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David Copperfield Summary Charles Dickens' David Copperfield relates the story of a young boy's growth and development into maturity. It is written from the point of view of the mature adult who recounts his own obstacles and the obstacles of those around him and how it all shaped his life and his beliefs. The story starts with an account of the birth and childhood of David

Copperfield at his home, Blunderstone Rookery. He was born six months after the death of his father and under circumstances which one of the nurses claimed would cause him to lead an unlucky life. He is raised by his mother Clara and his nurse Peggotty, who give him a happy childhood. He remembers his mother as carefree and recalls the relaxed atmosphere that the three of them had together. He frequently says that this is one of the happiest times in his life. Everything changes once his mother meets the dark but handsome Mr.

Murdstone. Peggotty immediately takes a disliking to him and often fights with Clara about him, but Clara refuses to heed her advice. Peggotty and David visit Yarmouth, Peggotty's hometown, for a week, which is when David first meets Mr.

Barkis, the carrier driver, Mr. Peggotty, Peggotty's brother, Ham, and Little Em'ly. When David and Peggotty return, however, his mother and Mr. Murdstone have been married, and their former life disappears forever. Mr. Murdstone is a very controlling man who forces the principle of firmness on Clara with the help of his sister, Miss Murdstone. After David bites Mr. Murdstone while being beaten by him, David is sent away to Salem House, a boarding school for boys. There he meets Steerforth, a handsome, cultured boy whom he admires dearly, and Traddles, an overweight but jovial and kind-hearted boy. He learns a lot at the school and has one more good day with his mother, but he soon receives the bad news that his mother has passed away. He returns home for the funeral and never goes back to Salem House. Peggotty is fired by Mr. Murdstone and marries Mr. Barkis, and although she writes to David and sees him from time to time, she can no longer be there for him the way she was before. David is constantly neglected before he is finally sent away to London to work in one of Mr. Murdstone's warehouses, which he does not like at all, despite the respect he earns. He does get to meet the Micawbers, a kind yet financially troubled family. They are eventually forced to move away to evade all of their debts, and once they move, David decides to leave as well and to find his aunt, Miss Betsey, who abandoned him and his mother at his birth because he was not a girl. After a difficult journey, he finds the home of his aunt in Dover, and after a rude encounter with the Murdstones, she decides to let him stay, along with her other houseguest, Mr. Dick. David begins attending school in Canterbury and does well, He quickly rises to the top of his class. He lives with family friends Mr. Wickfield and his daughter, Agnes. Agnes is around David's age and will continue to be a significant influence in David's life. He also meets Uriah Heep, Mr. Wickfield's servant to whom David takes an immediate disliking, Dr. Strong, the master of his school, and Dr. Strong's wife Annie.

After he graduates, Miss Betsey and David decide that he should take some time to decide what he wants to do. He decides to go visit Peggotty, and along the way he runs into Steerforth, who takes him to his home. There, David meets his mother, Mrs. Steerforth, and Miss Dartle, Steerforth's cousin (who was scarred on the lip by Steerforth when they were younger). David and Steerforth go to Yarmouth and spend some time there, arriving just in time to hear the announcement of Little Em'ly's and Ham's engagement, which Steerforth is not entirely happy about. After conferring with his aunt, David decides to pursue the career of a proctor. He moves into Doctors' Commons in London and works at the offices of Spenlow and Jorkins. He even gets his own apartment with a landlady named Mrs. Crupp. He encounters old friends of his, including Tommy Traddles from Salem House, who is studying to be a lawyer and is working to save money for his wedding to his fiancee, and Mr. Micawber. Soon, however, Mr. Micawber is forced to leave once again due to financial issues. David meets Mr. Spenlow's daughter, Dora, a very beautiful but childish girl with whom he falls completely in love. David returns to Yarmouth when he hears that Mr. Barkis is about to die, and he remains there to settle Peggotty's affairs for some time afterwards. During this time, Little Em'ly runs away with Steerforth, and Mr. Peggotty begins his quest to find her and to bring her back home to her family. Meanwhile, Miss Betsey shows up at David's door, having lost her fortune due to Uriah Heep's scheming. He has weaseled his way into a partnership with Mr. Wickfield. Although David is poor, he is determined to work hard so that his marriage with Dora can work out. However, Mr. Spenlow soon finds out about the affair and forbids it, only to die in a carriage accident later that day, leaving Dora distraught and unwilling to see David. Eventually, though, the two marry and lead a happy life, although Dora is very bad at keeping house and is very childlike in many ways. Her premature death is a serious blow to David, and it is mainly Agnes' support that keeps him afloat.

