David Copperfield

David continues to feel awkward about his youth, experiencing embarrassment when the inn’s chambermaid offers him shaving water (which he doesn’t need). Steerforth, by contrast, seems self-possessed and elegant. During breakfast, Steerforth insists that David spend a few days with him at his mother’s house before visiting Peggotty’s family. Steerforth also gives David the effeminate and lightly mocking nickname “Daisy.”

After a day of sightseeing around town, they visit Steerforth’s widowed mother and his cousin Rosa Dartle. Mrs. Steerforth is deeply devoted to her son. Rose Dartle, who looks like a female version of Steerforth, also appears to be deeply devoted him. David observes some sexual tension between Rosa and Steerforth.

Rosa Dartle has a scar over her lip. Steerforth explains that when he was a child, he angrily threw a hammer at her and “She has borne the mark ever since.” Steerforth grimly reflects that “she’ll bear it to her grave, if she ever rests in one—though I can hardly believe she will ever rest anywhere” (694).

David is given a room to sleep in. As he drifts off to sleep, he notices that there’s a painting of Rosa Dartle on the wall, but the painting contains no scar. Staring at the painting, he finds himself imagining the scar. Even after he extinguishes the light, he lies in bed thinking about the scar, feeling as though the painting is watching him.

David meets Steerforth’s personal servant Littimer, whose extremely politeness sets David on edge. David convinces Steerforth to accompany him to Yarmouth.

David reflects (in retrospect) that Steerforth treats him with haughty detachment but he so loves by their playful dynamic that he enjoys being treated like a toy. For example, after David insists on surprising Peggotty’s family, Steerforth condescendingly agrees to “see the natives in their aboriginal condition.” David defers to Steerforth’s snobbery: “they ARE that sort of people that you mentioned” (711), eager to go along with Steerforth, even if he insults his dearest friends.

On the way to Yarmouth, they stop in the shop of Mr. Omer (who made the coffin for David’s mother). Mr. Omer tells David that Em’ly is now working for him, wryly noting that Em’ly’s beauty makes her the envy of all local women. He suggests that they also resent her pretensions toward being a “lady.”

David continues on to Peggotty’s home, where she now lives with Mr. Barkis. When Peggotty first sees David, she is so surprised that it takes her a moment to recognize him. When she realizes David has come to see her, she weeps and laughs with joy. Mr. Barkis greets David from his bed, as he is weak with rheumatism. He warmly recalls telling David he wanted to marry Peggotty after tasting her cakes, musing that marriage to her has been everything he hoped for. Mr. Barkis tells Peggotty to take some money from his savings box and prepare a special dinner in David’s honor.

After dinner, Steerforth and David head to Mr. Peggotty’s boathouse. Steerforth is his usual charming yet artificial self. Reflecting back on this moment, David muses, “If anyone had told me, then, that all this was a brilliant game […] my indignation would have found a vent!” (730).

At the boathouse, everyone is excited because Ham and Little Em’ly have just announced their engagement. After a night of celebration, however, David and Steerforth depart in very different moods. While David is happy for his friends, Steerforth is strangely disgruntled, mocking Ham in a superior tone. It’s clear to the reader—though not to David—that Steerforth is attracted to Em’ly, and that he feels a mix of jealousy and entitlement. Shocked by Steerforth’s tone, David calls him out for mocking the poor.

One evening, David returns to the boathouse and finds Steerforth sitting gloomily by the fire. In a state of angry irritation, Steerforth tells David that he wishes he’d grown up with a father to guide him. He declares, “It would be better to be this poor Peggotty, or his lout of a nephew […] than to be myself, twenty times richer and twenty times wiser” (756).

Steerforth has purchased a boat for Mr. Peggotty to man in his absence, which he has named “The Little Em’ly.” The two men return to the inn, where they have their hair cut by a cheerful dwarf named Miss Mowcher. Miss Mowcher remarks that she hasn’t seen a pretty girl in the area for some time, and Steerforth waxes about the beauty of Little Em’ly.

After this haircut, David returns to the boathouse. He finds Em’ly conversing with a former schoolmate of hers named Martha. Ham pulls David aside and explains that Martha has been “trod under foot by all the town” (790) and has come begging for money to go to London. Ham was somewhat shocked by Em’ly’s immediate compassion for Martha and dismayed by the fact that she gave Martha money, as he believes Little Em’ly shouldn’t associate with “disgraced” women. After Martha leaves, Em’ly repeatedly cries out to Ham that she is not as “good” as he believes her to be.

