David Cooperfield

Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The three main themes I find stand out the most in David Copperfield is the difficulty of the weak, wealth and class, and equality in marriage. David Copperfield has been inspired by the authors life himself Charles dickens, it’s a bit of a reflection on Charles life, and the society he lived in.

The weak tend to suffer a lot specially when they are in the hands of the powerful in David Copperfield. I find that in this theme specifically Dickens relates to his own experiences as a child to describe the inhumanity of child labour. Charles dickens focuses on orphans, women and the mentally disabled almost the weakest members in a society just to show show that taking advantage is mostly what happens in todays industrial societies. The most arbitrary suffering of innocents makes for the most vividly affecting scenes of the novel. The best example of exploitation is when David starves and suffers in a wine-bottling factory asa child. As Mr.Murdstone his guardian can exploit david as factory labor because the boy is to small to do otherwise.Another example is when the boys as Salem House possibly way out against the cruelty of Mr.Creakle.In both situations, children are deprived of their natural parents care and suffer in the hands of their own supposed protectors.

Wealth, social status and class are ubiquitous issues through the entire novel. Favouritism and undeserved respect are constantly displayed for those of a higher class. As illustrated by Steerforth, it is obvious that he is treated much better than David and the other students at Salem house, because of his class, furthermore, Steerforth is immoderately regarded by David and Mr.Pe...

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...s david is strong and focused on practical matters like building his career and keeping a household and keeping a household, this is portrayed when David asks Dora how they could live if he did not work, and her response was, “how, any how!”David is unhappy with her response and feels as if he is unable to discuss with her any of his lifely concerns.if david had a disciplines heart it would prevent him from rushing into marriage with the unsuitable dora, and would allow him to take a long enough pause to notice the far more suitable Agnes. Therfore the best and most prominent examples of good and equal marriages in David cooperfield are the Strongs and Davids marriage to Agnes.

In regards to equality of marriage in david cooperfields novel, dickens indicates that true love rests upon equality between souls, while equality of age and class is not as significant.