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David Copperfield

Charles Dickens (1812–1870)

67 chapters and parts · about 30 hours to read

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What the book is about

"David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens is a novel published in 1849-1850. Narrated by David himself, this bildungsroman follows his journey from infancy to maturity through Victorian England. After his mother's tragic remarriage to the cruel Murdstone, young David endures hardship at boarding school, child labor in London, and eventual escape to his eccentric aunt. As he grows, David navigates friendship, betrayal, love, and ambition while encountering unforgettable characters—from the villainous Uriah Heep to the devoted Agnes—ultimately seeking his place in the world.

This summary comes from the Project Gutenberg catalogue, where it was written automatically.

  • Autobiographical fiction
  • Bildungsromans
  • Boys
  • Child labor
  • England

Chapters

  1. Opening pagesabout 5 minutes
  2. Chapter 1I Am Bornabout 23 minutes
  3. Chapter 2I Observeabout 31 minutes
  4. Chapter 3I Have a Changeabout 32 minutes
  5. Chapter 4I Fall into Disgraceabout 39 minutes
  6. Chapter 5I Am Sent Away from Homeabout 38 minutes
  7. Chapter 6I Enlarge My Circle of Acquaintanceabout 15 minutes
  8. Chapter 7My ‘First Half’ at Salem Houseabout 37 minutes
  9. Chapter 8My Holidays. Especially One Happy Afternoonabout 30 minutes
  10. Chapter 9I Have a Memorable Birthdayabout 25 minutes
  11. Chapter 10I Become Neglected, and Am Provided forabout 41 minutes
  12. Chapter 11I Begin Life on My Own Account, and Don’t Like Itabout 34 minutes
  13. Chapter 12Liking Life on My Own Account No Better, I Form a Great Resolutionabout 20 minutes
  14. Chapter 13The Sequel of My Resolutionabout 42 minutes
  15. Chapter 14My Aunt Makes Up Her Mind About Meabout 32 minutes
  16. Chapter 15I Make Another Beginningabout 20 minutes
  17. Chapter 16I Am a New Boy in More Senses Than Oneabout 44 minutes
  18. Chapter 17Somebody Turns Upabout 35 minutes
  19. Chapter 18A Retrospectabout 15 minutes
  20. Chapter 19I Look About Me, and Make a Discoveryabout 34 minutes
  21. Chapter 20Steerforth’s Homeabout 18 minutes
  22. Chapter 21Little Em’lyabout 40 minutes
  23. Chapter 22Some Old Scenes, and Some New People (part 1 of 2)about 23 minutes
  24. Chapter 22Some Old Scenes, and Some New People (part 2 of 2)about 23 minutes
  25. Chapter 23I CORROBORATE Mr. DICK, AND CHOOSE A PROFESSIONabout 30 minutes
  26. Chapter 24My First Dissipationabout 17 minutes
  27. Chapter 25Good and Bad Angelsabout 40 minutes
  28. Chapter 26I Fall into Captivityabout 32 minutes
  29. Chapter 27Tommy Traddlesabout 19 minutes
  30. Chapter 28Mr. MICAWBER’S GAUNTLETabout 39 minutes
Show all 67 chapters and parts
  1. Chapter 29I Visit Steerforth at His Home, Againabout 15 minutes
  2. Chapter 30A Lossabout 16 minutes
  3. Chapter 31A Greater Lossabout 19 minutes
  4. Chapter 32The Beginning of a Long Journeyabout 39 minutes
  5. Chapter 33Blissfulabout 35 minutes
  6. Chapter 34My Aunt Astonishes Meabout 17 minutes
  7. Chapter 35Depressionabout 42 minutes
  8. Chapter 36Enthusiasmabout 34 minutes
  9. Chapter 37A Little Cold Waterabout 16 minutes
  10. Chapter 38A Dissolution of Partnershipabout 34 minutes
  11. Chapter 39Wickfield and Heepabout 39 minutes
  12. Chapter 40The Wandererabout 18 minutes
  13. Chapter 41Dora’s Auntsabout 32 minutes
  14. Chapter 42Mischiefabout 41 minutes
  15. Chapter 43Another Retrospectabout 17 minutes
  16. Chapter 44Our Housekeepingabout 31 minutes
  17. Chapter 45Mr. Dick Fulfils My Aunt’s Predictionsabout 31 minutes
  18. Chapter 46Intelligenceabout 27 minutes
  19. Chapter 47Marthaabout 23 minutes
  20. Chapter 48Domesticabout 23 minutes
  21. Chapter 49I Am Involved in Mysteryabout 23 minutes
  22. Chapter 50Mr. PEGGOTTY’S DREAM COMES TRUEabout 21 minutes
  23. Chapter 51The Beginning of a Longer Journeyabout 37 minutes
  24. Chapter 52I Assist at an Explosion (part 1 of 2)about 23 minutes
  25. Chapter 52I Assist at an Explosion (part 2 of 2)about 23 minutes
  26. Chapter 53Another Retrospectabout 10 minutes
  27. Chapter 54Mr. MICAWBER’S TRANSACTIONSabout 29 minutes
  28. Chapter 55Tempestabout 25 minutes
  29. Chapter 56The New Wound, and the Oldabout 12 minutes
  30. Chapter 57The Emigrantsabout 21 minutes
  31. Chapter 58Absenceabout 14 minutes
  32. Chapter 59Returnabout 32 minutes
  33. Chapter 60Agnesabout 17 minutes
  34. Chapter 61I Am Shown Two Interesting Penitentsabout 24 minutes
  35. Chapter 62A Light Shines on My Wayabout 17 minutes
  36. Chapter 63A Visitorabout 15 minutes
  37. Chapter 64A Last Retrospectabout 8 minutes

David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens, is in the public domain in the United States. Text from Project Gutenberg, eBook #766, with thanks. Sureno removed Project Gutenberg's header and licence and set the text in large print; this is not an official Project Gutenberg edition. Outside the United States, check your own country's copyright rules before copying it.

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