David contemplates Little Em’ly’s emotional outburst the night before. He decides he cannot tell anyone about it, even Steerforth.

David receives a letter from Miss Betsey asking that he consider a career as a proctor. On the coach ride to London with Steerforth, David discusses this career option. Steerforth feels it’s a good option for David—a quiet, “monkish” profession that brings a respectable income.

Miss Betsey meets David in London and is excited when he announces his plan to become a proctor. She tells him that it will cost a thousand pounds for him to earn his license, and he balks at this sum, pointing out that she has already spent a great deal on his education. Miss Betsey reassures him that providing for his future is her primary aim in life. Furthermore, she feels that discussions of his future bring out the best in Mr. Dick.

Miss Betsey and David go to the Doctors’ Commons to establish David as a proctor. On the way, they come across a poorly dressed man who David initially assumes is a beggar. Miss Betsey is very frightened of this man, and she urges David not to speak to him. She gives the man most of her money and tells David never to mention this incident.

David and Miss Betsey go to the office of Spenlow and Jorkins. Mr. Spenlow agrees to employ David as a clerk. Miss Betsey then arranges a nice apartment for David in a building run by Mrs. Crupp. Mrs. Crupp is a kind woman who promises she will take good care of David.

When Mrs. Crupp shows David his apartment, he is somewhat disturbed to find the furniture and belongings of the last tenant still there. Mrs. Crupp explains that the last tenant died from alcoholism. The ever-practical Miss Betsey reassures David, “That’s not catching” (833).

David feels lonely at night. One evening, he goes to the Steerforths‘, hoping to see his friend. Mrs. Steerforth tells him that he is out with friends from Oxford, but he will return soon. David feels jealous of these other friends.

Steerforth drops by David’s apartment and commends his accommodations. They plan for David to host a dinner party for himself, Steerforth, and his Oxford friends the following evening. David agonizes intensely over preparations for this party, wanting everything to be just right for Steerforth. At the party, he drinks so much that he gets sick.

While drunk, David, Steerforth, and his friends head to the theater. There, David runs into Agnes. David stumbles around and slurs his words. Agnes expresses concern over his condition and urges him to go home. The next morning, David is badly hung over and regretful.

Agnes sends David a letter asking him to visit her at the home of her father’s London lawyer, where she is currently staying. During this visit, she warns David that Steerforth is a “bad angel” (861) who has too much influence over him. Though David defends Steerforth, he quietly considers her accusations and wonders if there might be some truth to them.

Agnes also brings news of another “bad angel”: Uriah Heep. She tells David that Uriah has become a partner in her father’s firm, prompting great distress in David. She speaks ominously of her father’s choice to make Uriah a partner, saying, “I did […] what I hope was right. Feeling sure that it was necessary for papa’s peace that the sacrifice should be made, I entreated him to make it. I said it would lighten the load of his life—I hope it will!” (869). Now that Uriah is a partner, however, Agnes worries that she is her father’s “enemy” instead of his “loving child” (869).

David attends a dinner party at Agnes’ London residence. At the party, he sees his old schoolmate Tommy Traddles. He learns that Traddles is studying for the bar exam, and that he has become a fine gentleman. David then runs into Uriah, who is his usual unpleasant, writhing self. He follows David home, where he insists on spending the night in front of David’s fire in a pretense of subservience. In an extremely awkward conversation with David, Uriah confesses that he intends to marry Agnes.

That night, David finds himself unable to sleep, as he is preoccupied with Uriah’s revolting presence. 

David continues to feel lonely in his day-to-day work at Spenlow and Jorkins. Sensing David’s isolation, Mr. Spenlow invites him to spend a weekend with his family. At Mr. Spenlow’s home, David meets his beautiful daughter Dora, and instantly falls in love.

At the Spenlow’s home, David also sees Miss Murdstone, who has served as Dora’s companion since Dora’s mother died. After dinner, Miss Murdstone pulls him aside and tells him she does not wish to bring up the past, simply stating, “I may have my opinion of you. You may have your opinion of me” (921). She expresses her desire to move beyond these opinions and behave politely toward one another. Though David denounces Miss Murdstone’s past cruelty, he agrees not to act on his internal feelings.

