whats the story behind sweeney todd?

Question

i heard he was actually a real person. is that true? if so, can you give me the whole story on how he became sweeney todd?

Answer 1

First of all, NO, the character of Sweeney Todd is not based on any real person. The character first appeared in what's known as a "Penny Dreadful" on November 21, 1846.

The story as it's going to be told in the movie goes like this:

In London there lived Benjamin Barker, a good, honest barber. He lived with his wife and infant daughter. A local judge coveted Barker's wife and so, to get Barker out of the picture, sent Barker away for a life imprisonment (for a crime he didn't commit). Barker broke free many years later and returned to London a very changed man. Having become mad with a thirst for revenge, he created a new persona for himself: Sweeney Todd.

For the rest of the story, see the movie. I *highly* recommend it.

Answer 2

He was a real person. It is a long and interesting story, I haven't copied and pasted all of it here. If you go to the website http://knowledgeoflondon.com/sweeny.html you can read the full story.

Sweeney Todd -
Sweeney Todd, (also spelt Sweeny) the demon barber of Fleet Street had his shop at number 186 Fleet Street, which is now the Dundee Courier building with a Kwick copier shop below as pictured here.

On this site he is believed to have robbed and murdered over 150 customers, thereby making him the number one serial killer in British history.

Thomas Peckett Prest was the first author to write the tale of Sweeney Todd and Margery Lovett shortly after their arrest and trial. He had worked on Fleet Street and was familiar with Lovett’s two-story pie shop.

Sweeney Todd was tried at the Old Bailey and hanged at Tyburn in 1802.

Answer 3

Sweeney Todd is a fictional villain/antihero. A barber and an early example of a fictional serial killer, the character appears in various English language works starting in the mid-19th century. His weapon of choice is a straight razor, with which he cuts his victim's throats, and drinks their blood; in some versions of the story Mrs. Lovett, who is variously his lover, friend, and/or accomplice, and who is variously Marjorie, Sarah, Nellie, Shirley or Claudetta, bakes the corpses of his victims into meat pies, and serves them to friends and family. He is also assisted by an unwitting servant lad named Tobias Ragg, who later aids in unmasking his crimes. In most versions of the story, Sweeney either helps or hinders (sometimes both) the love affair of a young woman, Johanna and a sailor named Mark Ingesterie or, later, Anthony Hope.

Answer 4

If you are ever in London, I highly recommend taking the "Ghosts of Old Town" walk. They lead you around and one of the sights you see is a spooky alley with an old cemetery near where the barber shop "used to be." It was so awesome. Do choose a tour with the guide who dresses like a ghost.
http://www.walks.com/

Also, you probably recognize the famous tappity-tap that is attributed to the story of Sweeny Tod called "shave and a haircut." (shave-and-a-hair-cut... two-bits!)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_HoOe3_6zEM

Answer 5

He was not a real person. The story was adapted from a French folktale.

Answer 6

Read the Cliff's Notes.

Answer 7

barber..kills people.. makes them into pies.. sells them..

Answer 8

that movie looks good ^_^ sorry, i know this isnt a good answer...