The protagonist in David Copperfield recounts his life, the people, and the experiences that have shaped his personality by reconstructing them from memory. Copperfield transitions into becoming a novelist after spending several years in journalism. Henry James asserted that a novelist is someone who forgets nothing throughout their life. From childhood, their mind closely observes the surrounding world. Dickens also believes that every child is an observant individual. Feeling that he has matured as a writer, Copperfield seeks to understand how he became the unique person he recognizes himself to be. David's opening statement, "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," suggests a certain humility and differs from what might be expected in a story that partly mirrors Charles Dickens' autobiography. Dickens is regarded as one of the most flamboyant English writers, a man who adored theatrical performances, often directing and starring in them.

Copperfield's father passed away before he was born. Young David enjoyed his early years with his mother and the family's cherished housekeeper, Peggotty. He was the focus of their lives, but this did not last. Edward Murdstone, a character resembling the typical Victorian villain, courts his mother. Dickens combined "murder" and "stone" to create the name, and Murdstone is indeed murderous in his attitude towards the young boy and his overly submissive mother, Clara. After returning from his first visit to Peggotty's home in Yarmouth, David discovers his mother's marriage, and Murdstone immediately assumes control of the boy. He is as unyielding as stone and expects the same firmness from those around him. The relationship between children and parents is a recurring theme in many of Dickens' novels. David and his mother fall into the hands of a sadist, or rather two sadists, as Murdstone's sister, who shares her brother's cruel nature, soon joins the family. David is quickly informed that any defiance towards his stepfather will result in a beating. This threat is realized a few days later when David is severely whipped for being slow to learn his lessons. In his struggle, he further angers Murdstone by biting his tormentor's hand.

The stark contrast between Peggotty's warm-hearted family and the Murdstones is unmistakable. Dan'l Peggotty, the housekeeper's brother, epitomizes kindness. He has taken in a young niece, Em'ly, who is David's age, and an older nephew, Ham, who, like his uncle, has become a fisherman. Dan'l is the ideal father figure. David cherishes both the members of this family and their unique home, which is shaped like a boat. Dickens meticulously studied a book on the Suffolk dialect to ensure the Peggottys spoke authentically. David's own home, Blunderstone Rookery, no longer holds the joy and laughter he experiences in Yarmouth, which he once knew with his mother and Peggotty. A child is powerless when faced with malevolence and wickedness.

Shortly after biting Murdstone's hand, David is sent to Salem House Academy, a school where the headmaster, Creakle, is both sadistic and foolish. Creakle, incapable of learning or teaching, only knows how to use a cane at the slightest provocation. Since he speaks only in hoarse whispers, his assistant, the one-legged Tungay, shouts out his orders. Dickens showcases his usual talent for creating grotesque characters. A modern reader might wonder why such a pair would be running a school with such unchecked cruelty. However, sadistic schoolmasters have been all too common throughout the history of education. Saint Augustine in his Confessions mentions living in constant fear of beatings during his early school days. Dickens explored this theme in Nicholas Nickleby. Despite his own patchy education, Dickens was deeply concerned with education throughout his life. Salem House fails to educate David or any of its students effectively. Intimidated by fear, the students gain little from their lessons. However, David makes two friends: Tommy Traddles, a kind and gentle boy who is one of Creakle's favorite targets, and James Steerforth, a young aristocrat whose presence at the school is never explained. Steerforth befriends David and is the only student who dares to stand up to Creakle and Tungay. Yet, he also takes advantage of David, spending the younger boy's money and making him read stories aloud late into the night, even when David is exhausted. Only much later does David understand why Steerforth asks if he has a sister. David views Steerforth as a superior being, as noble as he is handsome. But he also witnesses Steerforth ruin the career of an innocent teacher, Mr. Mell, by making an arrogant accusation against him to Creakle.

David's mother passes away due to the oppressive actions of the Murdstones, and the newborn baby follows soon after. Following the funeral, David does not return to Salem House. Instead, Murdstone sends him to London to work in his warehouse, assigning him the most menial task available: washing and labeling bottles. David lodges with the Micawber family, Wilkens and Emma Micawber, who are among the novel's most unforgettable characters. The firm of Murdstone and Grimby, along with David's employment there, is inspired by Dickens' own humiliating experience at Warren's Blacking Factory, Hungerford Stairs, London. This tedious, monotonous work left a lasting impression on Dickens, who neither forgot nor forgave the experience. His parents, burdened by debt, could no longer afford to keep him in school.