Lush trees and gardens frame Mr. Spenlow’s home. When wandering these gardens one morning, David comes across Dora walking her small dog. When she calls it her pet, David internally wishes to be her pet instead.

David enters a depressed fog upon returning to his London apartment. The kind-hearted Mrs. Crupp immediately senses that he is in love. She treats his love like an illness, bringing tinctures and brandy to soothe him.

To take his mind off Dora, David goes to visit Traddles. He finds that coincidentally, Traddles lives in the same shabby building as the Micawbers. Traddles remains the same simple, genial friend of David’s boyhood. The two commiserate about their schooldays and catch up on each other’s adult lives. Traddles is trying to save enough money to marry his fiancée. With this revelation, David drifts off into dreams of marrying Dora.

Mr. Micawber comes by to visit Traddles. When he first sees David, he does not recognize him, and greets him politely but distantly. When David tells Mr. Micawber who he is, Mr. Micawber is overjoyed to see him and thrilled that he has become a gentleman.

Mr. Micawber reveals that he has “fallen back” financially, though he is confident he will eventually recover from this fall with a “vigorous spring” (957). He also shares that Mrs. Micawber is pregnant. Before he leaves, David invites both Traddles and the Micawbers to dinner at his apartment later in the week.

In the days leading up to the dinner, David exists in a gloomy, Dora-obsessed haze, living on nothing but coffee. He convinces Mrs. Crupp to make the dinner, which results in a comically undercooked mess. When his guests arrive, they help David salvage the dinner as much as possible, with helpful direction from Mrs. Micawber.

As they cooperate to save the dinner, Mr. Micawber jokes about how the process reminds him of his bachelor days. Mrs. Micawber takes offense to the joke, and tearfully asks what she has done to deserve these remarks after standing by him through challenging circumstances. Mr. Micawber tells David that the wife is the center of the family, especially in trying times. Ultimately, they all manage to prepare a nice dinner and enjoy themselves.

In the midst of their dinner, Littimer comes by looking for Steerforth. He insists on helping David prepare and serve the rest of dinner. After Littimer leaves, David notices that the atmosphere feels much more relaxed. He wonders, “How was it, having so little in reality to conceal, that I always DID feel as if this man were finding me out?” (976).

Mr. Micawber drinks a great deal of punch and rambles, praising Traddles and denouncing Mrs. Micawber’s disapproving, well-to-do family. To the dismay of Mrs. Micawber, he also suggests that he could use financial help. Toward the end of dinner, David pulls Traddles aside and advises him not to give Mr. Micawber any money, though he insists Mr. Micawber means well. Traddles says he has no money to give Mr. Micawber, but confesses that he has already allowed Mr. Micawber to borrow money under his name. Traddles insists that the situation is under control, but David is skeptical.

Steerforth arrives immediately after David’s guests leave. Steerforth speaks mockingly of Traddles, unnerving David by his superior tone. Steerforth delivers a letter from Peggotty. In this letter, Peggotty explains that Mr. Barkis is fatally ill. As David reads the letter, Steerforth casually consumes the leftovers of his dinner, proclaiming, “the sun sets every day, and people die every minute, and we mustn’t be scared by the common lot” (1,000). Though David is somewhat taken aback by Steerforth’s blasé tone, he also observes how handsome and charismatic he appears. Steerforth then invites David over to his mother’s house, jokingly claiming he needs David to stand between him and Rosa Dartle.

The next day, David opens a letter from Mr. Micawber, which explains that his borrowed funds are overdue. David is sad to realize that Mr. Micawber expects Traddles to assume responsibility for his own poor judgment. 

At the Steerforth home, Rosa Dartle anxiously questions David about what Steerforth has been up to. Rosa seems distressed that Steerforth might be romantically involved with someone else.

Rosa also tells David that if Steerforth and his mother ever fought, it would be a truly vicious battle, as both of them are preternaturally stubborn. Mrs. Steerforth, however, assures David that she and her son know better than to ever fight with one another.

Toward the end of David’s visit, Steerforth seems oddly hesitant to let him leave. He ominously tells David, “if anything should ever separate us, you must think of me at my best” (1,022). David replies that he cares for Steerforth at his best and his worst.

As David leaves the next morning, he contemplates how peaceful the still-sleeping Steerforth looks. Looking backward, an adult David reflects that this was the last moment when he thought of Steerforth as a true friend.