Dr. Strong and Annie go through some difficult times when Uriah hints that Annie may be having an affair with her cousin, Jack Maldon. However, Mr. Dick reconciles the two, and they go back to being very affectionate. This episode only deepens the disliking of Uriah, and soon he is exposed as a fraud and taken down by Mr. Micawber (who was working for him) and Traddles. Meanwhile, Mr. Peggotty and David hear from Littimer, Steerforth's servant, that Little Em'ly has run away from Steerforth. They ask her friend Martha for help finding her, and Martha eventually finds Little Em'ly and leads Mr. Peggotty to her. He decides to move to Australia, where Little Em'ly can start a new life, as does the Micawber family. Steerforth dies in a storm just outside of Yarmouth, and Ham dies trying to rescue him. David moves away to recover from all that he has been through. During this time, he discovers that he truly loves Agnes. Not long after he returns to London, the two get married and live happily with three children as well as Miss Betsey, Peggotty, and Mr. Dick.

David Copperfield Character List David Copperfield

The novel's protagonist and a representation, more or less, of Charles Dickens himself. David was born in Blunderstone Rookery, Suffolk, later his childhood home. He was born six months after his father passed away, a detail that certainly affected him growing up. He claims to have a very detailed memory like that of a child.

Peggotty The loyal and trusted household servant to David and his mother when he was a young boy. David describes her as having "no shape at all, and eyes so dark that they seemed to darken their whole neighborhood in her face, and cheeks and arms so hard and red..." She is a large woman, and one of her defining traits is that whenever she hugs someone, buttons pop off of her dress, with the number of buttons lost corresponding to the strength of her hug. She is the aunt of Ham and Emily Peggotty and the sister of Daniel Peggotty. Together she and her brother are "Peggotty and Mr. Peggotty."

Agnes Wickfield Daughter of Mr. Wickfield and a family friend of Miss Betsey. She is very close to David and gives him advice about many issues. She is known for her calm and soothing demeanor. She eventually marries David.

Steerforth A classmate of David's at Salem House. James Steerforth is a haughty, cocky boy consumed with his upper-class status. He receives much admiration from David because of his class and confidence.

Uriah Heep The slimy, sneaky servant of Mr. Wickfield who tricks his way into a partnership with his employer. He steals from and cheats many people, including the Micawbers and Miss Betsey, but he is eventually exposed and forced to give back what he took. He ends up in jail for defrauding the Bank of England.

Little Em'ly The niece of Peggotty and Daniel Peggotty. Emily is David's love interest when David visits Yarmouth for the first time. Her father Tom is the brother-in-law of Mr. Peggotty and Peggotty, and he, too, drowned at sea. Because of this, even from a young age, Emily has had a fear of the ocean.

Dora Spenlow Daughter of Mr. Spenlow, David's employer. She is David's first wife, and he often calls her his "child-wife." She is very beautiful but young and childish, not at all competent at household chores. She also is constantly accompanied by a dog named Jip.

Ham The nephew of Peggotty and her brother Daniel. Ham was present at David's birth but did not actually meet him until David visited Yarmouth for the first time. He is strong, broad, and six feet tall. He has a boyish face and is very boyish in nature. His father is actually Joe Peggotty, Mr. Peggotty's and Peggotty's brother, who drowned at sea.