In David Copperfield, Dickens modeled the Micawbers on certain characteristics of his own parents. Mr. Micawber, although poorly dressed, always exudes an air of gentility. His speech is heavily laden with Latinate words, reminiscent of John Dickens' manner of speaking. His grandiose sentences are invariably followed by "in short," a translation into plain English. He perpetually anticipates that "something will turn up," but it never does. His wife, Emma, unwaveringly believes in her husband's many talents and consistently declares, "I will never desert Mr. Micawber." Here is a typical example of Mr. Micawber's dialogue: "It was at Canterbury where we last met. Within the shadow, I may figuratively say, of that religious edifice, immortalized by Chaucer, which was anciently the resort of pilgrims from the remotest corners of—in short," said Mr. Micawber, "in the immediate neighborhood of the cathedral." The Micawbers offer some respite from the hardships the young boy endures.

David recalls his mother mentioning a great aunt who visited Blunderstone Rookery the night he was born. Angered because he wasn't a girl, she disappeared like a "fairy," and the family never heard from her again. Dickens enjoyed giving some of his characters traits reminiscent of the people in his favorite childhood fairy tales. Aunty Betsey Trotwood acts as a sort of fairy godmother. She speaks bluntly and tolerates no nonsense from anyone. The Murdstones can be seen as the cruel monsters often found in fairy tales. David travels on foot from London to his aunt's cottage near Dover and introduces himself to her. She already has one protégé, Mr. Richard Bably, commonly referred to as Mr. Dick. Though a simple person, Aunt Betsey believes he has depths only she can perceive. She consults Mr. Dick about what to do with David. He offers practical solutions, including a bath, bed, and clean clothes. Aunt Betsey writes to the Murdstones, informing them that David is with her. They are willing to take David back to the life he escaped. However, Betsey Trotwood proves to be more than a match for them. She exposes Murdstone as the sadistic brute he is, and he does not attempt to refute her. In this frail older woman, evil meets its match. A bully can be confronted by simple goodness. Aunt Betsey decides to adopt David and appoints Mr. Dick as his guardian as well.

David's aunt sends him to Dr. Strong's school in Canterbury, a stark contrast to Salem House Academy. Dr. Strong is the most humane of teachers and, unlike Creakle, a distinguished scholar. David boards with Mr. Wickfield, a lawyer who manages his aunt's finances. Wickfield's housekeeper is also his daughter. Agnes Wickfield impresses David from their first meeting as a saintly figure, akin to someone depicted in a radiant stained glass window. Wickfield's clerk is Uriah Heep.

Heep continually demeans himself. Eventually, he will be recognized as a malevolent figure with a devilish talent for worming his way into power. With his grotesque, skeletal appearance, his true wickedness is not immediately visible beneath his "umble" demeanor. Dickens was intrigued by the various forms evil could take, though he does not reach the depths of Shakespeare or even his contemporary, Robert Browning, in exploring its complexities. Another embodiment of this evil is James Steerforth, who possesses an irresistible charm and unwavering confidence in his own superiority. Beneath this charm lies almost complete self-centeredness. No one has ever challenged Steerforth, and everyone easily falls under the spell of his personality. In contrast, Uriah Heep is a product of a foundation school for boys, a charitable institution that placed him at the lowest rung of the social ladder and sought to mold his will into a state of utter submissiveness. This upbringing could only foster a deep-seated hatred for those who considered themselves his superiors.

Mr. Wickfield, an alcoholic, allows Uriah to take control of his business affairs. Heep also aims to make Agnes his own. David instinctively detests Uriah, who, as he constantly watches Agnes, reminds David of an "ugly and rebellious genie watching a good spirit."

David receives an excellent education at Dr. Strong's school. During these years, Agnes Wickfield, who seems to have achieved a maturity early in life that David reaches much later, serves as his confidante. He deeply admires her goodness and serenity. His Aunt Betsey, observing their relationship, is more aware of Agnes' devotion to David than David himself, who is too self-absorbed to notice.

