The Threepenny Opera

Peachum is the capitalist owner and manager of “The Beggar’s Friend Ltd.,” a business that exploits and systematizes begging. Peachum serves as both a villain and a representation of bourgeois morality, as he uses religion and ethics as tools of manipulation. He takes a 50% cut from those under his control, profiting from their suffering while maintaining an air of benevolence. His treatment of them is purely transactional; he assigns them roles and scripts, ensuring their pleas for help appear as convincing as possible to maximize his own earnings. Like Macheath, he thus embodies the corruption of society, though Brecht’s exaggerated portrayal of Peachum’s callousness makes him a particular vehicle for Brecht’s critique of capitalism’s profit-over-people attitude.

Peachum is the antagonist of the play and a static character; his worldview remains unshaken even as his daughter’s choices threaten his control. He likewise treats his daughter as his own property, calling her a “lump of sensuality” and expressing that he expects his “daughter to be to [him] as bread to the hungry” (34), meaning that he expects to profit off of her existence. His attitude is deeply paternalistic and patriarchal and reveals the intersection of capitalist exploitation and the oppression of women. 

Celia Peachum is the wife of Jonathan. She is a cunning and pragmatic woman who supports her husband’s schemes. She is a minor, static character. In Brecht’s exploration of capitalism (and, in particular, its relationship to marriage and the nuclear family), she represents the traditional yet hardened matriarch who prioritizes financial gain over familial bonds. Her relationship with Polly is fraught with tension, particularly when she disapproves of Polly’s marriage to Macheath. Despite her tough exterior, Celia’s dramatic reactions to Polly’s decisions reveal her dependence on their daughter’s role in their “business.” She, like her husband, remains largely unchanged, embodying the ruthless, self-serving nature of those who thrive in corrupt systems.

Polly is the seemingly innocent daughter of Peachum who runs away with Macheath and then fights with her parents about having married him as an act of rebellion. She is a dynamic supporting character who undergoes a transformation from a naive girl to a pragmatic and even ruthless businesswoman.  

Initially portrayed as a love-struck young woman, Polly’s quick adaptation to Macheath’s criminal world suggests latent cunning and ambition. She takes over Macheath’s gang with efficiency, demonstrating intelligence and resilience that contrast with her initial romantic idealism. The latter takes an additional blow when Polly finds out that Macheath is unfaithful to her with Lucy. However, though initially upset, she quickly recovers and adapts to the situation, underscoring her pragmatism. In the final act, although emotional, she refuses to pay the bribe and save Macheath from execution, which further cements her shift into a more hardened, calculating figure. This arc resonates with the play’s cynicism and particularly with its exploration of The Futility of Human Aspirations; the character who seems most virtuous and idealistic at the play’s outset must largely abandon these qualities to survive.

Brown is the high sheriff of London. He is a minor, dynamic character, though the change he experiences is both minor and negative in that it further exposes the weakness and moral depravity that define him from the outset. Having served in the army alongside Macheath, he is both Macheath’s friend and a corrupt enforcer of the law. His emotional breakdown when forced to arrest Macheath exposes his internal conflict and weakness, yet his inability to protect Macheath from execution in Act III underscores his own powerlessness within the larger system. His character ultimately embodies the hypocrisy of institutional power—he is loyal to Macheath on a personal level but ultimately succumbs to pressure from Peachum, thus failing in his responsibilities as a friend and only “succeeding” as a law enforcement officer due to his own failings. His role as an authority figure illustrates the blurred lines between criminality and law enforcement. 

Lucy is Sheriff Brown’s daughter. She is a secondary, flat character and another woman taken in Macheath’s charm and duplicity. This aligns her with Polly, as both women, despite their rivalry, share a common experience of betrayal. Lucy in particular initially appears to be a tragic figure, claiming to be pregnant with Macheath’s child, but she later reveals the pregnancy as a deception. Her ability to manipulate Polly during their confrontation shows that she, too, is capable of navigating the deceitful world around her. Her character supports the theme of women’s precarious position in a society where their survival depends on their ability to outmaneuver men.

Jenny is a sex worker, a former lover of Macheath, and ultimately his betrayer. Her character is a minor one, though she is central in the play’s plot, as she orchestrates Macheath’s capture twice. Jenny’s actions demonstrate the play’s theme of self-interest; she turns Macheath in not out of moral obligation but for financial reward.

Despite her betrayal of Macheath, Jenny’s relationship with Macheath is characterized by nostalgia as well as bitterness, as seen in their duet about their past. In this, Jenny is a classic example of Brechtian characterization; she is neither purely villainous nor sympathetic but shaped by her circumstances. Her betrayal is not personal but transactional, reinforcing the play’s Marxist critique of relationships under capitalism. Her solo (“Pirate Jenny”) about exacting revenge on all those who have exploited her also has Marxist overtones, suggesting that the working class will eventually seek violent retribution for its oppression.

Kimball, the parson who officiates Polly and Macheath’s wedding, is a minor but symbolically important character. His willingness to conduct the ceremony in a stolen stable underscores the play’s satire of religious institutions, which Brecht portrays as complicit in systemic corruption. Kimball’s passive nature and acceptance of Macheath’s criminality illustrate society’s moral ambivalence.

Filch is an aspiring beggar who seeks Peachum’s guidance, serving as a device to introduce Peachum’s business model to the audience. His eagerness to enter a life of structured destitution underscores the absurdity of a system where even begging is monopolized. His character is flat and represents the powerlessness of the lower class.

Smith is a corrupt constable who exemplifies the deep-seated corruption within law enforcement. He is a minor, flat character. He accepts bribes and operates within a system where justice is a commodity to be bought and sold. His willingness to collaborate with both Peachum and Macheath illustrates the opportunism that pervades the play’s world. Like Brown, he represents Brecht’s critique of power structures, where law enforcement is indistinguishable from criminality.