David Copperfield

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David Copperfield is the story of a hard life endured is ultimately rewarded because of perseverance, kindness and common sense. Copperfield loses his father as a child, his mother then marries Murdstone, a cruel man who oppresses her and sends the boy away from home to a hostel. His mother dies, then Copperfield is sent to a factory, before running away to his Aunt Betsey Trotwood who protects him and whose relationship he maintains throughout his life. Further suffering follows though when Copperfield's first wife dies in childbirth, but by the end of the novel he too marries once more, finally to live towards a happy end, with Agnes and their three children. Throughout, Dickens highlights the systemic abuse of the weak, the ill, and, often, the female, eager to show that society is at fault for poverty, not the individual, so the poor should be helped, not victimised.


About the Author
The iconic and much-loved Charles Dickens was born in 1812 in Portsmouth, though he spent much of his life in Kent and London. A prolific writer, Dickens kept up a career in journalism as well as writing short stories and novels, with much of his work being serialised before being published as books. He gave a view of contemporary England with a strong sense of realism, yet instilled his stories with a sense of charm, fantastic characters and humour like no other. He continued to work himself hard up until his death in 1870, leaving 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' unfinished.

Judith John (Glossary) is a writer and editor specializing in literature and history. She has worked as an editor on major educational projects, including English A: Literature for the Pearson International Baccalaureate series. Judith's major research interests include Romantic and Gothic literature, and Renaissance drama.