The Beggar’s Opera Character Analysis

Polly Peachum

Polly Peachum is Peachum and Mrs. Peachum’s young daughter, who falls hopelessly in love with the swindling highwayman Macheath before the play begins. She agrees to marry him, as she naïvely believes that he… read analysis of Polly Peachum

Peachum

Peachum, Mrs. Peachum’s common-law husband and Polly Peachum’s father, is the criminal mastermind whose quest to capture Macheath forms the core of the opera’s plot. Peachum’s business is based on two complementary functions… read analysis of Peachum

Lucy Lockit

Lucy Lockit is Lockit’s daughter and Macheath’s former lover. Macheath once promised to marry her and even got her pregnant, but then he ran off with Polly Peachum instead. When Lucy first appears… read analysis of Lucy Lockit

Lockit

Lockit is the warden who runs Newgate Prison. Even though he is supposed to represent the law and enforce justice, he is actually lazy, greedy, and sadistic. He constantly solicits bribes from his prisoners… read analysis of Lockit

Macheath

Macheath is the charming, respected thief whose love triangle with Polly Peachum and Lucy Lockit forms the central plot of The Beggar’s Opera. Even though others call him “Captain” Macheath, there’s no evidence that… read analysis of Macheath

Mrs. Peachum

Mrs. Peachum is Peachum’s common-law wife and Polly Peachum’s mother. She plays a minor but significant role in Peachum’s criminal enterprise and shares his interest in money above all else. She is markedly… read analysis of Mrs. Peachum

The Beggar

The Beggar is a man from the famously poor, crime-ridden London slum of St. Giles who is supposed to represent the opera’s author. He briefly appears onstage in the first and second-to-last scenes alongside the… read analysis of The Beggar

The Player

The Player is an actor who appears alongside the Beggar in the first and second-to-last scenes of The Beggar’s Opera. He is probably supposed to represent the play’s director. Together, the Beggar and the… read analysis of The Player

Mrs. Coaxer

Mrs. Coaxer is one of the sex workers who appears in Act II. While she has few lines, she plays an important role in the opera as a whole because she repeatedly gets involved in… read analysis of Mrs. Coaxer

Filch

Filch is Peachum’s loyal sidekick. He takes care of many of the day-to-day tasks involved in running Peachum’s business, from sending messages to prisoners at Newgate to receiving stolen goods. However, he also expresses… read analysis of Filch

Robin of Bagshot (“Bob Booty”)

Robin of Bagshot is a thief in Macheath’s gang. He only has one insignificant line when he appears onstage at the beginning of Act II, but in Act I, Peachum and Mrs. Peachum get… read analysis of Robin of Bagshot (“Bob Booty”)

Mrs. Diana Trapes

Mrs. Diana Trapes is a madam who employs most of the sex workers in the play. Like Peachum, she also buys and sells stolen goods. In Act III, when she visits Peachum to buy… read analysis of Mrs. Diana Trapes

Minor Characters

Ben Budge

Ben Budge is one of the most loyal thieves in Macheath’s gang (along with Matt of the Mint). He meets Macheath at the tavern, the gambling hall, and Newgate Prison.

Black Moll

Black Moll is a thief who works with Peachum. While she never appears onstage, she is imprisoned and on trial at Newgate during the opera, and Peachum promises to get her out.

Molly Brazen

Molly Brazen is one of the eight “women of the town” (sex workers) who drink with Macheath in Act II.

Crook-Finger’d Jack

Crook-Finger’d Jack is a thief in Macheath’s gang who works with Peachum.

Jenny Diver

Jenny Diver is one of the sex workers who turns Macheath in to Peachum in Act II (along with Suky Tawdry). She also sings two arias.

Betty Doxy

Betty Doxy is one of the sex workers who meet Macheath in Act II.

Wat Dreary

Wat Dreary (or Brown Will) is one of the thieves who work with Macheath. Peachum considers him untrustworthy.

Matt of the Mint

Matt of the Mint is the most talkative and loyal thief in Macheath’s gang. Along with Ben Budge, he meets Macheath at the tavern, the gambling hall, and Newgate Prison.

Nimming Ned

Nimming Ned is a thief in Macheath’s gang. According to Peachum, Ned is an expert at robbing houses that are on fire, before they burn down completely.

Harry Padington

Harry Padington is a member of Macheath’s gang. Peachum thinks he’s a talentless good-for-nothing.

Mrs. Slammekin

Mrs. Slammekin is one of the sex workers in Act II. She argues that Jewish men make excellent clients and brags about turning other clients in to Peachum for a share in his bounty.

Suky Tawdry

Suky Tawdry is one of the sex workers who turns Macheath in to Peachum (along with Jenny Diver).

Dolly Trull

Dolly Trull is one of the sex workers in Act II.

Jemmy Twitcher

Jemmy Twitcher is a thief in Macheath’s gang. At the tavern, he gives a speech about morality and argues that thieves live by “the Right of Conquest.” Later, he becomes an informant and testifies against Macheath at his trial.

Mrs. Vixen

Mrs. Vixen is one of the sex workers in Act II. She likes to seduce young men, steal their money, and get them arrested and transported overseas.