The Beggar’s Opera · Character

Polly Peachum

Peachum's daughter, secretly married to the highwayman Macheath, whose loyalty pits her against both her family and her rival Lucy.

major

Also known as Polly, Miss Polly, Miss Polly Peachum

First appearance: the beggar s opera

As a major figure in The Beggar’s Opera, Polly Peachum is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

See Polly Peachum in the beggar s opera Book page

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Polly grows up in a household where crime is bookkeeping, yet she risks everything for love rather than profit, marrying Macheath behind her parents' backs. Her devotion is genuine but not naive: she knows her father's trade and understands exactly what danger her husband faces. Caught between a family that would hang Macheath for business and a rival who would keep him for love, Polly becomes the play's most sympathetic figure — a woman whose tenderness is her only weapon.

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See Polly Peachum in the beggar s opera

Character Web

23 connections

A slice of how Polly Peachum sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Social
Other

Character groups

Protagonist
Macheath's lovers and rivals
Macheath's gang members
Supporting characters and underworld figures

+18 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Closing

Macheath’s psychological peak is his oscillation between defiant bravado (drinking to scorn death) and abject…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Lucy Lockit
rivalry · negative
Both are wives of Macheath, fiercely competing for his affection and status. How this plays out →
Mrs. Peachum
family · negative
Matt of the Mint
social · neutral
Marybone
social · neutral
Tom
social · neutral
Ben Budge
social · neutral
Bob Booty
social · neutral
Lucy Lockit
rivalry · negative
Both are wives of Macheath, fiercely competing for his affection and status. How this plays out →
Lucy Lockit
rivalry · negative
Both are wives of Macheath, fiercely competing for his affection and status. How this plays out →
Tom
social · neutral
Ben Budge
social · neutral
Matt of the Mint
social · neutral

Lucy Lockit
Both are wives of Macheath, fiercely competing for his affection and status.
Mrs. Peachum
Mrs. Peachum is Polly's mother, but she prioritizes money and social standing over her daughter's happiness.
Matt of the Mint
Matt is an acquaintance of Polly through the criminal underworld, but they have no deep bond.
Marybone
Marybone is a minor acquaintance of Polly, likely part of the same social circle of thieves.
Tom
Tom is a minor character who interacts with Polly, likely as a servant or acquaintance.
Ben Budge
Ben knows Polly through Macheath's circle, but their relationship is not deep.
Bob Booty
Bob is a criminal associate who interacts with Polly, but they are not close.
Lucy Lockit
Both are wives of Macheath, fiercely competing for his affection and status.
Lucy Lockit
Both are wives of Macheath, fiercely competing for his affection and status.
Tom
Tom is a minor character who interacts with Polly, likely as a servant or acquaintance.
Ben Budge
Ben knows Polly through Macheath's circle, but their relationship is not deep.
Matt of the Mint
Matt is an acquaintance of Polly through the criminal underworld, but they have no deep bond.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Polly Peachum in the beggar s opera