# Diana Trapes — The Beggar’s Opera character guide

> Diana Trapes in The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mrs. Trapes, Mrs. Diana Trapes

**First appearance:** 0007-act-i

## Snapshot

A bawd and receiver of stolen goods, Diana Trapes trades in secrets and merchandise alike, and proves useful when Peachum needs Macheath found.

## Who they are

Mrs. Trapes sits at the crossroads of the play's two economies — sex and stolen property — running a house where goods and women are both for sale. As a fence and bawd she knows where bodies and valuables are hidden, which makes her a natural instrument for Peachum's scheme to track down his son-in-law. Her willingness to sell information for profit quietly demonstrates the opera's thesis that in this world every profession, high or low, is be-rogued by another.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_beggar_s_opera_se/characters/diana_trapes
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- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_beggar_s_opera_se/characters