The Beggar’s Opera · Character
Tom
A highwayman, brother of Matt, appears in gang scenes.
minor
Also known as Tom
First appearance: act i
Tom's tie to Polly Peachum is one of the pressures that moves The Beggar’s Opera—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
With Polly Peachum (social): Tom is a minor character who interacts with Polly, likely as a servant or acquaintance. With Polly Peachum (social): Tom is a minor character who interacts with Polly, likely as a servant or…
Continue beside the text
The fuller portrait of Tom sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Tom in act iCharacter Web
9 connectionsA slice of how Tom sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Social
- Other
Character groups
- Supporting characters and underworld figures
- Protagonist
- Macheath's lovers and rivals
- Macheath's gang members
+4 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- 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.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Polly Peachum
social · neutral
Tom is a minor character who interacts with Polly, likely as a servant or acquaintance. How this plays out →
- Polly Peachum
social · neutral
Tom is a minor character who interacts with Polly, likely as a servant or acquaintance. How this plays out →
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Tom in act i