else. For the sake of the plot I call it a cop-out, but for the sake of the commentary that Hogarth is giving it's quite brilliant.