David Copperfield (character)
Encyclopedia
David Copperfield is the character after which the 1850
Charles Dickens
novel, David Copperfield
, was named. The character is widely thought to be based on Dickens himself, using many elements of his own childhood.
However there are many differences in the lives of the two. Unlike Dickens, David grew up in the country as an only child; Dickens was a city boy with several brothers and sisters. Also there were never any wicked stepparents and never any great aunt.
Throughout the novel, David is rarely called by his birth name (except by Mr. Murdstone). Instead, he is called alternately Davy, Trot, Trotwood, Copperfield, Copperfull, Daisy, and Doady. David Copperfield's birth name comes from Dickens inverted initials.
David is soon sent off to Salem House school for biting Murdstone, and is consistently bullied until he befriends the popular James Steerforth. David performs well and is the resident storyteller, until he is forced to return home upon the death of his mother and baby half-brother. Because of his hate for the child, Murdstone and his sister decide to send David to work in the family bottling factory.
Life at the factory is miserable, even though David is befriended by the penniless Mr. Micawber. and he soon runs away to his Aunt Betsey Trotwood in Dover, Aunt Betsey adopts him and sends him to Dr. Strong's private school in Canterbury, where David meets his best friend Agnes Wickfield, as well as the slimy Uriah Heep.
The rest of the novel outlines David's struggles through life and his involvement in other plotlines, including his friendship and consequent disillusionment with James Steerforth; his assistance to the destroyed Peggotty family; his concern and suspicion for the Wickfield, Micawber, and Strong families as they are being harassed by Uriah Heep, and the development of his beginning writing career. As David juggles these problems he also must deal with his passionate, sincere, but highly impractical love for the innocent Dora Spenlow
. After a humorously sentimental courtship, David marries Dora, whom he loves despite her uselessness in household chores. She soon falls ill and dies, leaving David single and heartbroken. He travels throughout Europe, during which time he publishes his first (unnamed) novel with the help of old school-friend Thomas Traddles, and during this odyssey realizes he loves Agnes Wickfield, praying she loves him too. Upon his return he proposes to her, and the two quickly marry. They later move into a house in London along with their young children, which include at least three girls (Little Agnes, Dora, and Betsey Trotwood Copperfield) and at least two boys. They live a wealthy lifestyle on David's successful writing career.
1850 in literature
The year 1850 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*Alfred Lord Tennyson named Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, succeeding William Wordsworth.*Periodical Household Words begins publication...
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
novel, David Copperfield
David Copperfield (novel)
The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery , commonly referred to as David Copperfield, is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novel in 1850. Like most of his works, it originally appeared in serial...
, was named. The character is widely thought to be based on Dickens himself, using many elements of his own childhood.
Origin
Scholars believe that David Copperfield's careers, friendships, and love life were most highly influenced by Dickens' experiences, as well as his time working as a child. David's involvement with the law profession and later his career as a writer mirror the experiences of Dickens. Many of David's acquaintances are based on people Dickens actually knew, and David's wives, Agnes Wickfield and Dora Spenlow, are believed to be based upon Dickens' attachments to Mary Hograth. Dickens keenly felt his deprived education during his time at the blacking factory, and according to the famed Foster biography, it was from these times that he drew David's working period.Throughout the novel, David is rarely called by his birth name (except by Mr. Murdstone). Instead, he is called alternately Davy, Trot, Trotwood, Copperfield, Copperfull, Daisy, and Doady. David Copperfield's birth name comes from Dickens inverted initials.
Fictional biography
David Copperfield is first introduced in the novel when he is born on a Friday in March in the early 19th century. The pet of his mother Clara Copperfield and faithful nursemaid Peggotty, David lives an idyllic life for the first few years of his life, even though he is fatherless - David Copperfield Sr. died 6 months before his son's birth. David's happy childhood is marred by the arrival of his stepfather, Edward Murdstone, and David suffers both physical and mental abuse from his new guardian.David is soon sent off to Salem House school for biting Murdstone, and is consistently bullied until he befriends the popular James Steerforth. David performs well and is the resident storyteller, until he is forced to return home upon the death of his mother and baby half-brother. Because of his hate for the child, Murdstone and his sister decide to send David to work in the family bottling factory.
Life at the factory is miserable, even though David is befriended by the penniless Mr. Micawber. and he soon runs away to his Aunt Betsey Trotwood in Dover, Aunt Betsey adopts him and sends him to Dr. Strong's private school in Canterbury, where David meets his best friend Agnes Wickfield, as well as the slimy Uriah Heep.