Copperfield leaves Canterbury for London and decides to pursue a legal career. He is apprenticed to Mr. Spenlow in the Commons. Spenlow has a daughter, Dora, who has been educated in France. Copperfield meets and falls in love with this beautiful young woman. "She was a fairy, a sylph." His infatuation with her mirrors Dickens' own early love for Maria Beadnell, a banker's daughter who could not take seriously a youth under nineteen, a mere shorthand reporter in the law courts. Yet, he was passionately in love with her, finding her absolutely flawless, and David's feelings for Dora Spenlow reflect these emotions. Maria would later dismiss Dickens as a "boy"; her fictional counterpart, Dora, lacks Maria's malice, and she and David eventually marry. Aunt Betsey, upon hearing of her nephew's wedding plans, remarks "blind, blind, blind." She knows who he should truly marry. David continues to love Dora but soon realizes she lacks most practical skills. She can neither cook nor manage household finances. As his career advances, she cannot share any of his intellectual interests. She dies after they have been married for only a few years.

When David reunites with his old school friend Tommy Traddles, he discovers that Tommy is living as a lodger with the Micawber family. Traddles is so kind-hearted and gentle that he even remembers Creakle fondly, despite the man's harshness. Dickens uses the alliance between Mr. Micawber and Traddles to uncover Uriah Heep's deceitful nature. Heep, who is a full partner with Mr. Wickfield, employs Micawber as his clerk. Although Micawber is often imprudent, he is far from foolish and quickly realizes Heep's dishonesty. He confides in Tommy, and together they expose Heep for the scoundrel he truly is, hidden beneath his hypocritical claims of humility. Micawber reads the indictment he has meticulously written, presenting it as one of his customary letters. This moment is his finest hour and highlights one of Dickens' beloved themes: the triumph of goodness and bravery over treachery and cruelty.

David, having taken his friend Steerforth to Yarmouth to meet his fisherman friends, unwittingly sets the stage for a tragedy involving the Peggotty family. Em'ly, his childhood playmate, has grown into a beautiful young woman. Years ago, she expressed a desire to become a lady, a dream that could only be realized by marrying someone like Steerforth, who belongs to a higher social class. Shortly after meeting her, Steerforth plots her seduction. His egotism is only occasionally apparent during his acquaintance with David. During a visit to Steerforth's mother, David meets her companion, Rosa Dartle, who bears a deep scar on her mouth from a hammer thrown by Steerforth in a childish fit of rage. Rosa manages to get Steerforth to reveal his disdain for people of lower classes. Despite everything, Rosa adores Steerforth. He acknowledges his flaws and expresses a wish for a father who could have helped him develop a better character. He buys a boat and renames it "The Little Em'ly." Em'ly elopes with him, only to be abandoned in Italy, where Steerforth hands her over to his valet, Mr. Littimer, who had aided in the elopement. Em'ly eventually returns to England and is rescued by her uncle from the London slum where she had been living. Steerforth drowns off the Yarmouth coast during one of the worst storms the locals can remember. Ham, who attempts to rescue him, also loses his life.

Copperfield emerges as a well-developed character who eventually comes to grips with his "undisciplined heart." After finding peace in the wild beauty of the Swiss Alps, he returns to England and marries Agnes, who has loved him her entire life. Much like most of the other characters in the novel, she undergoes little to no change and appears almost too virtuous to be real. Tommy Traddles, who pursues a career in law and eventually becomes a judge, also possesses an equally angelic nature. Most of the other characters remain flat and two-dimensional at best.

While Copperfield shares some of Dickens' life experiences, he is too mild and passive to be a direct representation of the energetic and bustling Dickens. Copperfield becomes a novelist, but the specifics of his writings are never detailed. He writes his autobiography ten years after marrying Agnes and enjoys a tranquility that Dickens himself never achieved.

Richard Babley
See Mr. Dick

Mr. Barkis
David encounters Mr. Barkis when he drives him to his boarding school. Mr. Barkis, a man of few words and quite frugal, courts and eventually marries Peggotty. Despite his miserly nature, Peggotty enjoys a happy life with him, and upon his death, he leaves her a substantial inheritance. His primary role in the story is to add comic relief, particularly through his courtship of Peggotty.

Clara Copperfield
David’s mother, Clara Copperfield, is loving but lacks the strength to shield David from the harshness of Murdstone and his sister. Clara appears "timid and sad" as she nears David’s birth following her husband’s death, feeling "very doubtful of ever coming alive out of the trial that was before her." She often defers to others, including Peggotty, who she frequently treats more like a mother than a servant.

