CHAPTER 6
DAVID COPPERFIELD : WHO IS WHO IN THE NOVEL
| THE MAIN CHARACTERS OF THE NOVEL David Copperfield : He is the hero of the novel. It is round David’s personality that the entire plot of the novel is woven. He begins his career in very trying conditions, but partly by dint of his personal efforts and partly by the help of his aunt Betsey Trotwood, he becomes a flourishing citizen, an eminent author, and a man of remarkable reputation. From his early childhood, David shows an inclination for books, and the literary tastes help him to win distinction in the world. He is generous, kind, polite to his associates, and his presence sheds a radiant light of cheerfulness all round him. He is the helper of Micawber and Agnes. He is a straightforward, sensitive, upright and honest young man. De
Micawber : He is the most humorous character in the novel. When David Copperfield goes to the firm of Murdstone and Grinby, this smiling and amiable personality wins David’s warmest applause. It is in his house that David lives for a short time. Micawber is extravagant by nature and is always in debts. He becomes a clerk under the hypocrite, Uriah Heep, and gradually exposes the scandalous deceits and forgeries of the villain. He migrates to Australia and becomes the District Magistrate of a port town.
Uriah Heep : He is introduced as a clerk under the able lawyer Wickfield. Apparently very humble he is infact, a hypocrite. He bears malice to all who are superior to him. He is crafty, and by his crooked means, wins over his master, and makes him entirely subservient to his will. He becomes a partner in the firm of Wickfield and Heep. He commits forgeries and deceits. His clerk Micawber exposes his wickedness, and he is exposed in his true colours before all. He is arrested on the charge of fraud, forgery and conspiracy in a bank case, and is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment. Later on he is transported for life.
Traddles : He is the friend of David’s school days at the academy of the headmaster Creakle. He is a man of very helping nature. Even in school he used to suffer for the sake of other boys. He becomes a barrister, and practises in the Inner Temple. He is the most intimate friend of David in his life. He helps him in recovering the embezzled property of his aunt Betsey Trotwood. He is always an amiable and cheerful man who now becomes a partner in the business under the name the firm ‘Wickfield and Heep.’ Wickfield is shattered in health impaired in his mind and is looked after by his daugther Agnes. His fall is most pitiable.
Murdstone : He is David Copperfield’s stepfather. He is cruel and tyrannical by nature. He hates the idea of owning David his son. He puts him to many hardships and often beats him at his sullen and dogged indifference. Murdstone is neither a good husband nor a good father. He is hated by his readers. david copperfield book pdf
Steerforth : He is another good companion of David Copperfiela in the academy of Mr. Creakle. He is reputed as a fine scholar, and of all the pupils under Creakle, he alone is able to escape punishment. Ha takes keen delight in serious talks and literary studies. He is David’. good angel at school and always shows a keen and brotherly interest in him. Steerforth turns out to be evil in later days. He runs away with a girl, Emily and is drowned in the sea. david copperfield book pdf
Creakle: He is the headmaster of the school, where David is sent by his stepfather to study. He is a very tyrannical master. He punishes the boys very brutally. He is a determined character and is highly conscious of his duties.
Dr. Strong : He is headmaster of the school at Canterbury. He is the antithesis of Creakle. He is very polite, generous and amiable to his students. He respects good students. He is very kindly disposed towards David. Later on he gives David an employment under him and he himself gets engaged in compiling a dictionary of the English language. He is depicted in a very humorous manner by the novelist.
Mr. Peggotty: He is a good fisherman in Yarmouth. He is related to Peggotty, the nurse to David Copperfield. He is an old bachelor. He brings up his nephew Ham and his niece Emily, with a widow Grummidge, in the most affectionate and fatherly way. His grief becomes intolerable at the flight of his niece Emily. His hospitality is extensive and whenever David goes to Yarmouth he is kindly received by this old man.
Barkis: He is a cart driver. He often takes David from London to Yarmouth. He is the favourite of David’s nurse Peggotty. He marries Peggotty. He leads a happy life in her company. He dies in painful circumstances. He leaves about three thousand pounds for Peggotty. He is a good husband and is the antithesis of Murdstone. Dick : He is old and an amiable friend of David in Betsey nytwood’s house. He is somewhat mad. He is a kind and generous man, and is the chief counsellor of Betsey Trotwood in the affairs of her life.
Betsey Trotwood : She is the aunt of David Copperfield. She is an eccentric lady. She keeps an old maid. She is very generous to David in his bad days and brings him up as her own adopted son. She spends lavishly for his eminence and good education. She does not like Peggotty. She is very generous towards Micawber, and pays his travelling expense to Australia, as he had helped her in recovering her wealth from Uriah Heep.
Peggotty : She is the nurse of David Copperfield. She is very affectionate towards David and his mother. She is the chief consoler of David in his grief. She helps him with money when he needs her help. She marries Barkis and is very tender and affectionate towards her husband. She looks after her partner of grief and happiness with remarkable devotion. She is a nice example of simplicity, unaffected sincerity and gentleness. She remains with David in Dover and reaches a happy old age.
Miss Agnes : She is the daughter of the lawyer Wickfield. She is very gentle and affectionate. She looks after her father with admirable tenderness. She is praised by Micawber for her simplicity, grace and devotion. David Copperfield loves Agnes. He marries her and leads a happy life in her company.
Mrs. Micawber : She is the wife of Micawber. She is a doting wife. She is very tender towards her husband and has a high opinion of his talents. She suffers by her husband’s extravagance and debts, but she never complains. She is a dutiful wife. She gradually is cast aside by Micawber, but her fidelity and unswerving devotion win him back to her. She is a woman of remarkable qualities.
Miss Murdstone : She is the sister of Murdstone, David’s stepfather. She is a very shrewd and tyrannical young woman. She is aristocratic, imperious and haughty. She is domineering, blustering
and intolerable. She hates David Copperfield and is very cruel towards CSsher sister inala wa Clara, David’s mother. david copperfield book pdf