David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens

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The story follows the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. David was born in Blunderstone, Suffolk, England, six months after the death of his father. David spends his early years in relative happiness with his loving, childish mother and their kindly housekeeper, Peggotty. When he is seven years old his mother marries Edward Murdstone. During the marriage, partly to get him out of the way and partly because he strongly objects to the whole proceeding, David is sent to lodge with Peggotty's family in Yarmouth. Her brother, fisherman Mr. Peggotty, lives in a house built in an upturned boat on the beach, with his adopted relatives Emily and Ham, and an elderly widow, Mrs. Gummidge. "Little Em'ly" is somewhat spoiled by her fond foster father, and David is in love with her. On his return, David is given good reason to dislike his stepfather and has similar feelings for Murdstone's sister Jane, who moves into the house soon afterwards. Between them they tyrannise his poor mother, making her and David's lives miserable, and when, in consequence, David falls behind in his studies, Murdstone attempts to thrash him – partly to further pain his mother. David bites him and soon afterwards is sent away to a boarding school, Salem House, under a ruthless headmaster, Mr. Creakle. There he befriends an older boy, James Steerforth, and Tommy Traddles. He develops an impassioned admiration for Steerforth, perceiving him as something noble, who could do great things if he would.

David goes home for the holidays to learn that his mother has given birth to a baby boy. Shortly after David returns to Salem House, his mother and her baby die, and David returns home immediately. Peggotty marries the local carrier, Mr. Barkis. Murdstone sends David to work for a wine merchant in London – a business of which Murdstone is a joint owner. David's landlord, Wilkins Micawber, is arrested for debt and sent to the King's Bench Prison, where he remains for several months, before being released and moving to Plymouth. No one remains to care for David in London, so he decides to run away.

He walks from London to Dover, to his only relative, his eccentric yet kind-hearted great-aunt Betsey Trotwood. She had come to Blunderstone at his birth, only to depart in ire upon learning that he was not a girl. However, she takes pity on him and agrees to raise him, despite Murdstone's attempt to regain custody of David, on condition that he always tries to 'be as like his sister, Betsey Trotwood' as he can be, meaning that he is to endeavour to emulate the prospective namesake she was disappointed of. David's great-aunt renames him "Trotwood Copperfield" and addresses him as "Trot", and it becomes one of several names which David is called by in the course of the novel.

David's aunt sends him to a far better school than the last he attended. It is run by Dr. Strong, whose methods inculcate honour and self-reliance in his pupils. During term, David lodges with the lawyer Mr. Wickfield, and his daughter Agnes, who becomes David's friend and confidante. Wickfield has a secretary, the 15-year-old Uriah Heep.

By devious means, Uriah Heep gradually gains a complete ascendancy over the aging and alcoholic Wickfield, to Agnes's great sorrow. Heep hopes, and maliciously confides to David, that he aspires to marry Agnes. Ultimately with the aid of Micawber, who has been employed by Heep as a secretary, his fraudulent behaviour is revealed. At the end of the book, David meets him in a prison, for attempting to defraud the Bank of England.

