The last installment was issued in November of And his name is David Copperfield. Frontispiece of the first edition of The Haunted Man from She died in September of that year. In January of Dickens began to write David Copperfield.
His son Henry Fielding Dickens was born that month too. In August of daughter, Dora Annie Dickens was born. She was named after Dora in David Copperfield. She had been his childhood companion, the model for Fan in A Christmas Carol and now she was dying of consumption.
Her death was painful and lingering. She finally passed away in September of His thoughts naturally turned to Fanny and to their childhood. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — David Copperfield by Charles Dickens.
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens ,. Jeremy Tambling Introduction. David Copperfield is the story of a young man's adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist. Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters he encounters are his tyrannical stepfather, Mr Murdstone; his brilliant, but ultimately unworthy school-friend James Steerforth; his formidable aunt, Be David Copperfield is the story of a young man's adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist.
Among the gloriously vivid cast of characters he encounters are his tyrannical stepfather, Mr Murdstone; his brilliant, but ultimately unworthy school-friend James Steerforth; his formidable aunt, Betsey Trotwood; the eternally humble, yet treacherous Uriah Heep; frivolous, enchanting Dora Spenlow; and the magnificently impecunious Wilkins Micawber, one of literature's great comic creations. In David Copperfield - the novel he described as his 'favourite child' - Dickens drew revealingly on his own experiences to create one of the most exuberant and enduringly popular works, filled with tragedy and comedy in equal measure.
This edition uses the text of the first volume publication of , and includes updated suggestions for further reading, original illustrations by 'Phiz', a revised chronology and expanded notes. In his new introduction, Jeremy Tambling discusses the novel's autobiographical elements, and its central themes of memory and identity. Get A Copy. Paperback , pages. Published by Penguin first published More Details Original Title.
Richard Babley , Mr. Barkis , Mr. Chillip , David Copperfield , Mr. Horace Crewler , Uriah Heep , Mr. Joram , Mr. Jorkens , Littimer , Jack Maldon , Mr. Charles Mell , Mr.
Mills , Mr. Edward Murdstone , Mr. Quinion , Mr. Francis Spenlow , James Steerforth , Dr. Strong , Mr. Tiffey , Thomas Traddles , Mr. Wickfield , Mrs. Clara Copperfield , Mrs. Creakle , Miss Creakle , Mrs. Crewler , Mrs. Gummidge , Mrs. Heep , Mrs. Marckleham , Mrs.
Steerforth , Mrs. Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about David Copperfield , please sign up. How much similarity does the book have with Charles dickens's life? Huda Aweys Of course there are similarities between the life of Charles Dickens and the novel, to some extent, as in all his novels often, but this particular st …more Of course there are similarities between the life of Charles Dickens and the novel, to some extent, as in all his novels often, but this particular story actually the closest resemblance to his life less.
Is it recommended for young adults? Eventhough I've read it for the purpose of some analysis, I would strongly define it as a book one should read in his early years. See all 25 questions about David Copperfield…. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 4. Rating details. More filters.
Sort order. Start your review of David Copperfield. Creakle's guiding hand with laziness and scorn! Spenlow and his partner are wise to your gambits! Lattimer and poor umble Uriah Heep behind bars! View all comments. Charles Dickens can do no wrong, except perhaps keep around pages of rather irrelevant tangents in this book. It was such a powerhouse of characterisation and world-building that I barely know where to begin. All of the characters were utterly divine, even the detestable Uriah Heep and the unbelievably pathetic Dora, and most especially the wonderful early Feminist icon that is Betsy Trotwood.
I often have my doubts on first-person narrative, but Dickens is one of the few who can do it so well without losing many of the great advantages of reading with an omnipotent narrator. David Copperfield is unreliable in many fields-mostly his blind-spot for falling in love-but he is in-tune with his surroundings and can express what he feels other characters around him are feeling so suitably that it matters not that we are seeing the world through his young eyes only. The world was fantastic: I am always immediately transported to these places when I read 19th Century fiction and this was no exception.
