David Copperfield

Clara Copperfield is David’s young, naive, and beautiful mother. In the novel, she is frequently compared to a baby for her childlike innocence and vulnerability.

Widowed by David’s father, Clara Copperfield marries the harsh, emotionally abusive Edward Murdstone. She dies while David is at boarding school, just a few months after giving birth to her second son. The novel suggests that the stress of Clara’s marriage to Mr. Murdstone ultimately contributes to her death.

Clara Peggotty—known throughout the novel as “Peggotty”—is a faithful servant and surrogate mother figure for David. When David’s mother marries Mr. Murdstone, Peggotty takes David to visit her working-class relatives in Yarmouth, and thus makes David an extension of her own family.

Aside from David himself, Peggotty is the novel’s most enduring and sympathetic character. David Copperfield follows the joyful experience of her marriage to Mr. Barkis, her sad experienced of becoming a widow after Mr. Barkis dies, and the numerous care-giving roles she serves throughout David’s life. In addition to helping David, Peggotty serves as a housekeeper for her nephew Ham and, after Ham’s death late in the novel, for David’s aunt, Miss Betsey Trotwood.

Miss Betsey Trotwood is David's aunt. Before David is born, she tells Clara Copperfield her she will adopt her baby daughter to raise the girl as a strong-willed woman and prevent her from being taken advantage of. Miss Betsey oddly insists that the child will be a girl, and is initially surprised and distressed when David is born.

Miss Betsey is a strongly opinionated woman who advocates for the well-being and independence of other women, often scoffing at the idea of marriage. She is somewhat eccentric, initially hateful of all boys, including David, and obsessed with keeping donkeys off her lawn. Ultimately, however, Miss Betsey emerges as a kind and nurturing figure, adopting David and financing his education. She also serves as the caregiver for Mr. Dick, a sweet, mentally ill elderly man she has also adopted.

In the first part of the novel, Miss Betsey seems to be a widow. The later part of the novel, however, reveals that Miss Betsey’s former husband is still alive, and that he reappears at irregular intervals to abusively extort money from her. Miss Betsey’s vigorous defense of women and suspicion of men come from her troubled relationship with her husband.

Mr. Dick is a kind-hearted, mentally declining elderly man with a childish aspect, who lives with Miss Betsey. Though Miss Betsey originally took in Mr. Dick to save him from his exploitative brother, she believes that he possesses his own unique breed of wisdom and often turns to him for advice. In the second half of the novel, Mr. Dick proves Miss Betsey right by helping repair the marriage of Dr. Strong and his young wife, Annie.

Mr. Dick is obsessed with writing a novel he calls Memorial, but his conflicting obsession with King Charles I frequently distracts him. He often escapes from his mental and emotional distress by flying a giant kite.

Mr. Barkis is a local mail carrier and carriage driver who declares his intention to marry Peggotty after tasting her delicious cakes. He is deeply devoted to Peggotty and remains married to her for ten years before dying. He is also a very frugal man, obsessed with saving money in a plain box. After his death, David discovers that the box contains a vast sum.

David’s mother marries Mr. Edward Murdstone, an older man, in the first half of the novel. He is very stern and cruel, advocating the idea of harsh parenting and frequent beatings. He psychologically abuses David’s mother, and physically abuses David whenever he falls behind in his studies. One day, David instinctively retaliates against a beating by biting Mr. Murdstone’s hand. As a result, Mr. Murdstone sends him away to Salem House, a private boy’s school owned by his friend, a similarly vicious man named Mr. Creakle. When David's mother dies, Mr. Murdstone removes him from the school and sends him to work in a wine bottling factory.

Later in the novel, David and Miss Betsey run into Mr. Murdstone at the Doctor’s Commons, where he is taking out a license to marry his second wife. David learns that this second wife is a young, naive woman like his mother, and that Mr. Murdstone similarly abuses her.

Miss Jane Murdstone, the sister of David’s stepfather, Mr. Murdstone, is a cruel spinster who moves into David’s household shortly after her brother marries David’s mother. Miss Murdstone takes over the management of all household duties, oppressing and dominating Clara Copperfield.

David re-encounters Miss Murdstone later on in the novel when he visits the home of his employer, Mr. Spenlow. There, he finds Miss Murdstone working as a servant for the Spenlow family. Though Miss Murdstone pretends to make amends with David, she eventually betrays him, revealing his secret love affair with Mr. Spenlow’s daughter, Dora.

