David Copper Field
David Copper Field
Express Publishing
Contents
Introduction: 4
Chapter 1: Beginnings 8
Activities: 62
Word List: 86
Charles Dickens and got into financial difficulties. Eventually, he was put in prison,
where his family later joined him. It was common in those days for the
family of a debtor to live with him in prison. Charles was taken out of
school and went to work putting labels on bottles of shoe polish. He
worked long hours for very little money and lived away from his family,
alone in London. He became a clerk in a lawyer's office when he was
15 and also worked as a reporter in the evenings. At 18, he fell in love
with a pretty and careless girl, but the affair ended unhappily for
Charles Dickens was born Dickens after three years.
near Portsmouth, England, on These events from his early life affected him deeply and he used
Look at the front cover February 7 th, 1812. He was the these experiences to write his novels. Dickens wrote about 'David
of the book. What can second of eight children, whose Copperfield', his eighth novel, "Of all my books 1 like this the best".
you see in the picture? father, John, was a clerk for the It is largely autobiographical and was published in monthly parts
When do you think the Navy Although Charles had an between May 1849 and November 1850. Dickens wrote a total of
story takes place? idyllic early family life, his father fourteen complete novels and died in 1870 before completing 'The
Read the blurb on the was a poor manager of money Mystery of Edwin Drood'. He is buried in Westminster Abbey in London.
back cover and discuss
what kind of difficulties
you think David Copperfield might have experienced.
Read the information about Charles Dickens and answer the
questions that follow.
Look
Look atat the
the following
following pictures.
pictures. How
How do
do you
you think
think they
they are
are
When was Charles Dickens born?
connected to the story?
How many brothers and sisters did Charles Dickens have?
What was Dickens' first job?
How old was Dickens when he started to work for the lawyer?
When was 'David Copperfield' published?
What was the name of Dickens' unfinished novel?
When did Dickens die?
4 5
Chapter 1
Beginnings
was born in Blunderstone, Suffolk. We lived in a nice house
with a garden and many trees outside. My father had named
our house 'The Rookery' because a type of bird - the rook - had
nests in the trees all around our property.
It was after my father's death, and just before my birth, that his
aunt, Betsey Trotwood, came to our home. Things were about to
change at The Rookery, and my life was about to begin. Aunt
Betsey marched into our house and gave everybody her opinions
from the beginning!
"My nephew, David, was a good man. But like all men, he was
a bit silly."
My mother was usually shy, but on this occasion, she told Aunt
Betsey firmly that she did not like her to speak in an unkind way
about my deceased father.
"Please, Madam! I will not have you talk about my late husband
in this manner! My husband, David Copperfield, was a good and
honest man with a heart of gold. If this baby is a son, I shall call
him David Copperfield like him, and I hope that he will be exactly
like his father!"
Aunt Betsey folded her arms and stared at my mother.
"The baby will be a girl! I will be her godmother and her name
shall be Betsey. And she certainly will not make the mistakes in
life that I did!"
Of course, Aunt Betsey was very disappointed when I was
born. Her attitude towards males was a bit harsh.This was because
of the problems she had had with her husband when she was
married. He had treated her badly, and they were eventually
8
separated.Therefore, she seemed to feel that all men were wicked How things changed when Mr Murdstone entered our lives! I
or silly, and that they made women's lives difficult. was about five years old the first time we met. He looked down
When she first came, she knew that my mother was a young at me and said,
widow expecting a baby, and with only one servant, Peggotty. "Give me your hand, boy! A man must have a firm handshake
Aunt Betsey had declared that she had come to The Rookery to i f he wants to get anywhere in the world."
help my mother look after me. He began walking my mother home from the church. Then he
Unfortunately, the fact that I was born a male was too much would visit her at home, and stay a little longer each time. He was
of a shock for Aunt Betsey. She couldn't bear it and left the house a handsome man - tall and slim with dark hair and a beard. Mother
in a huff immediately after my birth. And so, we were left all alone, would dress up and curl her hair before Mr Murdstone came to
just the three of us. Luckily, dear Peggotty was much more than see her. She would giggle when he was at the house and sometimes
a servant. She was a good friend to my mother, and me as well. her face would become red. I do admit, I was jealous, but this
Although it did not seem at all like a good beginning for me, wasn't the reason why I didn't like him.