Occasionally, Clara displays some strength, such as when she defends her husband against Aunt Betsey’s criticisms. However, her fear of losing Murdstone’s affection and protection weakens her, leaving her unable to defend her son. At one point, she attempts to assert to Miss Murdstone that she can manage her household, but she collapses under Murdstone’s scolding and relinquishes all control to him and his sister. She tries to ease David’s life by urging him to love and obey his new father and secretly helps him with his lessons. Yet, she cannot intervene when Murdstone beats David or sends him away to school. Murdstone's domination reduces her to merely covering her ears to David’s screams during beatings, and she fears showing any kindness toward David to avoid her husband's lectures. By the end of her life, "a hard word was like a blow to her," and she ultimately succumbs under her husband’s oppressive control.

David Copperfield
David, the story's narrator, recounts his journey from innocence to maturity, tracing his life from birth to middle age. As a young boy, he is trusting, idealistic, and deeply loyal to friends and family. He consistently defends those he loves from others’ criticisms, even when it would be more advantageous not to, such as when Aunt Betsey criticizes Peggotty, despite his need to gain his aunt's approval to stay with her.

He is a romantic at heart, imagining himself as a hero similar to those in his father's adventure novels. He falls in love with every attractive girl he meets, declaring that he will end his life if his feelings are not reciprocated. His naivety often leads him to trust others too easily. His forgiving nature allows him to accept his mother’s abandonment after she marries Murdstone. As he matures, he realizes he has been blind to the true nature of people like Steerforth and to his own heart's desires, particularly in choosing Dora as his bride. After Dora's death, he understands that Agnes is a more suitable partner for him.

Mr. Creakle
The harsh owner of Salem House, Mr. Creakle, terrifies David during his stay there. As an adult, David learns that Creakle has become a prison warden who confidently praises the prison system.

Rosa Dartle
Rosa Dartle, a distant relative of Steerforth, has a thinness that seems to result from some internal, consuming fire, visible in her gaunt eyes. She resides with Mrs. Steerforth as her companion. Steerforth gave her a scar on her lip in his youth during a fit of rage when he threw a hammer at her. David quickly realizes that “she never said anything she wanted to say outright; but hinted it, and made a great deal more of it by this practice.” She skillfully claims ignorance, which often leads others to divulge information against their will. Steerforth describes her as “dangerous,” likely due to her thirst for power and her knack for extracting information. She displays her prejudice by calling the Peggottys “a depraved worthless set” and insisting that Em’ly should be whipped for seducing Steerforth. Her love for Steerforth becomes clear in her outbursts against Em’ly and Mrs. Steerforth at the book’s conclusion.

Mr. Dick
Aunt Betsey asserts that Mr. Dick, an eccentric man living with her, is a “distant connexion” or relative. Mr. Dick’s “vacant manner, his submission to [his] aunt, and his childish delight when she praised him” leads David to “suspect him of being a little mad.” David also notices signs of mental issues as Mr. Dick struggles to keep King Charles I from intruding into his autobiography. Mr. Dick later confides to David that he considers himself to have a simple mind. Aunt Betsey explains that “he has been ill-used” because of others’ poor opinions of him.

Aunt Betsey insists that he is not as crazy as some believe, describing him as “the most friendly and amenable creature in existence,” who offers excellent advice. He retains a childlike innocence that enables him to genuinely enjoy the company of others. Mr. Dick demonstrates his compassion and intelligence when he admits that “a simpleton, a weak-minded person” like himself “may do what wonderful people may not do” because he won’t be blamed for his actions. This allows him to help bring Dr. Strong and Annie together.

Mrs. Gummidge
Taken in by Mr. Peggotty after her husband, his partner, passes away, Mrs. Gummidge has “rather a fretful disposition,” especially when she reminisces about her drowned husband. She often indulges in self-pity, frequently insisting that “everythink goes contrairy with me.” She recognizes that she annoys others because she feels and expresses her emotions deeply. Mrs. Gummidge manages the household, showcasing her gratitude and compassion.

Uriah Heep
Cunning and obsequious, Uriah Heep is fifteen when David first encounters him. His ambition is to gain power in a society that has marginalized him due to his lower-class status.

Little Em’ly
David falls in love with Little Em’ly, Peggotty’s niece, during their childhood play. Though she is a shy child, she develops aspirations to ascend the social ladder and become a lady. Even as a young girl, she is conscious of the class differences between her and David. She is kind-hearted and affectionate with her family, but her ambition to rise in class and her feelings for Steerforth lead her to leave her family and break her engagement to Ham. After relocating to Australia with her uncle, she dedicates her life to helping others.

Jack Maldon
Annie Strong’s cousin, the superficial, handsome, and confident Jack Maldon, serves as a plot device to complicate the Strongs’ marriage, providing Uriah with an opportunity to interfere in others’ affairs. His relationship with Annie also highlights the theme of loyalty.

