by Charles DickensCharacters:
David Copperfield, young English boy.
Mr. Murdstone, his cruel stepfather.
Steerforth and Straddles, his friends.
Betsey Trotwood, his aunt.
Dora Spenlow, David’s first wife.
The Novel:
After his mother’s death, young David Copperfield was sent by his harsh, cruel stepfather, Mr. Murdstone, to London where he found employment pasting labels on bottles in a warehouse. He lived with the kindly Micawbers who befriended the boy.
David broke away from poverty and misery and went to Dover where his aunt, Betsey Trotwood, received him warmly. He went to school at Canterbury, lived in the house of Mr.Wickfield, lawyer of his aunt. Agnes, the lawyer’s daughter, fell in love with David; but he didn’t notice her because he was engrossed in his studies.
He later worked for the firm Spenlow and Jorkins. Later David married the pretty, empty-headed Dora Spenlow, his employer’s daughter. David gave up his work to devote time to writing and he soon became a noted author. Dora died after a few years and David became disconsolate.
The young author came across Mr. Wickfield and he gradually realized his mistakes for passing up the latter’s daughter Agnes. Meanwhile, Mr. Wickfield had fallen into the toils of Uriah Heep, villainous clerk who nearly ruined the former. Through the aid of David’s friends – lawyer Traddles and Mr. Micawber – the wrong done to Mr. Wickfield was righted and Uriah sent to prison. David married Agnes and the two lived happily in London.
Comment:
This novel is the best written by author Charles Dickens; it is his favorite work too. The author combined pathos, humor and skill in picturing the countless characters in his book. It shows the hard life of Londoners, the cunning of designing people, and the goodness existing still in the hearts of others.