Clara Copperfield David's mother, who was widowed when David's father died six months before she gave birth. She is consistently described as being very pretty, like a "wax doll." She married David's father when she was very young, and as a result, she was slightly

naive and lacking in some of the knowledge necessary to be a successful housewife. Still, she loves her son very much and gives him a fun, healthy atmosphere to grow up in until she marries Mr. Murdstone.

Mr. Murdstone The man whom Clara marries while David visits Peggotty's family in Yarmouth. Edward Murdstone, often referred to as Mr. Murdstone, is a tall, intimidating man with a dark handsomeness. He has very black, thick hair and black eyes. He is a very controlling husband and stepfather to the Copperfields.

Jane Murdstone Mr. Murdstone's sister, who comes to help the family shortly after her brother's marriage to Clara. Jane, often referred to as Miss Murdstone, is nearly as dark, intimidating, and firm as her brother. She is often associated with metallic objects and images, especially images of jail cells.

Mr. Barkis The carrier driver who drives David and Peggotty to Yarmouth near the beginning of the novel and who also drives David to Yarmouth to be sent to boarding school. Mr. Barkis takes a fancy to Peggotty after trying one of the cakes she made for David's journey to London. He tells David to write to Peggotty the message, "Barkis is willin'," which sparks the relationship between the two.

Miss Betsey The unusual sister of David's late father. Miss Betsey, or Miss Trotwood, disapproved of the marriage between David's parents because of their significant age difference. She herself had a disastrous marriage with a man younger than she was, and after their mutual separation, she moved to a small house near the sea with one servant and lived a secluded life. She storms out of David's house when he is born, upset that he is not a girl.

Mr. and Mrs. Micawber The couple with whom David stays when he is first sent to work at Mr. Murdstone's warehouse. David becomes very close friends with them and their family. They are constantly in financial strife but are good-spirited nonetheless. Mr. Micawber is very emotional and eloquent, especially in his writing.

Traddles Tommy Traddles, one of David's classmates from Salem House. He is quite goodnatured. He gets closer to David after they leave school and live near one another in London.

Dr. Strong and Annie The married couple whom David meets during his stay with Mr. Wickfield. Dr. Strong is the master of David's school and is much older than Annie. They encounter difficulties when Uriah accuses Annie of having an affair with her younger cousin, but thanks to Mr. Dick, the two reconcile and remain a very affectionate couple.

Mr. Dick Miss Betsey's odd, simple boarder.

David Copperfield Themes

Social Class Social status and class are ubiquitous as issues throughout the novel. In fact, the novel can be viewed in large measure as a commentary on social status and classbased wealth. Favoritism and undeserved respect are shown constantly for those of a higher class. For example, in the case of Steerforth, it is obvious that he is treated much better than David and the other students at Salem House. Furthermore, he is highly regarded by David and even by Mr. Peggotty and Ham, both of whom are of a lower class, when in fact Steerforth is the one who should be respecting them for their moral character. He constantly puts down those below him in status, such as Mr. Mell and Ham once he gets engaged to Little Em'ly. The striving for social status can also be seen through David's and Dora's courtship and marriage. David's first thought after hearing of Miss Betsey's financial downfall is shame at being poor, and Dora cries at the thought of David being poor and of having to do her own housework. David is constantly striving to make money so that he can live and provide Dora with a life of wealth. Little Em'ly also expresses unhappiness at her low social status and longs to be a "lady," which is why she runs off with Steerforth in the first place.

True Happiness Many times throughout the novel, the search for true happiness takes prominence. The narrator notes in particular the innocent joy David had as a child before his mother married Mr. Murdstone . The plot in general focuses on David's search for true happiness, and it is up to the reader to judge whether or not he has succeeded. All of the characters find or try to find their own routes to happiness. Some, such as David and the Peggottys, find true happiness through their families and spouses. Others, such as the Micawbers and Uriah, believe that money will bring them great happiness, although the Micawbers are also happy just remaining with one another. Still others, such as Dora, find happiness in simple, frivolous pleasures. Dickens appears to question whether any of these characters can ever find true happiness, for each of these methods of reaching happiness has its pros and cons.

