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Revision as of 07:34, 21 July 2002 by Deb (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)David Copperfield is a novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1849. Like most of his other works, it originally appeared in serial form.
Warning: wikipedia contains spoilers
The story is that of an orphaned boy, David Copperfield, who is ill-treated by his cruel stepfather, Mr Murdstone, and escapes by walking all the way from London to Canterbury, to find his only known relative, his eccentric Aunt Betsy Trotwood - who agrees, out of sheer perversity, to bring him up.
The story follows David as he grows to adulthood, and a host of well-known characters enter and leave his acquaintance. These include his nurse, Peggotty, and her family, his schoolfriend, Steerforth, and his childhood sweetheart, Agnes Wickfield. The two most famous characters are David's mentor, Mr Micawber, and his enemy, the devious and fraudulent clerk, Uriah Heep, whose misdeeds are eventually discovered with Micawber's assistance. Having married the beautiful but empty-headed Dora Spenlow, David is eventually left a widower, and finds true happiness with Agnes, who has never ceased to love him.