Daniel Peggotty is Clara Peggotty's brother. He is a Yarmouth fisherman who lives in a boat he has cleverly renovated into a house. A kind, generous man, Mr. Peggotty is a father figure for numerous adopted family members, including his former associate’s widow Miss Gumidge, his orphaned nephew Ham, and his orphaned niece Little Em’ly. Mr. Peggotty is welcoming toward David and treats him as another member of his surrogate family.

When Little Em’ly disappears in the second half of the novel, Mr. Peggotty sets out on a tireless pursuit of her, searching around continental Europe. He eventually finds her in London and saves her from turning to prostitution for survival. Mr. Peggotty’s redemptive love and forgiveness help heal her spirit. To further heal his niece (and provide her with a new beginning), Mr. Peggotty emigrates with her to Australia.

Little Em’ly is the niece of Daniel Peggotty. She is very beautiful, which leads to trouble. As a child, David spends much of his time in Yarmouth happily playing on the beach with Little Em’ly—she is his first young love.

Soon after Little Em’ly becomes engaged to Ham, she runs away with David’s charismatic and wealthy friend, Steerforth. When Steerforth deserts her, she wanders abroad and eventually returns to London. Mr. Peggotty eventually finds Little Em’ly with the help of her old friend, a fallen woman named Martha. Because Little Em’ly herself is now a fallen woman home, she is compelled to seek a new life in Australia.

Ham Peggotty is Mr. Peggotty’s nephew. He is kind and good-natured, following in Mr. Peggotty’s footsteps by becoming a skilled boat craftsman. He becomes engaged to Little Em’ly, who shortly after runs away. Though he forgives Little Em’ly for abandoning him, he tells David that he must try to forget about her so she can begin anew without him in Australia.

Near the end of the novel, a fierce storm hits Yarmouth, and Ham attempts to save a man clinging to the mast of a wrecked merchant ship. The storm waves are too strong for Ham to swim through, and he tragically drowns.

Martha is a Little Em’ly’s friend and former schoolmate. She is considered a “fallen woman” by the residents of Yarmouth because she engaged in a socially unacceptable sexual affair (though the novel never explicitly reveals what she did, or with whom).

When Little Em’ly runs away, Martha redeems herself by helping Mr. Peggotty find her. After Little Em’ly’s recovery, Martha moves to Australia with them. There, Martha marries and lives happily with her own family.

Mr. Creakle is a friend of Mr. Murdstone and the headmaster of Salem House, the first boarding school David attends. He torments his students, beating them harshly for the slightest infractions.

Later in the novel, Mr. Creakle surprisingly redeems himself. He becomes a Middlesex prison magistrate and develops a much gentler, progressive behavioral system for prisoners than he ever used with his students. Ironically, Mr. Creakle believes that Uriah Heep and Littimer are model citizens within this system (a conclusion that compels the reader to question Mr. Creakle’s judgment).

Tommy Traddles is the first boy David befriends as Salem House. He generously shows David around the school and introduces him to other boys. Though Traddles is fat and awkward, he is admired by many as a loyal, true friend. He is also the frequent brunt of Mr. Creakle’s punishments, and he comforts himself by drawing skeletons on his slate.

David reunites with Traddles as adults in London. When they meet again, Traddles is a struggling young lawyer trying to earn enough to marry his sweetheart, Sophy. By the end of the novel, Traddles has becomes a successful judge, and is happily married to Sophy.

James Steerforth is a rich, popular, and charismatic older student at Salem House. He is condescending toward anyone from a lower class than him, but his condescension is often forgiven because he is attractive and charming. David immediately becomes enthralled with Steerforth, who uses David’s admiration to manipulate him. Though they remain friends throughout the novel, it is clear that Steerforth is a less-than-loyal friend and a bad influence.

Though Steerforth reveals his true character by seducing and abandoning Little Em’ly, David never stops liking Steerforth. When Steerforth drowns in the same storm that kills Ham, David mourns him deeply. 

Mrs. Steerforth is Steerforth’s wealthy mother. A widow, she lavishes affection and attention on her son, and refuses to acknowledge his character flaws. When Steerforth runs off with Little Em’ly, his mother blames Little Em’ly for corrupting her son. The novel suggests that Mrs. Steerforth has enabled and possibly even nourished many of her son’s faults. 

Rosa Dartle is Steerforth's unmarried cousin who lives with Mrs. Steerforth. She is as sharp-tempered and “dart”-like as her name suggests. She bears an old scar on her lip caused by one of her cousin’s violent childhood rages, seeming to take pride in this marking. Secretly in love with Steerforth, Rosa Dartle curses both Little Em’ly and his mother when harm befalls him.

Littimer is Steerforth's personal servant. When David first encounters Littimer, he finds his fawning manner oddly unsettling. David’s early feelings prove accurate when Littimer aids his master in capturing Little Em’ly. Eventually, Littimer even attempts to forcibly marry Little Em’ly himself.

