Characters of David Copperfield
There are more than hundreds of characters in the novel. So, it will be tiresome to remember all the characters. Just the major characters should be sketched in the brain to grasp the core content of the story. The seven major characters of the novel are;
David
He is the main character of the novel. He is merciful and believes that everybody is best. However, he tries to escape from his problems. He lets others like her aunt Betsey solve his problems for him. He makes friends but doesn’t always see their dangerous traits, such as the selfish nature of his friend Steerforth, or the immaturity of his wife Dora. David devotes his life to the people and is devastated when Dora dies. He runs away again, but when he returns he realizes that he loves Agnes and marries her. They have a family and David becomes a successful writer.
Agnes Wickfield
She is the daughter of Mr. Wickfield. She is regarded as angelic and pure and is very caring with the company of his father. She is always a good friend of David, who realizes that he loves him after Dora’s death. They are married and have a family.
Peggotty
She is David’s nanny or nurse. David is devoted to her throughout his life. He meets her family: her brother, Mr. Peggotty, and his adopted children, Ham and Emily. Although she marries, she comes to meet David as often as she can. Peggotty is the maternal figure in David’s life after his mother dies and he’s left by his cruel stepfather Mr. Murdstone.
Steerforth
He is one of David’s school friends. Despite David believing his best, Steerforth belongs to his original, selfish and elite class. He escapes with Emily and separates Peggotty’s family. When a sudden storm swamps his boat at Yarmouth, he drowns at sea with Ham.
Aunt Betsey
She is a motherhood figure in David’s life. She looks after Davi and sends him to school with all his necessities. She encourages David to become a proctor (lawyer).
Dora Spenlow
She is David’s boss Mr. Spenlow’s Daughter. David almost falls in love with Dora at first sight. David and Dora get married. At first, David feels dissatisfaction with Dora’s immaturity and lack of skills as a housewife. They carry their married life but Dora suffers a miscarriage and dies shortly afterwards.
Uriah Heep
He is the antagonist of David Copperfield. He pretends to have come from a low background to gain the confidence of those around him, and he manipulates people. He steals money from Mr. Wickfield and Aunt Betsey. However, he ends up in jail on another fraud charge.
Synopsis of the novel
When his mother remarries, David moves from a happy to indifferent existence, to an oppressive one. He is sent to school, where he meets his friends. When his mother dies, David is made to work in a wine factory until he escapes to his aunt, who sends him to another school to learn how to be a gentleman. He makes more friends and falls in love, but he has a hard time with those he loves. Her aunt and her friends continue to lose their money because of fraud. His nanny Peggotty’s family is being torn apart from him by one of his school friends. David’s wife dies as a result of the abortion. In the end, everything is resolved. Money is refunded; Peggotty’s family embarks on a new adventure; David remarries his friend Agnes and begins his new career as a writer.
