Charles Dickens: David Copperfield

In the Victorian era, called after Queen Victoria, (second half of the 19th century), Britain became the
Greatest industrial power, financial power, sea power and the greatest colonial power in the world. The negative
features of capitalism began to be depicted (vylíčen) in the works of many authors such as Dickens. Working class
demonstrations forced several reforms - for example in education.
Charles Dickens best represents the literature of social criticism in the nineteenth century. The figures and
situations, both comic and serious, which he created, had not been appeared in English literature since the time of
Shakespeare. In his novels he showed both the aristocracy and the middle class of acting towards the common
people. Dickens is one of the best narrators (vypravěč) of his period as well as one of the most flexible creators of
characters.
Charles Dickens, born in 1812, was the son of a clerk in a government office: His father spent more money than he
earned, and Charles was still a boy when his father was sent to prison for debt (dluh). In those days, men who
owned quite small amounts had to stay in prison until the debt was paid.
One result was that Charles's education was interrupted. Another result was that he had experience of the
unhappy life of many poor people, including children. In years of hard work in various unpleasant jobs he met
large numbers of people, young and old, rich and poor, happy and unhappy. He worked hard to improve his
knowledge and at the same time he stored away memories of all the people he met - the men he worked for, the
boy he worked with, London scenes and London characters.
He learnt to write shorthand, and he became a newspaper reporter, using his shorthand to record
conversations in different parts of England and finally in Parliament. He began to write sketches -short stories for
weekly and monthly magazines. Readers enjoyed these sketches, especially those that showed Dickens's humour.
The Pickwick Papers appeared and the public loved them. Mr. Pickwick is very simple observer (pozorovatel) of the
behaviour of the people of his time and his servant, clever fellow, gets Mr. Pickwick out of trouble with all the
humour of London "cockney" (nevzdělanec). The Pickwick Papers were immediately popular, and Dickens was soon
in a position to make the writing of novels his one profession. The stories poured (se sypaly) from his pen. They all
appeared in parts in weekly magazines before being collected in books.
Dickens's characters were much better or much worse than they would be in real life. But the readers
accepted this. The stories were perhaps rather to laugh or cry over the characters and situations than we are today.
The novels of Dickens are full of life, energy and his own energy seemed endless. His books were popular in the
English-speaking countries on both sides of the Atlantic. In later years he travelled widely in Britain and America.
His sudden death in 1870 shocked thousands of people who were waiting for his next book.

D
avid Copperfield
David Copperfield is partly autobiographical. Many of the people and situations Dickens describes come
from his own life. But if he knew the people - teachers, lawyers, fishermen, schools, offices and other places - he
used his imagination in describing them. Mr. Micawber, for example is based on Charles Dickens's own father. In
the story, Mr. Micawber is an exaggerated (přehánět) picture of every optimist. The world is full of optimists who
expect that everything will be all right if we would say that he is a personification of optimism.
Dickens's characters often remain in our memories because of a catch phrase. The one we connect with Mr.
Micawber is "Something will turn up". Another in this book is "Barkis is willing" (pomýšlející). Uriah Heep is "very
humble " (velmi oddaný) and so on.
The story starts when David was born. His father had died before he was born. Mother had a girl-servant
(sloužící), her name was Peggotty. With her went young David to Yarmouth where lived Peggotty's brother. When
he returned he have got a new father Mr. Murdstone. It was an unhappy time for David. The new father beat
David and he often said to the mother: "You must be firm. " (pevná). Mr. Murdstone did not wish David to sit
doing nothing. David's only happiness was a set of books, which had belonged to his father.
One day was David sent to the school in Blackheath. The carrier asked David about Peggotty and he send
to her the message that "Barkis is willing" - he wished to married her. It was very bad school. At holidays he have
seen his mother last time alive. He returned to the school again, but soon he has got the message about mother's
dead. He returned home and here he took part in marriage Peggotty and Barkis.
His stepfather sent him to work in office in London. Here he lived in lodgings (podnájem) at the Mr. Micawber's
house. Mr. Micawber has had four children and was very short of money. They began to sell their things to get
food. At last Mr. Micawber was taken to prison. But he still believed that something would turn up (snad se něco
najde). He still stayed optimist. But David decided that he would go to the only relation he had, to the aunt, Miss
Trotwood in Dover. Because he hadn't money he walked.
He was taken in (přijat) very well. Later his aunt sent him to the school in Canterbury. Here he was living
in Mr. Wickfield's house. Mr. Wickfield was a lawyer and had one employee named Uriah Heep. Very important
person was Agnes - the daughter of Mr. Wickfield. David fell in love for Agnes. He liked the new school and the
headmaster Dr. Strong. David felt very happy when he was with Agnes. She helped him with his work.
Mr. Wickfield managed the money of David's aunt. After school his aunt had arranged for David a work in
the office of lawyers in London. Once had Agnes come to London and had met David. She said that Uriah forced
on her father, and he is now living in their house, and forced her father to give him Agnes as his wife. About a
month later he had met Tradlles, old school friend. He had become a very successful lawyer.
Once he found his aunt in his lodgings. She said that she is ruined. She could not pay for him to continue
with lawyers. David starts work for Mr. Strong at his dictionary. But Mr. Micawber asked David to meet him. He
said to him that Uriah Heep is thief and was deceiving (podváděl) all.
With the help of Tradlles they found out that Heep changed account books, Mr. Wickfield managed to sign papers,
which allowed him to draw out from bank the money belonging to the David's aunt, saying that it was for things
which had already been paid for. Heep gave back all the money and left. David travelled in Italy, France and
Switzerland. At last he returned home. His first journey was to Agnes. At least he understood that Agnes loved
him all her life.
M
y opinion
I have to say that I read this book many years ago, actually it was on the basic school. I found it by
chance when I was doing a general cleaning so I don't remember it so clearly to say how I enjoy this book but from
these notes I could say I like it the story was quite interesting and the book has relatively quick cadence (spád slov).
There were adequate quantity of characters. So the book made for me.

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