Review: David Copperfield (novel)

Finally I finished this novel, so obviously it's time to review it 😄

While looking for a photo to put here I discovered possibly the most disturbing piece of cover art ever put on a classic novel: this. Apparently someone thought this is a horror novel about a headless ghost. If I wake up screaming tonight, I'll know what to blame.

David Copperfield is Charles Dickens' eighth novel, first published in 1850. It's the most autobiographical of his novels. Even while it was still being serialised it was adapted into several stage plays. Since then it's inspired at least four miniseries, two cartoons, seven films, and a number of audiobooks or radio dramas.

The already-reviewed 1999 miniseries sticks fairly close to the book, with only a few exceptions. (And a lot removed. Can't adapt the entire thing into only two episodes, after all!) This lead to the curious situation of comparing the book to the adaptation instead of the other way round 😄 

The main character, obviously, is David Copperfield. (It's very easy to forget that at times.) It doesn't have an immediately-identifiable plot; instead it's the story of David's life, starting with his birth and ending with him as a successful author. Along the way he meets many characters who are frankly more interesting than him, from his, ahem, eccentric Aunt Betsey Trotwood to the loathsome Uriah Heep.

For approximately the first half of the book David is definitely the main character; the story revolves around his evil stepfather, his awful school, and the turn for the better his life takes when he goes to his aunt for help. But then he becomes little more than a bystander as dozens of other characters take over the story. There were times when I thought the second half of the book should be renamed "The Micawbers, the Peggottys, and the Downfall of Uriah Heep, narrated by David Copperfield". Since this is a Dickens novel, all these other characters are so entertaining and distinctive that I don't mind them taking over the story. (Frankly they're much more interesting than David is!)

The main thing I disliked about the book is how utterly unmemorable David is. Everyone else has at least one instantly identifiable trait: Aunt Betsey hates donkeys, Mr. Micawber is obsessed with writing letters, Mrs. Gummidge is almost constantly complaining... Even Dora, imbecile though she is, has a distinct character. When I try to think about David, all that comes to mind is his terrible judge of character (as shown when he befriends Steerforth and marries Dora). David might as well be a plot device for all the impact he has on some subplots. When he proposes to Agnes I'm left wondering how such a sensible woman could ever like him enough to marry him.

Another thing I disliked was how the Murdstones get no comeuppance. They drive David's mother to her death, then Mr. Murdstone marries another woman and they start it all over again. When they're last mentioned, he's married yet another woman and is doing the exact same thing 😨 Steerforth dies, Uriah Heep goes to prison, but two of the vilest characters in the book are still at large and ruining lives. Why didn't Dickens kill them off?!

On the bright side, I love the rest of the characters (Aunt Betsey, Peggotty and Miss Mowcher especially) so much that I can overlook how dull David is 😄 This isn't my favourite Dickens book, but it's in the top five.

Is it available online?: Yes, on Gutenberg.

Rating: 7/10.

Review: David Copperfield (1999) Episode 2

Episode 1 ended with David falling in love with Dora. Does anyone think this will end well? No? Then you already know some of episode 2's plot.

David meets Steerforth again, years after they met at that horrible school. It's obvious from the start that Steerforth has grown up to be a character very like Wickham, but David doesn't see this.

After this David finds Mr. Micawber, and in the process accidentally introduces him to Uriah Heep.

David, Mr. Micawber... and Heep

David and Steerforth visit Dan Peggotty and his family. While there Steerforth meets Em'ly. This is the start of much misery for the Peggottys and David. Ham and Em'ly have gotten engaged. It's obvious that she doesn't care much for Ham, and that she's far too interested in Steerforth.

Meanwhile, David is shocked to learn that Mr. Micawber has become Uriah Heep's clerk. Shortly afterward, Aunt Betsey loses most of her money. David also has very little money, so he decides to take up writing.

This leads to trouble with Dora. David tells her he loves her, but she can't imagine marrying a poor man. This should warn David not to marry her at all.

David visits the Wickfields, and learns that Uriah Heep has gained some sort of power over Mr. Wickfield. He's using this power to try to force Agnes to marry him.

Am I the only one having flashbacks to Arthur Gride and Madeline Bray in Nicholas Nickleby?

Em'ly runs off with Steerforth, and Dan Peggotty sets out to find her. David goes to Steerforth's mother with the news, and finds that she blames the Peggottys entirely for it.