we made the most of our life together and were happy. In the I didn't trust him because of the look he had in his eyes.They
evenings or on cold wet days, my young and beautiful mother were small and dark, and didn't seem kind at all. Later, I was
would sit with Peggotty in the parlour. They would chat by the proved to be correct.
fire and would often sing or read to me. Then they would rock Mr Murdstone wanted to be alone with Mother, so Peggotty
me in their arms. When I fell asleep, they would take me to my was told to take me away for a few weeks to visit her brother in
bed and kiss me warmly on my forehead. On Sundays, we would Yarmouth.
walk to the nearby church, and visit my father's grave. Knowing "What a treat it'll be, Master Davy! There's the sea, the boats
that he was close by made me feel safe. and the fishermen! And young ones to play with!"
Even though I was very young at the time, I have many tender I was excited because I was going somewhere new, but I would
memories of my early life. Those sweet moments will remain in miss Mother very much.
my heart forever. I think back and sometimes laugh to myself
when I remember particular moments from that peaceful and
pleasant time. I used to think that Peggotty's plump, red cheeks
looked so much like apples that every time she went outdoors,
I would tell her to take care. I was sure the birds would think that
her cheeks were juicy apples and peck at them!
10 11
Chapter 2
14
Her beautiful eyes looked so sad that I wished I could do I was so afraid that I couldn't answer the question. I saw
something to help make her wish come true. Miss Murdstone smile at her brother.
"He doesn't know the answer, Edward."
My holiday came to an end too soon and we had to part. I Mr Murdstone stood up then and I saw that he held a cane in
was very sad to leave 'little' Emily, but we promised to write to his hand. He swished the cane and I heard it whistle through the air.
each other. She was my first love and I would never forget her. "When I was a boy and didn't know my lessons, I was beaten.
When I arrived back home, I found that everything had changed. I t did me no harm - and it will do you no harm either, David."
Mother had married Mr Murdstone, and his sister had come to My mother begged Mr Murdstone to give me another chance.
live there. It just didn't feel like home anymore. Even my mother But he refused to listen.
seemed to be different. She rarely spoke to me, and when she "David and I will go upstairs and I'll teach him a lesson he'll
did it was in a quick whisper. never forget!"
"Davy, I love you. But please, please behave." Mr Murdstone dragged me up to my room and held my head
I felt lonely, and cried every night for hours before I fell asleep. under his arm so that I could not move, then he beat me with
Mr Murdstone had not only changed the atmosphere of The Rookery, the cane until I thought I would die. I begged him to stop, but
but he had also changed Mother. She feared him and his sister. If he just beat me harder, so I did the only thing I could. I bit his
Mother showed me any kindness, he would frown at her, then take hand. This made Mr Murdstone very angry. He beat me again,
her aside and talk to her in a strict way. I felt so sorry for Mother. then when I couldn't stand up any more, he threw me to the floor,
"Remember that I am teaching you how to be a good mother. left the room and locked the door behind him.
Be firm with the boy and always control yourself. Your son needs "That will teach you a lesson, Copperfield, and you'll have
discipline!" plenty of time to think about your behaviour!"
Mother would lower her head, and I sometimes saw tears in
her eyes. I was left there alone for five days. Mother and Peggotty were
One day, I went into the living room after breakfast for my not allowed to come near me. Only dear Peggotty whispered to
morning lessons with Mother. Mr and Miss Murdstone sat and me one night through the keyhole.
listened carefully to everything she said, and watched everything "Mr Murdstone has decided to send you away to boarding
she did. school. I'll never forget you, Master Davy. I love you and so does
She smiled at me when she thought the Murdstones weren't your mother!"
looking. But Mr Murdstone saw her and decided to ask me a question. Those words meant so much to me, and I would remember
"How much will I have to pay for 5000 pieces of cheese if them whenever I was alone.
each one costs four and a half pennies?"