The strife of the poor and the decadence of the indifferent rich is interwoven here like smoke billowing in to pure oxygen. There were so many nooks and crannies to be explored that it took me a while to get through this nigh-on page book, but it was worth it.
Aside from one or two tangents which meant the story-line stalled ever so slightly, it flowed magnificently and I don't remember laughing so much at a book that wasn't a straight humour novel.
Dickens has a way of writing with such endearment about his characters and society, but also tearing them apart at the same time. It was a beautiful ride through the English countryside and a nice run through the heavy streets of London and I don't think Thackeray was wrong when he said, "Bravo Dickens.
View all 7 comments. It was first published as a serial in —50, and as a book in Many elements of the novel follow events in Dickens's own life, and it is often considered as his veiled autobiogr Book from books - David Copperfield, Charles Dickens David Copperfield is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens. Many elements of the novel follow events in Dickens's own life, and it is often considered as his veiled autobiography. It was Dickens' favourite among his own novels.
In the preface to the edition, Dickens wrote, "like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child. And his name is David Copperfield. David was born in Blunderstone, Suffolk, England, six months after the death of his father. David spends his early years in relative happiness with his loving, childish mother and their kindly housekeeper, Clara Peggotty. They call him Davy. When he is seven years old his mother marries Edward Murdstone. To get him out of the way, David is sent to lodge with Peggotty's family in Yarmouth.
Her brother, fisherman Mr Peggotty, lives in a beached barge, with his adopted relatives Emily and Ham, and an elderly widow, Mrs Gummidge. They call him Master Copperfield. On his return, David is given good reason to dislike his stepfather, who believes exclusively in firmness, and has similar feelings for Murdstone's sister Jane, who moves into the house soon afterwards.
Between them they tyrannize his poor mother, making her and David's lives miserable, and when, in consequence, David falls behind in his studies, Murdstone attempts to thrash him — partly to further pain his mother. David bites him and soon afterwards is sent away to Salem House, a boarding school, under a ruthless headmaster named Mr Creakle. There he befriends an older boy, James Steerforth, and Tommy Traddles.
He develops an impassioned admiration for Steerforth, perceiving him as someone noble, who could do great things if he would, and one who pays attention to him. View all 10 comments. Jun 07, Dolors rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: Absolutely everybody with no exception! Shelves: best-ever , read-in But is that aspect what I most value of this work?
Far from it. Marriage, friendship, betrayal, the multifarious forms of parenthood, and the eternal battle between good and evil are the axes around which the personal growth of naive, almost seraphic-like David will revolve. As I followed David from boyhood to adulthood and all the tragedies and unexpected gifts life throws on his way, I started to wonder about his real role in the story.
Or is he a mere bystander, a passive witness that chronicles events unfolding around him without taking action in them? Maybe the real protagonists are the motley array of characters, so rich in description and recognizable for the repetitive idiomatic expressions that identify their eccentricities and foibles that make them unique….
But for this particular reader, David Copperfield goes beyond the realm of literary fiction; he has won a permanent place in my personal journey towards wholeness. He is a role model to look up to.
His observant glance bespeaks of obstinate compassion and blind blindness is not always bad! There is not an ounce of cheap sentimentalism in the numerous pages of this epic tale, but one will find an overdose of tenderness and smart humor that shine with intelligence and soul, that dares to approach life and its archetypical structures from other perspectives, that embraces those who are different as dear life. The concept of family has drastically expanded and reached a superior level for me.
View all 63 comments. Jul 14, Violet wells rated it it was ok Shelves: classics. Because the sentimentality is like a sickly sweet smell on virtually every page of this novel. Perhaps because of its autobiographical nature he enjoyed writing this a bit too much. When an author gets carried away with the delights of his own story perhaps the inner editor goes into abeyance. Mr and Miss Murdstone are pantomime baddies, as lacking in subtlety as their name suggests; Peggoty, his nurse, is a paragon of virtue.
