David Copperfield (character)

David Copperfield is the protagonist after which the 1850Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield was named. The character is widely thought to be based on Dickens himself, incorporating many elements of his own life.^[1]

Scholars believe that David Copperfield's childhood, career, friendships and love life were influenced by Dickens's experiences, especially his time working in a factory as a child.^[2] 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. David's first wife, Dora Spenlow, is believed to be based upon Maria Beadnell, whom Dickens loved in his early youth. David's friend since boyhood and his second wife, Agnes Wickfield, the real heroine of the novel, is based on Dickens' sisters-in-law Mary and Georgina Hogarth; both of whom were very close to Dickens. Dickens keenly felt his deprived education during his time at the blacking factory, and according to the authoritative biography by his lifelong friend and literary advisor John Forster, it was from these times that he drew David's working period.

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 stepfather or 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, Daisy and Doady. David Copperfield's birth name comes from Dickens' inverted initials.

David Copperfield is the pivotal character of the novel David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. He 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 housekeeper Peggotty, David lives an idyllic life for the first few years, even though he is fatherless—his father, David Copperfield Sr., died 6 months before his son's birth.

La feliz infancia de David se ve truncada por la llegada de su tiránico padrastro, Edward Murdstone , y David sufre abusos físicos y psicológicos por parte de su nuevo tutor. Se le prohíbe a su madre mostrarle cualquier tipo de afecto, y a él se le prohíbe relacionarse con Peggotty u otros niños.

Tras una paliza especialmente brutal, David es enviado al internado de Salem House por morder a Murdstone. En el camino, se encuentra con el Sr. Mell, uno de los profesores, quien lo acompaña hasta el internado. El joven David se ve obligado a llevar un cartel en la espalda que advierte a los demás alumnos y profesores de que es un mordedor. Allí entabla amistad con un chico mayor, el arrogante pero encantador James Steerforth , y con el gracioso Tommy Traddles. David le revela información personal sobre el Sr. Mell a Steerforth, quien consigue que despidan al joven profesor.

Cuando David se entera de que su madre está embarazada, se pone muy contento y puede verla a ella y a su hermanito (sin nombre) durante las vacaciones. Jane Murdstone se enfurece al ver a David con el bebé en brazos un día y le prohíbe que jamás toque al hijo de los Murdstone. Clara y Peggotty siguen teniendo prohibido tratar bien a David (ya que los Murdstone lo consideran una debilidad), pero consiguen disfrutar de momentos felices juntos de vez en cuando.

Comienza otro trimestre en Salem House y David se adapta a su papel de estudiante lo mejor que puede, a pesar de la enseñanza desorganizada y los frecuentes castigos. En su noveno cumpleaños, la esposa del director le informa a David que su madre y su hermanastro han fallecido, y David regresa a casa para el funeral. El señor Murdstone y Jane, reacios a cuidar del odiado huérfano, deciden enviar a David a trabajar en la fábrica de embotellado familiar.

La vida en la fábrica es miserable, pero David entabla amistad con Wilkins Micawber , un personaje humorístico sin un céntimo, inspirado en John Dickens, padre de Dickens . Vive con los Micawber en la pobreza e intenta ahorrar para escapar. Tras un año infeliz en la fábrica (que se niega a describir con detalle), David huye con la esperanza de encontrar a su tía abuela Betsey Trotwood en Dover . Su recibimiento es frío, pero no hostil, y la señorita Trotwood impide que el señor Murdstone lo lleve de vuelta a la fábrica.

La tía Betsey adopta rápidamente a David y lo envía al colegio privado del Dr. Strong en Canterbury . Allí, David reside en casa del señor Wickfield, y su hija Agnes se convierte en su amiga y confidente. David también conoce al astuto y traicionero Uriah Heep , un empleado del señor Wickfield.

The rest of the novel deals with David's struggles through life and his involvement in other plotlines, including his friendship and consequent disillusionment with unworthy and self-serving Steerforth, his assistance to the destroyed Peggotty family; his concern for the Wickfield, Micawber, and Strong families as they are all being cheated and abused by Uriah Heep, and the beginning and development of his writing career.

David falls in a passionate but highly impractical love with innocent, inexperienced, and foolish Dora Spenlow, daughter of his present boss. After a humorously sentimental courtship, marred by the sudden death of Mr Spenlow, David marries Dora, whom he loves.

David realizes he has different expectations from his wife of their roles in the marriage; he treats his wife with love, but is frustrated about how their household is run. After suffering a miscarriage over a year into their marriage, Dora falls ill and dies, leaving David single and heartbroken. He travels throughout Europe, and stays in Switzerland for three years.

During that time he publishes a story about his own life with the help of old school-friend Traddles, and realizes that he loves Agnes, praying she loves him too. Upon his return to England, after a vain struggle to hide his feelings, he realizes that she does love him. He proposes to her, and the duo quickly get married. 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. David and Agnes prove to be a perfect match, and in this marriage David ultimately finds true happiness.