16 17
Chapter 3
School Days
22
Chapter 4
Off to Work I Go language. I wasn't like these people and I missed Steerforth and
the other boys - my friends from Salem House.
After some time, and when I had stopped crying, she asked
Mr Dick to show me where the bathroom was so that I could have
a bath. He was a kind old man who rented a room in my aunt's
house. Later, I told my aunt all the details of my short but incredible
life. Her eyes became wider and she looked down at the floor.
30
"You have been through quite a lot for a twelve-year-old boy!"
"That's why I had to come here.You're the only person I could
think of who might help me."
"Oh, this is a difficult situation! I must think! I must think!"
Aunt Betsey walked up and down whenever she thought over
a problem. Finally, she asked Mr Dick for his advice.
"What do you think, Mr Dick? What would you do with the boy?"
"I - I would put him to bed."
For the first time in months I slept in a soft and comfortable bed.
I was so tired that I slept through all of the next day and night! When
I woke up, I smelled fresh-baked bread from the kitchen, and heard
birds singing outside the window. But, to my horror, when I went
downstairs I saw Mr Murdstone and his sister in the parlour - talking
with my aunt and Mr Dick. Mr Dick looked worried, and my aunt's
back seemed even stiffer than usual. She looked very serious.
"Oh ... I know very well how David's poor young mother
suffered because of you and your sister! You are tyrants! And I
know how badly you treated that poor boy! Leave my house at
once, and never come back!"
The Murdstones were horrified.
"You will find out for yourself what an evil boy he is,
Miss Trotwood!" said Mr Murdstone as they left the house.
"And keep off my lawn!" shouted Aunt Betsey as she slammed
the door behind them.
Old and New Friends engagement. I was happy for Emily but I would always remember
her as 'little' Emily. Ham was a good-hearted and hard-working
finally chose a profession. After discussions with my aunt, I fellow and Emily, a young woman now, worked as a dressmaker.
decided to become a lawyer. My training began at the very old She seemed satisfied with her life, but I think that our stories
but grand-looking law offices of 'Spenlow and Jorkins' in London. a b o u t London reminded her of the old desire she had to be a
My aunt was very helpful and found me a small but cosy room 'lady'. When Steerforth spoke, that desire seemed to come back.
to rent nearby. "London sounds so exciting! I wish I could live there."
Oh, how confident and free I felt living in London as a young "Then, why don't you? And I could show you around."
bachelor! I went out most evenings as I now had money to enjoy "Steerforth! Emily and Ham are going to be married, and they
myself. One night, when I was leaving the theatre, I saw my old will live here."
school friend, Steerforth. He still had thick blond hair and was "Oh, yes. I forgot! Well then, a toast to life and happiness by
more handsome than ever. We shook hands warmly and Steerforth the sea!"
told me that he was now a student at Oxford University. We all raised our glasses, but Emily did not look very happy.
"I always knew you'd be a success, Steerforth! You look just like
you did back at Salem House, only better - and older, of course!" Steerforth seemed to like the fisherman's life in Yarmouth. He
"I must say you're looking very well too, Daisy. You still look even bought a boat before we left. He called it the Little Emily. I
young and innocent ... and fresh!" thought this was strange, but it didn't mean much to me at the time.
Steerforth had always liked to call me 'Daisy', ever since our days We went back to London and I was very busy with my training
at Salem House. When he first saw me, he had said that I reminded at 'Spenlow and Jorkins'. I was doing well at the office, so Mr Spenlow
him of 'a fresh daisy at sunrise'. And I quite liked the nickname myself. invited me to his house for dinner one evening. It was then that I
Steerforth and I saw each other quite often while he was in met his beautiful and delicate daughter, Dora. I immediately fell madly
London and we became close again. I even asked him to come in love with her and don't know how I concentrated on my work
and visit the Peggottys in Yarmouth with me. I wasn't sure what after that. I'd spend hours daydreaming about Dora - my princess.
he'd think of their simple ways, because he was from a different I chased Dora for months, until she finally agreed to marry me.
social class. But, from the moment we arrived in Yarmouth, Steerforth Everything in my life seemed to be going well. I worked part-time
seemed to love everything about it. as a writer and saved enough money to buy us a little house.