Mr. Mell
Mr. Mell, David’s teacher at Salem House, shows his affection for his mother, who resides in a poorhouse, and his humanity when he tries to mitigate Creakle’s cruelty. He also serves as a character through whom Steerforth’s true nature is revealed.

Mrs. Micawber
Fiercely loyal and supportive of her husband, Mrs. Micawber continually praises Mr. Micawber despite his constant misfortunes. Readers recognize her by her frequent assertion, “I will never desert Mr. Micawber,” which underscores her loyalty. She firmly believes that her husband’s troubles are temporary and blames his creditors for not giving him enough time to make payments. Like her husband, she is talkative and kindhearted, as shown by her treatment of David when he lives with them while working in the warehouse.

Wilkins Micawber
Ambitious and proud, Mr. Micawber unfortunately lacks the ability to earn money. However, he never allows this to bother him for long. Despite often being forced to dress poorly, he carries himself with the manners of a gentleman, convinced that he will eventually rise above his frequent poverty. His home mirrors his own shabbiness, but as David observes, it “like himself, made all the show it could.”

Mr. Micawber is good-natured and amiable, always eager to provide advice to improve others’ situations, confident in his ability to do so. He is even more talkative than his wife, often testing the patience of his friends as they wait for him to get to the point, which he never reaches directly. Like his wife, he is generous and resilient, taking his misfortunes in stride, assured that success is just around the corner. Although his debts often plunge him into deep despair, sometimes to the point of contemplating suicide, he quickly rebounds with renewed high spirits. Under Uriah's influence, he becomes sullen and withdrawn, but he eventually regains his focus and, through careful planning, exposes Uriah’s fraudulent activities. Mr. Micawber finally achieves success when he is appointed as a magistrate in Australia.

Edward Murdstone
After the cruel and tyrannical Edward Murdstone marries David’s mother, he rules the household with an iron fist. He forces Clara to distance herself from David, ultimately destroying her, and abuses David before sending him away to fend for himself.

Jane Murdstone
Edward Murdstone’s sister Jane is described as “a gloomy-looking lady” who moves in with David and his mother shortly after the wedding. She brings with her metal boxes, which symbolize her cold, metallic personality. As rigid as her brother, she takes control of the household upon her arrival, manipulating Clara while claiming to be helping her. David perceives her as arrogant, with a “devil’s humour” similar to that of her brother. Her cruelty towards David and his mother has a more Evangelical tone than her brother’s, as evidenced by her determination that everyone in church, including David, are “miserable sinners.”

Clara Peggotty
David’s nanny, known as Peggotty, is deeply devoted to him and Mrs. Copperfield, acting as a surrogate mother to both. She is strict yet affectionate, raising David with care. She disapproves when he doesn’t focus on the Sunday sermon but patiently listens to him read his book about crocodiles every night. Before the arrival of Murdstone and his sister, David confesses that he and his mother were “both a little afraid” of Peggotty, leading them to “submit [themselves] in most things to her direction.” However, whenever she feels she has been too harsh, she quickly makes up with hugs and kisses. Peggotty often voices her opinions, such as when she tries to dissuade Clara from marrying Murdstone. She constantly seeks ways to counteract Murdstone’s harsh treatment of David, sneaking him food or taking him to visit her family. Her kindness drives her to alleviate their suffering.

Her unwavering loyalty shines through when she refuses to abandon Clara despite the Murdstones’ tyrannical behavior. After Clara’s death, she pledges her devotion to David, treating him like her own son. During his toughest times, Peggotty assures David that her home will always be open to him and that she will do everything in her power to support him.

Dan Peggotty
Peggotty’s brother, Dan, is a kind-hearted, generous sailor who is dedicated to his family. When he first meets David, he says, “you’ll find us rough, sir, but you’ll find us ready.” Despite his own poverty, he has taken on the responsibility of adopting his orphaned nephew Ham and niece Little Em’ly, as well as Mrs. Gummidge, the widow of a drowned sailor. Peggotty describes him as “as good as gold and as true as steel.” He shows immense patience and tenderness towards Mrs. Gummidge; when she becomes upset and complains about her misfortunes, he comforts her, explaining, “she’s been thinking of the old’un,” referring to her late husband. Dan’s loyalty to his family is evident when he dedicates himself to finding Em’ly and eventually moves to Australia with her, allowing her to start anew.

