AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ELEMENT IN "DAVID COPPERFIELD"

• The pen which wrote David Copperfield was often dipped in his own blood‫ ۔‬Discuss this
statement of Hugh Walker.

• Consider David Copperfield as Defaces most personal book.

• Discuss David Copperfield as an autobiographical novel.

• Discuss the autobiographical element in David Copperfield.

• David Copperfield is an autobiographical novel to a large extent.

Illustrate.

ANS. "David Copperfield" reminds the personal life of Charles Dickens. There are some characters,
incidents and scenes that certainly stamp this novel as purely an autobiographical one. What David
experiences had already been experienced by Dickens in his life. The hardships or pain faced by Dickens
in his personal life is well reflected ( ‫ نظر ٓانا‬،‫ )ظاہرہونا‬in his characters. This is also shown particularly in
"David Copperfield".

Dickens himself considered ( ‫ تصور کرنا‬،‫" )سمجھنا‬David Copperfield" is one of his best novels.
David has a great deal of personal attachment with Dickens. This novel was published in serial form in
1850. "David Copperfield" is the first of Dickens' novels written entirely in the first person. Changing his
autobiographical character into fiction (‫ )افسانہ‬allowed Dickens to explore uncomfortable truths about his
life. David Copperfield's time at Murdstone and Grinby's warehouse, his schooling ( ‫ )سکول کی تعلیم‬at
Salem House, and his relationship with Dora all have their bases in Dickens' own life.

Dickens divides the life of Copperfield into two different parts, the first recounting (‫ )بیان‬the
untimely loss of his innocence. In this orphan tale, Copperfield endures ( ‫ )برداشت کرنا‬the hardships of his
mother's death, a valueless education at Salem House, the working at Murdstone and Grinby's, and a
desperate (‫ )مایوس کن‬escape to his aunt's. Made aware of the variations of life, Copperfield also learns of
the cyclical patterns of life as "David Copperfield of Blunderstone" is reborn at his aunt's as "Copperfield
Trotwood"; the cruel schooling of Mr. Creakle is replaced by the kind instruction of Mr. Wickfield and Dr.
Strong; the uncaring neglect of his stepfather is replaced by the solicitude of his aunt. The practical
lesson for Copperfield is to avoid the strictness (‫ )سختی‬of Murdstone as well as the carelessness (‫)الپرواہی‬
of Micawber, the pompous (‫رسمی‬،‫ )شاندار‬and careless father figure who lodges Copperfield.

In the novel's second part, Copperfield establishes himself first as a legal clerk and parliamentary
reporter, and later as a novelist. But his professional matters are of less importance than Copperfield's
two emotional attachments that frame this part of the novel. In recollection, Copperfield confesses (
‫ )اعتراف کرنا‬that he "loved Dora to worship." Dora, who resembles Copperfield's mother in looks and
manner, lacks the maturity required to share actively in David's life or to take up the Victorian burdens
of housekeeping. The relationship falters and Copperfield begins to see equals with the marriage of the
ageing Dr. Strong and his "child-wife" Annie. When the marriage comes to an end, Dora dies in labour-
quite suitably. Some critics have charged, for her death releases ( ‫ )ٓازاد کرنا‬Copperfield of his married
duties. Worship also characterizes his relationship with the Byronic James Steerforth, whom Copperfield
innocently assists in the seduction of young Emily away from her uncle's care at Yarmouth.
 Throughout the novel, Dickens addresses several important social issues of his time: the
problem of prostitution in 19th century London, lack of professional opportunities for women in
Victorian England, need for humane treatment for the insane ( ‫بے وقوف‬،‫)دیوانہ‬, the injustice of debtors'
prison, and charges against the harsh conventional (‫)روایتی‬, purse-proud 19th century English middle
class. Against these problems, Dickens offers the instinctive wisdom of Mr. Dick, the reality of the
Micawbers, and, above all, the simple seriousness of Peggotty.

But Copperfield is a leading novel about memory. Among the wild rise and fall of the London
cityscape, Copperfield's memory preserves the links to his past and brings continuity and coherence to
his life while the sudden recollection of the past charges the present with meaning. However, memory
also proves to be a source of suffering. Copperfield prefaces the time he spent at Murdstone and Grinby
by remarking: "I now approach a period of my life, which I can never lose the remembrance (‫ )یادٓاوری‬of,
while I remember anything; and the recollection of which has often, without my prayer, come before me
like a ghost, and ghostly (‫ خیالی‬،‫ )وہمی‬happier times."

Given the close connection between the lives of Copperfield and his author, it is little wonder
that Dickens considered this book his "favourite child." And it is little wonder, given its vast selection (
‫ )انتخاب‬of memorable characters and its brilliant treatment of the quest for self-knowledge that
Copperfield is Dickens' best-loved and most quoted ( ‫ )الئق اقتباس ناول‬novel. The words of the great English
critic G. K. Chesterton perhaps best summarize the experience of reading it.

"In "David Copperfield", Dickens has created creatures who cling to us and terrorise over us,
creatures whom we would not forget if we could, creatures whom we could not forget if we would,
creatures who are more actual than the man who made them. Dickens was desirous in writing a secret
autobiography. He wanted to be known after his death. He fulfilled this wish by writing "David
Copperfield".

To conclude, we can say that there are many features (‫ )خصوصیات‬in the lives of the hero and the
author of "David Copperfield", which prove the truth of the statement that "David Copperfield" is an
autobiographical novel. There are many characters and incidents or events that make it a pure
autobiographical work of fiction. Thus, this novel shows the personal history adventures and
experiences of Dickens as well.