Ham, Dan and David read Em'ly's letter

Dora's father goes bankrupt and dies. David goes and proposes to Dora.

She's just as silly and childish after marriage as she was before it. David invites Mr. and Mrs. Micawber to dinner, and then finds that Dora doesn't know how to cook. The dinner is... a bit of a disaster. Mrs. Micawber reveals that since Mr. Micawber became Heep's clerk, he's become suspicious and secretive.

David and Dan finally find Em'ly. Steerforth abandoned her and disappeared. Dan decides to emigrate to Australia with Em'ly.

David goes to give Ham a letter from Em'ly. He arrives to find that a ship is sinking in a storm, and Ham goes out to try and save some of the people on it. One of those people is Steerforth. He drowns, and Ham drowns trying to save him. Ouch. I couldn't care less about Steerforth's death, but poor Ham 😭

😭

After this, Mr. Micawber asks David and Aunt Betsey to visit his office. He reveals that Heep has deceived Mr. Wickfield into thinking he stole money, and uses this imaginary crime to blackmail Mr. Wickfield.

Heep has also been stealing other people's money, including Aunt Betsey's. She's furious when she hears this.

It's not clear from the screenshot, but she's hitting him with her purse here. Never mess with Aunt Betsey!

Uriah Heep is transported. After this the Micawbers decide to emigrate to Australia.

Dora has been ill for a while, and now she's dying. After she dies David travels the world for several years. At last he comes back, and very suddenly decides he's in love with Agnes and has been for years.

This is always a part that stretches my willing suspension of disbelief. Somehow David never realised that he was pining for Agnes for years? And he only realises because she tells him she loves him? It just feels too abrupt to be believable.

Anyway, David and Agnes get married and have children. And Aunt Betsey finally gets her goddaughter, Betsey Trotwood Copperfield. Aww!

So, what do I think of the miniseries over all?

As I've already said, Young!David is adorable. I just want to hug him and tell him everything's going to be all right. Unfortunately, adult!David never makes much impression on me. There's nothing glaringly wrong about Ciarán McMenamin's performance, but there's also nothing outstanding about him. But the other actors are perfect in their roles, so I can overlook that.

This is a fairly faithful adaptation because it adapts all the important parts of the book. But it's been literal years since I read the book, so there are probably minor differences between the two that I didn't pick up on.

Is it available online?: Not as far as I know :( But you can buy it on Amazon!

Rating of this episode: 7/10.

Rating of the whole series: 7/10.

Review: David Copperfield (1999) Episode 1

This version of David Copperfield was the first version of the book I ever saw, and it was what got me interested in period drama to begin with. So it's about time I reviewed it, don't you think? 😃

I'd watched several period dramas before -- Pride and Prejudice, A Christmas Carol, Oliver Twist, and similar ones. But none of them, not even P&P, got me interested in the genre as a whole the way David Copperfield did.

The miniseries is based on Charles Dickens' eighth novel, which was also his most autobiographical. As the title suggests, the main character is called David Copperfield.

Recognisable actors include:
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) as young David Copperfield
Emilia Fox (Georgiana in Pride and Prejudice 1995) as Clara Copperfield
Maggie Smith (the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey, Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter, and Mrs. Medlock in The Secret Garden 1993) as Betsey Trotwood
Zoë Wanamaker (Mrs. Jarley in The Old Curiosity Shop 2007) as Jane Murdstone
Pauline Quirk (Dixon in North and South) as Peggotty
Alun Armstrong (Inspector Bucket in Bleak House) as Dan Peggotty
Imelda Staunton (Miss Pole in Cranford) as Mrs. Micawber
Ian McKellen (Gandalf in Lord of the Rings) as Mr. Creakle
Karl Johnson (Twister in Lark Rise to Candleford) as Tungay
Dawn French (Caroline Arless in Lark Rise to Candleford) as Mrs. Crupp

The story starts with Betsey Trotwood visiting Clara Copperfield, the widow of her nephew, on the evening David is born. Miss Trotwood is sure the baby will be a girl. She's so furious it's a boy that she leaves, never to return.

Betsey Trotwood

David and his mother

Years pass, and Clara finds a new husband: Mr. Murdstone. It's obvious from his first appearance that this guy is trouble. Even his name sounds horrible! Yet Clara decides she wants to marry him. I can sum up my reaction to this in two words: you idiot!