Cruelty has no meaningful effect on his character. David is a neutered foolproof moral touchstone. The novel throughout has a pantomime binary moral system. A character, with one or two exceptions, is either wholly good or wholly bad. So, the first pages were a bit of a struggle for me. I found Peggoty and the evil Murdstones tiresomely predictable.
It was therefore a massive relief when the morally ambiguous Steerforth arrives on the scene. Finally we sense David might evolve from a potted plastic flower into one rooted in soil and subject to weather. Finally we see his moral judgements are subject to error. Finally we see the possibility of him being influenced by something other than unadulterated virtue.
Unfortunately though Dickens soon repeats the early template of moral absolutes with a new set of characters. Even as an adult David still seems like a ten year old. No surprise then that he falls in love with a female counterpart — an adult ten year old female. Before reading this I would have nominated Dorothea and Casaubon in Middlemarch if someone had asked me which couple in the history of literature I found it most difficult to imagine having sex together.
However David and Dora now get that award. In fact, sex, like everything else that happens to him, has no notable effect on his character. The moral light in this novel is glaring; it hurts the eyes. No surprise then that the unpredictable dark charge of sex is hostile to its regulated lighting system and so ignored. The sentence writing is consistently brilliant. And as ever Dickens creates his characters with the startled wide-eyed wonder of a child — always they have an almost hallucinated detailed vividness, that larger than life quality, a single oddball defining trait, with which we tend to see grownups as children.
We magnify one detail which comes to represent the person in question. It was probably his most inspired feature, his ability to see the world through the eyes of a child but narrate his findings with the eloquence of an adult. The surface of this novel reminded me of a gaudy birthday card with embossed pink hearts and ribbons splashed all over it. For me Dickens is the master purveyor of the novel as light entertainment. But this was more soap opera than novel.
View all 95 comments. Nov 05, Lisa of Troy rated it it was amazing. Money can't buy you love but it can keep you out of debtor's prison David Copperfield is a fictional biography of the life of David Copperfield starting with his birth.
David has a very unhappy childhood, subject to much torment. How will this shape and mold David? On whom can he rely? How will Mr. Copperfield turn out? What is the best part of going on vacation? Certainly not the one week of the vacation but the year in advance thinking about vacation.
When the day is drizzling and the sun hasn Money can't buy you love but it can keep you out of debtor's prison David Copperfield is a fictional biography of the life of David Copperfield starting with his birth. When the day is drizzling and the sun hasn't made an appearance for several weeks, when my heart is downcast and downtrodden, I think about the rays of sunlight filtering through the air, the warmth upon my skin, and my burden is a little bit lightened. David Copperfield was truly put through a challenging childhood.
However, instead of focusing on all of the horrible experiences, he relays the kindnesses and happier periods of his life. It really speaks to how a small kindness can go a long way. This book had me laughing and crying. The character development was really first rate. Although there are many characters, Dickens writes them in such a manner that they are memorable enough to be remembered and recalled throughout the book. David Copperfield was such a moving piece of literature, and it stirs my soul.
It had some very serious themes without being preachy. Overall, I am already looking forward to reading this book again! Excellent read!
Who doesn't like FREE stuff?! The narrator did all of the voices and accents which really brought the book to life. Also, with a book this long, it really helped me make sure that I was progressing at a steady pace and charting my progress. View all 9 comments. Mary-Lisa A wonderful review, Lisa! Your enthusiasm is tangible!! Della B Great review Lisa. Takes me to a different time and place with ease. Apr 11, Sean Barrs rated it liked it Shelves: classics , 3-star-reads. David Copperfield is a story about growing up.
It is a story about understanding people; it is a story about understanding that our perceptions of people do not always match the reality of that person. We can idealise them. We can believe in them.
We can love them. But that does not necessarily mean they are what we believe them to be or what we want them to be. In classic Dickensian fashion, this is not a happy story; it is one full of hardship and harsh realisations, but it is also one of growth David Copperfield is a story about growing up. In classic Dickensian fashion, this is not a happy story; it is one full of hardship and harsh realisations, but it is also one of growth: it is one about the potential of becoming a better and stronger person despite the inherent pain that comes with this thing called life.