The rest of the novel outlines David's struggles through life and his involvement in other plotlines, including his friendship and consequent disillusionment with James Steerforth; his assistance to the destroyed Peggotty family; his concern and suspicion for the Wickfield, Micawber, and Strong families as they are being harassed by Uriah Heep, and the development of his beginning writing career. As David juggles these problems he also must deal with his passionate, sincere, but highly impractical love for the innocent Dora Spenlow
Dora Spenlow
Dora Spenlow is a character in the novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. David falls in love with Dora, who is beautiful but foolish, and later marries her. She proves unable to cope with anything but being a child bride, and is more interested in playing with her dog, Jip, than in acting as...
. After a humorously sentimental courtship, David marries Dora, whom he loves despite her uselessness in household chores. She soon falls ill and dies, leaving David single and heartbroken. He travels throughout Europe, during which time he publishes his first (unnamed) novel with the help of old school-friend Thomas Traddles, and during this odyssey realizes he loves Agnes Wickfield, praying she loves him too. Upon his return he proposes to her, and the two quickly marry. They later move into a house in London along with their young children, which include at least three girls (Little Agnes, Dora, and Betsey Trotwood Copperfield) and at least two boys. They live a wealthy lifestyle on David's successful writing career.
Film and television portrayals
| Year | Title | David Copperfield played by: |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | David Copperfield | Frank Lawton Frank Lawton Frank Lawton was an English actor, born Frank Lawton Mokeley. He was married to Evelyn Laye, with whom he acted several times including in My Husband and I .His parents were stage players Daisy May Collier and Frank Mokeley... /Freddie Bartholomew Freddie Bartholomew Frederick Cecil Bartholomew , known for his acting work as Freddie Bartholomew, was an English-American child actor. One of the most famous child actors of all time, he became very popular in 1930s Hollywood films... |
| 1969 | David Copperfield David Copperfield (1969 film) David Copperfield is a 1969 American television film directed by Delbert Mann based on the novel of the same name by Charles Dickens adapted by Jack Pulman, who later went on to adapt the Roman saga I, Claudius for BBC Television. The film was made in the UK for 20th Century Fox Television.The film... |
Robin Phillips Robin Phillips Robin Phillips is an English actor and director.Phillips was born in Haslemere, Surrey, the son of EllenAnne and James William Phillips. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic and worked as an actor and director for many years in the United Kingdom, finishing as Artistic Director at the Greenwich... |
| 1993 | David Copperfield David Copperfield (1993 film) David Copperfield is a 1993 traditionally-animated musical feature-length adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic story of the same name. It was directed by Don Arioli and features the voices of Sheena Easton, Julian Lennon, Howie Mandel, Andrea Martin, Kelly LeBrock, Michael York, Joseph Marcell... |
Julian Lennon Julian Lennon John Charles Julian Lennon is an English musician, songwriter, actor, and photographer. He is the son of John Lennon and Lennon's first wife, Cynthia Powell. Beatles manager Brian Epstein was his godfather. He has a younger half-brother, Sean Lennon. Lennon was named after his paternal... |
| 1999 | David Copperfield David Copperfield (1999 film) David Copperfield is a two part BBC television drama adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel David Copperfield, adapted by Adrian Hodges. The first part was shown on Christmas Day and the second on Boxing Day in 1999... |
Ciarán McMenamin Ciarán McMenamin Ciarán McMenamin is an Irish actor who is now living in South London. He is best known for playing Matt Anderson, replacing Jason Flemyng as lead on Primeval.- Early life :... /Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Jacob Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to prominence playing the titular character in the Harry Potter film series.... |
| 2000 | David Copperfield David Copperfield (2000 film) David Copperfield is a 2000 film that was a joint US/Irish TV film adaptation of Charles Dickens's novel David Copperfield. It was filmed in Ireland, and broadcast on the TV Channel TNT as a Hallmark Entertainment production on December 10–11, 2000.... |
Hugh Dancy Hugh Dancy - Early life and career :Dancy was born in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of British philosopher Jonathan Dancy, a professor at the University of Reading and at the University of Texas at Austin. His mother, Sarah, is a publisher. His brother, Jack, is a co-director of the travel company, Trufflepig... /Max Dolbey |