Summary
The report is told in the first person by a middle-aged David Copperfield, who is looking back on his life. David is born in Blunderstone, Suffolk, six months after the death of his father, and he is raised by his mother and her devote housekeeper, Clara Peggotty. As a young child, he spends a few days with Peggotty at the home of her brother, Mr. Peggotty, in Yarmouth, which Mr. Peggotty shares with Ham and Emily, his orphaned nephew and niece, respectively. When the chew the fat ends, David learns that his beget has married the barbarous and controlling Mr. Edward Murdstone. That evening Murdstone ’ s sister besides moves in and assumes the management of the family.
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One sidereal day Mr. Murdstone takes David to his bedroom to beat him, and David bites his hand. After that, the eight-year-old David is sent to a boarding school run by the sadistic Mr. Creakle. There David becomes friends with the kind and firm Tommy Traddles and with the charismatic and entitled James Steerforth. Partway through David ’ mho second semester at the school, his mother dies concisely after giving give birth to a son, who besides perishes. After that, Peggotty is dismissed, and she marries Barkis, who drives a big dipper. David is not returned to educate, and at the age of 10 he is sent to work at Murdstone ’ s wine-bottling factory in London. He lodges at the dwelling of Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, a generous pair who are constantly facing fiscal catastrophe. finally, Mr. Micawber is sent to debtors ’ prison, after which David runs away to Dover to find his great-aunt, the self-sufficient Miss Betsey Trotwood, and, on the advice of her simpleminded and charitable boarder, Mr. Dick, she takes him in .
Miss Betsey arranges for David to go to a school run by Doctor Strong and to stay with her business director, Mr. Wickfield, and his daughter, Agnes. Working for Mr. Wickfield is an off-putting adolescent salesclerk named Uriah Heep. After David completes his school, he goes to visit Peggotty. On the way to Yarmouth, David encounters Steerforth, and in concert they visit Peggotty and Mr. Peggotty. Emily ’ s employment to Ham is announced, but she appears concern in Steerforth .Heep, Uriah; David Copperfield An example by Frederick Barnard from Charles Dickens ‘s novel David Copperfield ( 1849–50 ). The fictional character Uriah Heep ( left ) is shown with David Copperfield.
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After agreeing to Miss Betsey ’ s mind that he should become a proctor ( a type of lawyer ), David begins an apprenticeship at the London office of Spenlow and Jorkins. He maintains his friendship with Steerforth, though Agnes Wickfield disapproves. He is reacquainted with Uriah Heep, who is about to become Wickfield ’ second collaborator and who intends to marry Agnes. One day Spenlow invites David to his home, and David becomes infatuated with Spenlow ’ randomness childlike daughter, Dora .
David finds that Traddles is now a boarder with Mr. and Mrs. Micawber. Upon learning that Barkis is on the target of death, he returns to Yarmouth. After Barkis ’ s funeral, Emily runs off with Steerforth, and Mr. Peggotty vows to find her. David returns to London and becomes engaged to Dora. Miss Betsey by chance arrives with the news that she has been financially ruined as a consequence of Uriah Heep ’ s partnership with Wickfield. To add to his income, David begins working for Doctor Strong as a secretary, and at Traddles ’ second suggestion he starts reporting on parliamentary debates for newspapers ; late he besides writes fiction .
Uriah Heep hires Mr. Micawber as a clerk. finally, David marries Dora. After she suffers a miscarriage, she never regains her potency and she dies. During this time Emily returns to London after being abandoned in Naples by Steerforth. One day Mr. Micawber, in concert with David and Traddles ( who is now a lawyer ), confronts Uriah Heep with detailed evidence that he has been cheating Wickfield and was responsible for Miss Betsey ’ s losses ; Heep is required to return the money. Plans are then made for Mr. and Mrs. Micawber to join Mr. Peggotty and Emily when they immigrate to Australia to make a fresh depart. Ahead of the passing, David goes to Yarmouth to deliver a letter from Emily to Ham, but a dangerous storm arises. respective ships are lost, and one shipwreck occurs close enough to shore that Ham tries to swim out and save the last two survivors. Ham drowns, and, when the soundbox of one of the sailors is washed ashore, it proves to be Steerforth. David spends the future three years in continental Europe, and, when he returns, he marries Agnes.
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