Ham Peggotty
Ham, Peggotty’s nephew, is a compassionate and selfless individual with “a simpering boy’s face and curly light hair that gave him quite a sheepish look.” A skilled boat-builder, he dedicates himself to Em’ly. Heartbroken when she elopes with Steerforth, he never holds it against her. He pleads with David to assure her that he is well to ease her guilt and takes the blame for persuading her into marriage. His selflessness and bravery are further highlighted when he drowns trying to save Steerforth.

Dora Spenlow
David’s first wife, Dora Spenlow, is initially spoiled, petulant, and immature. During their engagement, the thought of managing a household gives her a headache. After their marriage, David becomes frustrated when others treat her like a child, initially refusing to acknowledge her lack of maturity. Both are inept at housekeeping, leading to constant exploitation by servants and shopkeepers. By the end of her life, Dora’s kindness is recognized by all. She shows some maturity and insight before her death, realizing that David would have eventually regretted their marriage and admitting that she was too young and naive for him to wed.

James Steerforth
James Steerforth, charming and charismatic, is David’s best friend until he absconds with Em’ly. Steerforth possesses “an inborn power of attraction” and “carried a spell with him to which it was a natural weakness to yield, and which not many persons could withstand.” David discovers too late the shallow and selfish nature of his friend.

Mrs. Steerforth
Mrs. Steerforth views her son James as the center of her world. A proud woman, she is solely concerned with her son’s welfare, defined strictly by social class. When Mr. Peggotty pleads with her to support his marriage to Em’ly, she responds, “Such a marriage would irretrievably blight my son’s career and ruin his prospects.” Miss Dartle holds her responsible for turning her son into a self-centered, shallow individual.

Annie Strong
Annie Strong is devoted to her husband and shows him great affection. Despite being persuaded by her mother to marry him, Annie develops profound respect and love for her husband, ensuring her loyalty remains intact.

Dr. Strong
Dr. Strong is a kindhearted and amiable man, oblivious to his wife’s feelings for her cousin Maldon. David describes him as “the kindest of men; with a simple faith in him that might have touched the stone hearts of the very urns upon the wall.” He exhibits a fatherly demeanor towards his wife and never questions her fidelity.

Tommy Traddles
David's loyal school friend, Traddles, frequently endures punishments for refusing to betray his classmates. David describes him as “the merriest and most miserable of all the boys.” Traddles displays a strong sense of justice, defending Mr. Mell from Steerforth's attempts to humiliate him. As an adult, Traddles becomes “a sober, steady-looking young man of retiring manners,” maintaining his shy, kind-hearted, and generous nature, as seen when he lends money to Micawber. His legal career allows him to recover the funds Uriah stole from Aunt Betsey and Mr. Wickfield.

Betsey Trotwood
David’s paternal great-aunt, Betsey Trotwood, is both tough and generous. David perceives her as a “formidable personage,” who was “mortally affronted by [his father’s] marriage on the ground that [his] mother was ‘a wax doll,’” despite never meeting Clara. She takes control of every situation, such as when she arrives on the day David is born, insists Clara will have a girl, and demands the child be named Betsey Trotwood Copperfield. Her failed marriage contributes to her distrust of human nature, leading her to ensure the child is “well guarded from reposing any foolish confidences where they are not deserved.” This skepticism also drives her to hire young women as servants, “expressly to educate in a renouncement of mankind.”

Upon meeting her, David observes “there was an inflexibility in her face, in her voice, in her gait and carriage . . . but her features were rather handsome . . . though unbending and austere.” She respects displays of strength, as when David defends Peggotty after Aunt Betsey criticizes his nanny. Her compassion is evident in her rescuing Mr. Dick from an asylum and saving David from a life of abuse with Mr. Murdstone, ultimately becoming a surrogate mother to him. She devotes herself to those she deems worthy, such as Mr. Dick and David, and has no patience for fools like Uriah.

Agnes Wickfield
Agnes Wickfield becomes David's most trusted confidant and later his wife. Entirely devoted to her father, she is willing to sacrifice her happiness for his well-being. She provides David with wise counsel and comfort, even encouraging him to marry another woman despite her own feelings for him. She demonstrates her strong character by disagreeing with David's opinion of Steerforth.

Mr. Wickfield
Mr. Wickfield, Agnes’s father, is a friend and lawyer to Aunt Betsey. Devastated by his wife's death, he relies on his daughter for care. Lacking the strength to oppose Uriah, he allows the man to take control of his affairs, nearly leading to his ruin.