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David Copperfield (1999) - Part 1

Seizoen: 1 - Aflevering: 1 / 1 - Eerst uitgezonden: 25 december 1999 - Episode ID: 401166

David Copperfield is a posthumous child. He was born in Blunderstone, Suffolk, three months after the death of his father, who was also called David Copperfield. On the night of David's birth, his Great-Aunt Betsey Trotwood arrives at the "Rookery" - the Copperfield family home - and eagerly anticipates the birth of a baby girl. She insists that Clara Copperfield's baby must be called Betsey Trotwood Copperfield, and that she will be her godmother. However, when the delivered child turns out to be a boy, Betsey is horrified (as her previous experiences with men have all ended tragically) and storms out, fuming. David grows up loved and cared for by Clara and their maid, Peggotty. When David turns eight, Clara meets and falls in love with Edward Murdstone, a stern man of whom David appears frightened and who takes an immediate dislike to David. Peggotty offers to take David with her to Yarmouth to visit her brother, Dan, and his family, and he accepts, forming a special bond with Dan's niece, Emily (or Little Em'ly). When they return, David sees, to his horror, that his mother has married Murdstone. Murdstone invites his equally stern, sexist sister, Jane, to live with them, and the two Murdstones quickly dominate the household with their callous personalities. Clara briefly objects to having little to no say in the affairs of her own house, and Murdstone responds by asserting his authority and sending David to bed with no dinner, following with more strict and unfair rules upon Clara, David and Peggotty. When Murdstone canes David for falling behind in his studies (although it was Murdstone who deliberately asked David particularly difficult questions), David bites him severely and as punishment, is sent to Salem House, a boarding school owned by Murdstone's abusive friend, Creakle, who torments David on Murdstone's request. David's only comfort at the school is his friendship with James Steerforth, an older student from a wealthy and influential family. David returns home for the holidays and makes amends with Murdstone, who has fathered a baby boy with Clara. After the holidays David returns to Salem House, where he is informed by Creakle that his mother and half-brother have died, and he returns home for the funeral. Peggotty is fired, but becomes engaged to a family friend, Mr. Barkis. With the Murdstones now in full control of the Rookery and David's future, Murdstone takes David out of Salem House and sends him to work in his factory in London. Murdstone also arranges for David to live with his friend, Wilkins Micawber, who treats David like his own son, but is sent to a debtors' prison shortly afterwards. When he is released, he and his family are forced to move to Plymouth, leaving David homeless. David runs away from London to Dover, to find Betsey Trotwood in the hopes that she will take him in. Eventually he finds her, and despite Betsey's reluctance to have a boy in her house, she houses him, but writes to the Murdstones about this. Over the time, David bonds with Betsey's lodger, Mr. Dick, and Betsey herself begins to feel attachment to her great-nephew. Edward and Jane Murdstone eventually arrive to take David back, but Betsey, knowing full well of the abusive treatment Murdstone inflicted on both Clara and David, agrees to become David's legal guardian, giving Murdstone a verbal thrashing and angrily ordering him out of her house. David, now going by the name "Trotwood Copperfield", soon resumes his education at a school in Canterbury. During his time at school he lodges with Betsey's friend, Mr. Wickfield, whose daughter Agnes is roughly the same age as David. They grow up together as very close friends. On leaving school, David is apprenticed to a lawyer called Mr. Spenlow. David meets Mr. Spenlow's daughter Dora and falls in love with her at first sight.