David Copperfield

First published 1850; Vintage Classics edition, 2012.

"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."

This opening sentence briefly puzzled me -- who else would be the hero of his own life, but the narrator? -- but I passed quickly on and swam pleasurably in the depths of the novel for a few months, a few pages a night. And it wasn't until the very end that the significance of the opening sentence dawned on my obtuse brain. 

We watch as young David eventually does become the hero of his own life -- in other words, becomes his own man, his own person -- something that everyone must struggle to do, at one time or another. He has an inauspicious start in life, born fatherless and poor, and he struggles to overcome the overpowering injustices of Victorian England, tyrannical schoolmasters, hypocritical and sadistic elders, manipulative and dominating friends, scheming and brutal villains, and eventually even his own sentimental and blind infatuation. But overcome it all he does, and finally stands wiser, firmer, more clear-eyed and less foolish (and isn't "less foolish" all that we can ever hope to be?).

The prose is rightly celebrated, although it often seems too roundabout and occasionally plain baffling; and the characters are indeed indelible (Mr Micawber, Traddles, Uriah Heep, Mr Creakle, Dora, Agnes, Peggotty, Barkis and of course, Betsey Trotwood) although sometimes a bit too rich. But his quick insight into human nature is what holds it all together and makes it worthwhile, even as the plot uses obvious and clunky devices (a convenient death; or sending half the cast off to Australia) and some puzzling characters (Martha). And above all, what keeps the fabric intact is the arc of David's struggle, our pity at his folly and blindness, and our wishes for him to emerge finally to wisdom and happiness. 

I wonder what it must have been like to read this over the course of 2 years, chapter by chapter, in a newspaper -- the anticipation of each new installment must have been thrilling. (I remember serialized Hindi novels that used to appear in weekly periodicals when I was a child, and the excitement they used to cause in our household.) This is the best argument to bring back the serialized novel from the ashes ... 

4*
Dec 2014