We can learn from it. It is a great story, one full of memorable and interesting characters. Some are awkwardly eccentric and some plain villainous. Here the marvel of Dickens shines through because he can capture people so incredibly well: he is the master of description. The way he writes brings all the quirks and individualism of his characters to life. There are few writers who can do this so well and with such a vast multitude of subjects. Each character is unique because the observation skills of his narrators scrutinise and report in such a detailed manner.
I cared about David. I wanted to see the world do him right after his unfortunate early experiences. And the conclusion was everything the story needed to be. But, for me, that is where it all ends. I do not have anything else positive to say because David Copperfield did not make me think nor did it make me consider anything else beyond the plot level.
It gave me everything and it left me nothing to chew over. Let me try to explain myself a little better. To compare this to Great Expectations , a sweeping story of love and tragedy, it is totally vanilla. That book is intriguing and mysterious. There is an element of the unknown. There are shadows that linger over the writing and it is a story that remains with me many years after reading it. It is that powerful. With David Copperfield , though, I feel like I could quite easily and happily forget most of what happened here.
It is a story I enjoyed but that is all, so three stars seems about right here. Tepid is the word that comes to mind when I think about David Copperfield. There are plenty of other splendid, erudite assessments on this site if you are so inclined and which I highly recommend! This was very intriguing to me, as neither of my parents could be called avid readers by any means.
To my delight, the box contained several very old volumes of Dickens novels. It turns out these were passed on from my grandfather, who as far as I know, never picked up a book for pleasure in his life! It was a mystery of sorts as to where these books originated in the first place. I thought, perhaps after all I had an ancestor that treasured books as I do! In any case, David Copperfield was among those volumes. It was too irresistible to pass up the chance to read a book that maybe a great-grandfather or great-grandmother had at one time held lovingly in his or her hands.
I liked to imagine such a thing while reading it at that time. I always felt a little alone in my reading endeavors and this gave me a wee bit of comfort. As to the book itself, the most vivid memories are of my experience finding it rather than actually reading it. I recalled it was long, much longer than anything I would ever have picked up at that age.
I also remember there being a profusion of characters! Whether I liked it or not, I have no idea… thus, when the opportunity to read it once again presented itself to me, I jumped on it.
I left the old volume behind when I moved out of my childhood home, so this time I decided to listen to the audio version. Not just any audio would do, however — the Richard Armitage narration!
There is no voice, other than those of my children, that gives me greater pleasure to listen to than his divine tongue. Have you ever listened to him? Please do. His performances are excellent, and he does a range of voices that would please, thrill and amuse any listener! Its voice is low. It is modest and retiring, it lies in ambush, waits and waits.
Such is the mature fruit. Sometimes a life glides away, and finds it still ripening in the shade. This book is semi-autobiographical in nature, so one can see a bit of Dickens in young Copperfield. I'm a huge fan of his stories, and glad that so many of them have made it onto television. Au fait, Thank you so much for thinking highly of this book review.
You will really enjoy "David Copperfield" if you read it from cover to cover. Thanks for sharing and pinning this hub! A fantastic review! I think I have read parts of this book in English literature, but never the entire book. Your review inspires me to read the book, and you have written it so well, as always. Sharing this with my followers and pinning it to my new "Books Worth Reading" board.
Thanks for the comments and sharing. I think I first read David Copperfield when I was in high school. Thanks for writing about it and refreshing my memory. Happy to share! Thank you very much for your very supportive comments. I think you will really enjoy reading David Copperfield. I found it better than Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, and both of these are also excellent novels.
This is a great review. David Copperfield is one book I still haven't read even though I have it in my collection. You have just convinced me to finally read it. Well done. I am happy you found this review interesting.
Oliver Twist is also another one of my favorites. I will never forget the character Fagin the Jew who I quickly detested in the story. Marine Biology. Electrical Engineering. Computer Science. Medical Science. Writing Tutorials. Performing Arts. Visual Arts. Student Life. Vocational Training. Standardized Tests. Online Learning. Social Sciences. Legal Studies. Political Science.
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