Good vs. Evil Dickens makes the symbols of good and evil very easy to distinguish in the novel, although one must note that these concepts are more complex than they might seem, not least because they are embodied as fairly complex characters. The theme of good versus evil is prevalent especially as a symbolic battle for David's soul between Agnes Wickfield and Steerforth. Agnes represents David's "good angel," as he calls her. She is his voice of reason and is the person who is able to calm him and give him the advice that he needs. Steerforth, in contrast, is his "bad angel," as Agnes says. He is the one who feeds David's desire for upper-class, shallow wealth and leads him to do things like get very drunk and embarrass himself in public. Uriah also is very commonly a symbol of evil. He is eventually defeated by Agnes, Miss Betsey, Mr. Micawber, and Traddles, all of whom are symbols of good. Yet,

there are times when the evil wins out, namely in the case of David's mother Clara and the Murdstones. The evil duo overpower her and contribute to her death.

The "Undisciplined Heart" David's "undisciplined heart" is his tendency to fall victim to passion. He falls very quickly and very strongly for girls. This is especially the case regarding Dora, with whom he falls in love even before he has had the chance to say one word to her. He learns that she does not like to work around the house and is unwilling to learn about keeping a house, but he still decides to marry her. Minor examples of David's undisciplined heart include his feelings for Miss Shepherd, a brief crush on a person he barely knew, and his impractical crush on another woman much older than he. It is not until the very end of the novel that he learns to control or understand his undisciplined heart, and it is then that he finally realizes that Agnes is the person whom he truly loves maturely.

Children and Their Treatment Dickens apparently is fascinated with children, and this novel examines in detail how children are treated. The narrator mentions near the beginning of the novel how impressive it is that children can remember so many details so clearly, and he claims that he is proud to have such a childlike memory himself. Furthermore, the simpler, more childlike characters are among the sweetest in the novel. For example, Tommy Traddles is very simple and sweet in demeanor, and he goes on to be a successful lawyer, engaged to a beautiful, generous woman. Dora

Spenlow may not know how to do household chores, but her devotion to David is extremely touching and admirable, and it wins David's heart. Finally, Mr. Dick, very simple-minded, is perhaps the best-liked character in the novel. Childlike simplicity and innocence thus are valued in the moral world of the novel. When Dickens writes scenes that show cruelty to children, he most likely is demonstrating an evil to raise readers’ passions against such cruelty.

Female Empowerment The novel explores feminine power to some degree, seeming to favor strong, powerful women, such as Peggotty and Miss Betsey. In contrast, women who do not hold much power or who simply exist in their marriages, such as Clara

Copperfield, do not fare very well. Miss Betsey, an admired character throughout the novel, fights against her husband and manages to acquire a divorce, a feat that was not simple for women at the time (although he continues to bother her for money some time afterward). Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, however, are a good example of a married couple in which each spouse holds almost an equal amount of power, and they are a very happy couple, even though they are broke. Thus, Dickens seems to be a proponent of feminine power in the sense of basic equality in institutions such as marriage.

The Role of the Father The role of the father figure is one of the first issues that comes up in the novel, for David is born six months after his father dies. Dickens is apparently suggesting that a father figure is essential for happiness and developing a good character. Still, not all fathers or father figures fit the norm or are even beneficial. Peggotty seems to be

David's father figure growing up, for he describes her as large and "hard." Thus, he has a disciplinary figure along with his warm, loving mother to give him a balanced childhood. Little Em'ly and Ham have Mr. Peggotty, and both turn out to be very good people, especially Ham. Little Em'ly is simply seduced by Steerforth, who, as it turns out, never had a father figure and even admits that he regrets that and wishes that he could have had a father figure so that he could be a better person. Uriah has no father mentioned either, and he is one of the most evil characters in the novel....