Mr. Murdstone, the wicked stepfather.

David goes to stay with Dan Peggotty, an uncle of Clara Peggotty, the Copperfields' maid. There he meets Ham and Little Em'ly, both of whom will be important later.

Dan Peggotty

Clara Peggotty and David

Ham and Little Em'ly

While he's away his mother marries Mr. Murdstone. David returns to find his stepfather's sister has also moved in, and she's taken over the house.

Jane Murdstone. Someone knock that bonnet off, please. And tread upon it!

Together the Murdstones abuse Clara, Peggotty, and David. Their cruelty leads to David biting Mr. Murdstone (hurray!). Unfortunately this makes the Murdstones send David off to a horrible school, run by the equally horrible Mr. Creakle. Imagine a marginally less vile version of Wackford Squeers in Nicholas Nickleby, and you know all you need to know about Mr. Creakle.

Mr. Creakle. Ugh.

While at this school David meets a boy called Steerforth, who'll also be important later.

David, Steerforth, and some of the schoolboys

Clara Copperfield dies, and Mr. Murdstone takes David out of school and sends him away to work in a factory. He stays with Mr. and Mrs. Micawber, two of the nicest (and funniest) characters in the series.

Mr. Micawber

Mrs. Micawber

Mr. Micawber is in debt, and while David is staying at his house he's arrested and sent to a debtor's prison. Mrs. Micawber's family pay his debts, and the Micawbers pack up and leave -- but can't take David. He decides to find his aunt Betsey Trotwood. After a long arduous journey, he arrives at her house.

At first Aunt Betsey wants nothing to do with him. ("No boys here!") But when she learns who he is and what's happened to him, she takes him in. Aunt Betsey is one of the characters Dickens excelled at writing: comically eccentric, but with a heart of gold.

Also staying with Aunt Betsey is Mr. Dick, another of the nicest characters in the series even though he's a bit odd. (King Charles I, anyone?)

Mr. Dick

The Murdstones reappear, demanding Aunt Betsey hands David over to them. She refuses. Awesomely.

"Do you think I don't know what sort of life you led this poor child's mother? It was a woeful day when you first appeared!"

That's the last we see of the Murdstones, thank goodness. Unfortunately they're soon to be replaced with another villain. Aunt Betsey sends David off to school -- a much better school than Mr. Creakle's. While there he stays with Aunt Betsey's lawyer Mr. Wickfield, his daughter Agnes... and his clerk Uriah Heep.

The very 'umble Uriah Heep. (Side note: I'm endlessly annoyed that no adaptation of the novel ever remembers Uriah was only fifteen when David came to stay with the Wickfields.)

David grows up and goes to work for another lawyer, Mr. Spenlow, who has a daughter named Dora. David immediately falls in love with Dora. Unfortunately, she's a childish airhead. This is especially irritating because Agnes is clearly in love with David, but he's such an idiot he doesn't realise it.

David, now an adult, and Agnes

Dora

Episode 1 ends with David determined to marry Dora. Of course there's no way this could possibly go wrong...

So, what do I think of the series so far?

It's not one of the best Dickens adaptations, and it might not even be the best adaptation of David Copperfield. (Though it's certainly better than the 2000 version, which sees the book's plot as a guideline to be ignored at will, and probably better than the upcoming 2019 version, which has the oddest cast list I've ever seen for a Dickens adaptation -- Tilda Swinton as Aunt Betsey? Who looked at the White Witch of all people and thought "She'd be perfect as Aunt Betsey!"?)

A mark against this adaptation is that it has Dawn French in a (mercifully) minor role, and I can't stand her. She isn't even an actress, she's a comedienne, and she couldn't portray a convincing emotion if her life depended on it. To make matters worse she shares her scene with the magnificent Maggie Smith. The contrast between the two is so obvious that I don't know if I should laugh or be furious that someone actually thought casting Dawn French was a good idea.

But other than that, the acting in this adaptation is pretty good overall. Young!David is adorable, Mr. Dick and Mr. Micawber are brilliant, Uriah Heep is a slimy creep, Mrs. Micawber is hilarious, the Murdstones are vile, and Aunt Betsey is awesome.

Rating of this episode: 7/10.