"It's incredible that they made a home out of this old boat!" Everyone was happy for me, particularly Aunt Betsey. She would
On many occasions we sat inside Mr Peggotty's house, drinking, often hug me and say, "I was a fool for leaving you and your
eating and laughing with the Peggottys. We had arrived at a good mother when you were born. You've turned out better than any
time, because the family were celebrating Ham and Emily's niece I could have hoped for!"
38 39
Chapter 8
Agnes seemed happy for me too, and she and Dora became
best friends - even though they were so very different from each
other. Although they were the same age,Agnes seemed older and ne day I came home to find Mr Peggotty sitting in my parlour,
wiser, and my Dora acted like a sweet child, sometimes sighing with his head in his hands. He looked so sad that I expected
and playing with the curls in her hair. the worst. At first I didn't understand what was wrong.
"Davy, I'm a silly little thing. Perhaps you should have chosen "I'll look all over the world until I find my Emily! I've raised
someone clever like Agnes instead of me." her since she was a little girl. She's a good girl. She may have
"What are you saying, my love? Hush now. I love you as you made mistakes ... but I'll always forgive her and I'll always be
are, more than anything in the world!" here to help her and protect her!"
"In the world! Oh, David, the world's a large place!" After listening to him for some time I discovered that Emily
and Steerforth had run away together! How could Steerforth have
done something like that to the Peggottys? And what about Ham,
who was so in love with Emily? He would have done anything
for her. But Emily always wanted to be a 'lady' and she probably
thought that Steerforth would make her one Poor Mr Peggotty!
Poor Ham! Poor Emily!
42 43
I went to see Heep at once, at Mr Wickfield's house, and I was
shocked to find Mr Micawber working at Heep's desk.
"Mr Micawber, how can you work for a man like Heep?"
"Mr Heep is my employer now and I must respect the man
who helps me pay my debts, David. Work is work."
I found Mr Micawber's behaviour to be rather peculiar. He had
always said that he would only work for honest people. And
somehow, Micawber seemed afraid of Uriah Heep. I was angry
and turned to Heep who had just walked into the room.
"What are you up to, Heep? I always thought you were a snake
and now I see that I was right! You're taking advantage of a good
man like Mr Wickfield."
"Does a good man drink and not take care of his business
records? If I wasn't here, this 'good man' you speak of would be
out in the streets!"
"Oh, and I suppose you saved him, did you?"
"Yes, and I'm going to save Miss Agnes, too. I'm ... I'm going
to marry her!"
The blood pounded in my head and for some reason, I was
unable to speak. I wanted to kill Uriah Heep in that instant, and
I decided to do all that I could to prevent this marriage.
In the meantime, there were other problems to deal with. Aunt
Betsey had lost most of her money through Mr Wickfield's bad
business decisions. I was sure that this had something to do with
Uriah Heep. My aunt and Mr Dick came to live with me in London,
and I helped them as much as I could.
I was also very worried about my wife. Dora was very ill. My
aunt looked after her in the day while I was at work. In the evenings
I would rush to her bedside and gently stroke her soft hair, and
whisper to her that I loved her. On one dark, stormy evening not
long after her illness began, she asked to see Agnes - alone. 45
Chapter 9
While they talked, I sat downstairs by the fire and thought Found - and Lost!
about all the happy moments my dear Dora and I had shared
and how it hurt me to see her so ill and unable to move. When fell into a deep depression after Dora's death. I decided that
Agnes came back downstairs, I realised from the look in her eyes I would leave for Europe as soon as I had helped Agnes deal
that my darling wife Dora had passed away. w i t h the business concerning Uriah Heep and her poor father.
The only good news I had in those difficult and gloomy days was
about Emily. It was extremely good news for Mr Peggotty too. At last,
he had found out where Emily was and what had happened to her.
