David Copperfield

Charles Dickens’s novel in the form of an autobiography: David Copperfield tells his own life, from a childhood in Suffolk, a cruel stepfather and drudgery in a London warehouse, to manhood, love and a career as a writer.

Start reading67 chapters, about 366,000 words

Famous quotes

• Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.

  Chapter 1In context

  • Character
  • Life & Death

• Barkis is willin’.

  Chapter 5In context

  • Marriage

• A loving heart was better and stronger than wisdom

  Chapter 9In context

  • Love
  • Wisdom

• I never will desert Mr. Micawber.

  Chapter 12In context

  • Marriage

• Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.

  Chapter 12In context

  • Happiness
  • Money

• ‘Never,’ said my aunt, ‘be mean in anything; never be false; never be cruel. Avoid those three vices, Trot, and I can always be hopeful of you.’

  Chapter 15In context

  • Advice
  • Virtue

• Accidents will occur in the best-regulated families

  Chapter 28In context

  • Family

• Ride on! Rough-shod if need be, smooth-shod if that will do, but ride on! Ride on over all obstacles, and win the race!

  Chapter 28In context

  • Motivation & Goals

• My meaning simply is, that whatever I have tried to do in life, I have tried with all my heart to do well; that whatever I have devoted myself to, I have devoted myself to completely; that in great aims and in small, I have always been thoroughly in earnest.

  Chapter 42In context

  • Motivation & Goals
  • Work

Contents

1. Dedication
2. Preface to the 1850 Edition
3. Preface to the Charles Dickens Edition
4. Chapter 1I Am Born
5. Chapter 2I Observe
6. Chapter 3I Have a Change
7. Chapter 4I Fall into Disgrace
8. Chapter 5I Am Sent Away from Home
9. Chapter 6I Enlarge My Circle of Acquaintance
10. Chapter 7My ‘First Half’ at Salem House
11. Chapter 8My Holidays. Especially One Happy Afternoon
12. Chapter 9I Have a Memorable Birthday
13. Chapter 10I Become Neglected, and Am Provided For
14. Chapter 11I Begin Life on My Own Account, and Don’t Like It
15. Chapter 12Liking Life on My Own Account No Better, I Form a Great Resolution
16. Chapter 13The Sequel of My Resolution
17. Chapter 14My Aunt Makes up Her Mind About Me
18. Chapter 15I Make Another Beginning
19. Chapter 16I Am a New Boy in More Senses Than One
20. Chapter 17Somebody Turns Up
21. Chapter 18A Retrospect
22. Chapter 19I Look About Me, and Make a Discovery
23. Chapter 20Steerforth’s Home
24. Chapter 21Little Em’ly
25. Chapter 22Some Old Scenes, and Some New People
26. Chapter 23I Corroborate Mr. Dick, and Choose a Profession
27. Chapter 24My First Dissipation
28. Chapter 25Good and Bad Angels
29. Chapter 26I Fall into Captivity
30. Chapter 27Tommy Traddles
31. Chapter 28Mr. Micawber’s Gauntlet
32. Chapter 29I Visit Steerforth at His Home, Again
33. Chapter 30A Loss
34. Chapter 31A Greater Loss
35. Chapter 32The Beginning of a Long Journey
36. Chapter 33Blissful
37. Chapter 34My Aunt Astonishes Me
38. Chapter 35Depression
39. Chapter 36Enthusiasm
40. Chapter 37A Little Cold Water
41. Chapter 38A Dissolution of Partnership
42. Chapter 39Wickfield and Heep
43. Chapter 40The Wanderer
44. Chapter 41Dora’s Aunts
45. Chapter 42Mischief
46. Chapter 43Another Retrospect
47. Chapter 44Our Housekeeping
48. Chapter 45Mr. Dick Fulfils My Aunt’s Predictions
49. Chapter 46Intelligence
50. Chapter 47Martha
51. Chapter 48Domestic
52. Chapter 49I Am Involved in Mystery
53. Chapter 50Mr. Peggotty’s Dream Comes True
54. Chapter 51The Beginning of a Longer Journey
55. Chapter 52I Assist at an Explosion
56. Chapter 53Another Retrospect
57. Chapter 54Mr. Micawber’s Transactions
58. Chapter 55Tempest
59. Chapter 56The New Wound, and the Old
60. Chapter 57The Emigrants
61. Chapter 58Absence
62. Chapter 59Return
63. Chapter 60Agnes
64. Chapter 61I Am Shown Two Interesting Penitents
65. Chapter 62A Light Shines on My Way
66. Chapter 63A Visitor
67. Chapter 64A Last Retrospect