By the end of the novel, apprehended during an attempted theft, Littimer is a model prisoner in Mr. Creakle’s institution. 

Mr. Micawber takes David in as a lodger when David works in the London bottling factory. Though Mr. Micawber suffers financial difficulties that force him to relocate throughout the novel—and even result in his imprisonment—he remains persistently optimistic. Theorists believe that Charles Dickens developed the character of Mr. Micawber from the traits his own father, who experienced similar financial struggles.

Eventually, Mr. Micawber takes a position working under Uriah Heep. After reluctantly assisting in Heep’s schemes, Mr. Micawber righteously turns against him, rallying Traddles and David to bring about Heep’s downfall. Following Mr. Micawber’s confrontation with Uriah Heep, Miss Betsey urges the Micawbers to move to Australia for a fresh start. In Australia, he flourishes as a sheep farmer, and eventually becomes a magistrate.

Mr. Wickfield is Miss Betsey Trotwood’s lawyer. A widower, he projects his grief onto his daughter, Agnes. Afraid of losing Agnes as he lost his wife, he keeps his daughter very close, compelling her to serve as his emotional caregiver. His subconscious guilt over this codependent relationship leads him to overindulge in alcohol.

Mr. Wickfield’s conniving apprentice Uriah Heep uses this substance abuse to gradually gain power over Mr. Wickfield. Heep encourages his employer to drink too much and manipulates him into believing he has committed improprieties while drunk. Through a combination of guilt, enabling, and emotional blackmail, Uriah Heep gains a partnership in Mr. Wickfield’s business and attempts to marry his daughter Agnes.

Ultimately, Mr. Wickfield is rescued from his self-destructive spiral when Mr. Micawber, David, and Traddles confront Uriah Heep about his wrongdoing. Mr. Wickfield is one of many characters who battles adversity and emerges a stronger, kinder, and more self-aware person.

Agnes is Mr. Wickfield's gentle, nurturing daughter. Serving as his caregiver for much of his life, she is highly intelligent and emotionally mature.

Agnes and David become close friends when he is a schoolboy in Canterbury, and they remain friends throughout their adult lives. Though Agnes harbors a secret love for David, she encourages his attraction to Dora Spenlow. When David struggles in his marriage, Agnes offers him sound relationship guidance, thinking of Dora as her own close friend.

After Dora passes away, David travels abroad, feeling detached from his old associations with home. He finally acknowledges his love for Agnes when she writes him a gently encouraging letter. Upon reading this letter, David realizes that his home is with Agnes (and has been all along).

David confesses his feelings of love to Agnes upon his return to England. Because Agnes feels loyal to Dora, she initially struggles to process these feelings. Eventually, Agnes accepts David’s love and becomes his second wife and the mother of his children.

Uriah Heep is the novel’s main antagonist. With his false front of obsequious behavior, his strange name (which evokes the dual images of “urine” and a garbage “heap”) and grotesque squirming mannerisms, Uriah repulses David. David’s original suspicions of Uriah’s character prove well founded: Uriah gradually gains power of Mr. Wickfield and his business. While in power, Uriah defrauds numerous clients, including David’s Aunt Betsey.

Eventually, with the help of David and Traddles, Mr. Micawber exposes Uriah and strips him of his power. Uriah ends up in prison for fraud, becoming a model inmate in Mr. Creakle’s institution.

The kindly Dr. Strong runs the school David attends in Canterbury. Later in the novel, David works for Dr. Strong on an extensive Greek dictionary.

Dr. Strong is an older man in his 60s married to the beautiful and much younger Annie. Though he deeply loves Annie, he worries that she feels distanced from him due to the gap in their respective ages and interests.

Annie is a beautiful young woman and the wife of Dr. Strong. Though she had an affair with Jack Maldron in her youth and seems tempted by his enduring affection for her, she ultimately remains loyal to her husband.

Jack Maldron is Annie’s cousin, with whom she had a childhood affair. He still has a strong affection for her, even after she marries Dr. Strong.

Eager to remove Jack as a potentially adulterous temptation for his wife, Dr. Strong helps him secure a job in India. Jack returns from India and becomes a society man.

Mr. Francis Spenlow is a lawyer who employs David as a proctor. He is also the father of Dora Spenlow, David’s eventual first wife. Mr. Spenlow disapproves of their romance and orders David to stop seeing his daughter, threatening to disinherit her if the relationship continues. However, Mr. Spenlow dies in a sudden and tragic carriage accident. After his death, his family learns that he left no will—and was heavily in debt.