She had travelled for months with Steerforth on the Little Emily.
But Steerforth soon lost interest in Emily and she missed her family
very much.They argued, and Steerforth told Emily that their affair
was over. She returned to London alone, but felt too ashamed to
ask her family to take her back.
Luckily, Mr Peggotty had never stopped looking for her. After
months of searching through Europe, he found her in London.
He told her to hush when she asked for forgiveness, and took
her gently into his arms.
"I've always loved you, Emily and I always will. Now come,
my dear child, and we'll start a new life, far away from here."
Mr Peggotty had taken rooms in London and decided to stay
there with Emily while he prepared for them both to leave for
Australia. I hoped that everything would turn out well for them.
The next morning a few pieces from the boat came ashore.
I then knew why the boat out at sea had looked so familiar. One
piece of wood that was washed onto the beach had the words
'Little Emily' written on it! Ham had died trying to save Steerforth,
the man who had taken Emily away from him. I decided not to
tell Mr Peggotty or Emily what had happened.
49
Chapter 10
How It All Worked Out "Dear David, I had my doubts about Heep from the start, but
I needed proof before I could say anything.That may explain why
my behaviour might have seemed mysterious."
T he deaths of Ham and Steerforth had made me very sad.
They also reminded me again of my own dear wife's death.
I tried to cheer myself up, and thought that it was now time for
Things worked out rather well for everyone after that. The
Micawbers paid their debts and then emigrated to Australia with
me to go abroad for a while. Before I did anything, though, there Mr Peggotty and Emily. Mr Wickfield made sure that Uriah Heep
was a meeting I had to attend. I had to go to Canterbury to hear went to prison.
what Mr Micawber wanted to say. Aunt Betsey returned to her cottage in Dover with Mr Dick,
My aunt was already there. So were Mr Wickfield, Agnes and who wanted to get back to working on his book. Things were
Mr Micawber. Agnes looked more beautiful than ever. My smile now better for Mr Wickfield, too, and Agnes would not have to
soon faded when I remembered that she would get married to marry Uriah Heep.
Heep soon. Mr Micawber was standing in front of us all with his
glasses on, and he was holding a long sheet of paper. He was no I soon left England as I had planned, and went to Europe. I took
longer acting mysteriously. He seemed confident, and looked like Agnes' advice and did something useful there. I decided to write
he had something very important to say. again and to send my work home to be published. People bought
"What I have here, my good friends, will make us all happy again, my books and liked them. Soon, I became a well-known author.
and will show us that good always wins over evil in the end! As A year later, I returned to England. First, I visited Aunt Betsey.
you know, I work for a - a Mr Uriah Heep. You may have suspected She was overjoyed to see me. We talked far into the night and
that he could not be trusted. And you would have been right! Here she told me all the news about my friends. But I was more interested
is a list of all the papers he signed without Mr Wickfield's permission. in one person than anyone else.
I also have proof that he stole money, and that he used Mr Wickfield's "Aunt Betsey, have you heard any news from Agnes?"
name to steal the money of certain people, like Miss Betsey Trotwood My aunt smiled and looked at me strangely.
here. But, like all criminals, he will lose - thanks to me!" "She is more beautiful than ever. I think she may be in love ...
We all rose from our seats, and clapped and cheered with joy. and perhaps she will marry soon."
Mr Wickfield and Agnes hugged. I was so glad that everything had I suddenly felt empty, as if I had lost something very precious.
turned out well that I had to express my appreciation to Mr Micawber. "Do . . . do you know who the lucky man is?"
"Mr Micawber, your behaviour confused me. It had crossed my "It is not my place to say, David.These are just my suspicions."
mind that perhaps you were no longer the good man I once knew. "Then, if it's true, I'm sure Agnes will tell me when she sees me."
I apologise for having thought badly of you. I want to thank you I should have felt happy for Agnes because she deserved to
with all my heart for the good that you have done." find true love, but instead I felt empty. The thought of her being
52 53
in love with someone else almost broke my heart. It was then
that I realised that my feelings for her were far deeper than the
love of a brother for a sister.