Ini eBook percuma dalam bahasa Inggeris SAHAJA

Cerita ini mengikuti kehidupan David Copperfield dari zaman kanak-kanak sehingga matang. David dilahirkan di Blunderstone, Suffolk, England, enam bulan selepas kematian ayahnya. David menghabiskan usia mudanya di kebahagiaan relatif dengan kasih sayang, ibu kebudak-budakan beliau dan rumah tangga sila mereka, Peggotty. Apabila dia berumur tujuh tahun, ibunya berkahwin dengan Edward Murdstone. Dalam masa perkahwinan itu, sebahagiannya untuk mendapatkan dia keluar dari jalan dan sebahagiannya kerana beliau amat membantah seluruh prosiding itu, David dihantar untuk menyerahkan kepada keluarga Peggotty di Yarmouth. abangnya, nelayan Mr. Peggotty, tinggal di sebuah rumah yang dibina dalam sebuah bot terbalik di pantai, dengan pakai sanak saudaranya Emily dan Ham, dan janda tua, Puan Gummidge. "Little Em'ly" agak dirosakkan oleh angkat ayah suka dia, dan David adalah cinta dengan dia. Sekembalinya, David diberikan alasan yang baik untuk tidak menyukai bapa tirinya dan mempunyai perasaan yang sama untuk kakak Murdstone Jane, yang bergerak ke dalam rumah tidak lama selepas itu. Antara mereka, mereka tyrannise ibu yang lemah, menjadikan beliau dan kehidupan Daud sengsara, dan apabila, berbangkit, David jatuh di belakang dalam pelajarannya, Murdstone cuba membelasah dia - sebahagiannya sakit lagi ibunya. David menggigit beliau dan tidak lama selepas itu dihantar pulang ke sekolah berasrama penuh, Salem House, di bawah seorang guru besar kejam, Encik Creakle. Di sana dia berkawan dengan budak lelaki yang lebih tua, James Steerforth, dan Tommy Traddles. Beliau telah mengemukakan satu kekaguman berapi-api untuk Steerforth, melihat beliau sebagai sesuatu yang mulia, yang boleh melakukan perkara-perkara yang besar jika dia akan.

David pergi rumah untuk cuti belajar bahawa ibunya telah melahirkan seorang anak lelaki. Tidak lama selepas David kembali ke Salem House, ibu dan bayinya mati, dan Daud pulang ke rumah dengan segera. Peggotty berkahwin syarikat penerbangan tempatan, Encik Barkis. Murdstone menghantar David bekerja untuk seorang pedagang wain di London - perniagaan yang Murdstone adalah pemilik bersama. tuan tanah Daud, Wilkins Micawber, ditangkap kerana hutang dan dihantar ke Penjara Bench Raja, di mana dia kekal selama beberapa bulan, sebelum dibebaskan dan berpindah ke Plymouth. Yang tidak kekal untuk menjaga Daud di London, jadi dia memutuskan untuk lari.

Dia berjalan dari London ke Dover, hanya saudaranya, aneh beliau lagi baik hati bibi ibu Betsey Trotwood. Dia telah datang untuk Blunderstone kelahirannya itu, hanya untuk berlepas dalam kemarahan setelah mengetahui bahawa dia tidak adalah seorang gadis. Walau bagaimanapun, dia mengambil kasihan kepadanya dan bersetuju untuk menaikkan beliau, walaupun percubaan Murdstone untuk mendapatkan semula hak penjagaan David, dengan syarat bahawa dia sentiasa cuba untuk 'menjadi seperti kakaknya, Betsey Trotwood' kerana dia boleh, yang bermaksud bahawa dia adalah untuk berusaha mencontohi senama bakal dia kecewa of. Daud bibi ibu mengganti nama dia "Trotwood Copperfield" dan menangani beliau sebagai "Trot", dan ia menjadi salah satu daripada beberapa nama-nama yang David diserukan dalam perjalanan novel.

makcik Daud menghantar dia ke sekolah yang jauh lebih baik daripada yang lalu beliau telah menghadiri. Ia dikendalikan oleh Dr. kuat, yang kaedah memupuk kehormatan dan berdikari dalam murid-murid beliau. Selama masa, David lodge dengan peguam Encik Wickfield, dan anak perempuannya Agnes, yang menjadi sahabat Daud itu dan kepercayaan. Wickfield mempunyai seorang setiausaha, yang Uriah Heep berusia 15 tahun.

Dengan cara licik, Uriah Heep secara beransur-ansur curi kekuasaan sepenuhnya ke atas penuaan dan alkohol Wickfield, untuk kesedihan besar Agnes ini. Heep berharap, dan berniat jahat confides kepada Daud, bahawa dia bercita-cita untuk berkahwin Agnes. Akhirnya dengan bantuan Micawber, yang telah diambil bekerja oleh Heep sebagai setiausaha, tingkah laku penipuan beliau diturunkan. Pada akhir buku ini, David bertemu beliau dalam penjara, kerana cuba untuk menipu Bank of England.