Leonid Andreev days of our lives summary. Human life
Copperfield is a copper deposit, if translated from in English. Copper has been known to mankind since ancient times: it was thanks to copper that things first happened bronze age, and later gold finally became available. With all my positive qualities, once a developed deposit becomes extremely toxic to environment, causing the local flora and fauna to change significantly. What did Dickens want to tell the reader by giving the character such a surname, speaking in the preface about the partial autobiography of the novel? Maybe - from his youth he absorbed everything like a sponge, eventually becoming what his environment and those around him made him life situations that left their mark on the character? Having gone through the stage of bronze and rebounding from the stage of iron, Dickens became like gold - such a banal truth arising from the given conditions of the writer. All that remains is to understand why you left behind a soul-poisoning library of excessive amounts of text.
Dickens's craving for a large number words are immediately visible. To do this, you don’t need to stack all his books so that they reach a height of probably several meters. This conclusion follows from the very titles of the books, which translators prefer to abbreviate to the greatest extent possible. Not " David Copperfield”, but “The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery”, which is also not “The Life of David Copperfield, as told by himself,” as another translation of the title says. Not “Dombey and Son”, but “Dealings” with the Firm of Dombey and Son: Wholesale, Retail and for Exportation.” Of course, these are the two most striking options. in other cases, Dickens was not so generous with titles, and the further he wrote, the more brief they became. A thorough approach to writing a book is the key to Dickens's fertility.
“David Copperfield” combines many elements of the writer’s work, and also serves as a kind of novel, absorbing exactly everything that was written before it. Practically, it’s a compilation that has been rewritten with new words, where the events have been rearranged, the characters have been slightly corrected, but overall everything is exactly the same. The reader will have a tale about the bitter childhood of a child left without parents, and a sad story about bad people and nasty human understanding living conditions in boarding houses. And so on and so forth. The emphasis, of course, is on young years. Then everything again slides into confusion, no matter how Dickens tries to justify himself. The reader will not believe a writer who does not fully reveal the secret of his success when describing young talent, which hides from everyone the books he writes about. Why talk about them - Dickens himself notes - if they have become popular, then this does not need explanation.
The only thing Dickens lifts the curtain on is information about the existence in the days of his youth of the division of courts into secular and church, in which jungle the main character will need to flounder for an infinitely long number of pages, participating in proceedings and recalling various funny incidents from my own practice. All this, of course, is funny and gives some amount of pleasure, but to find all this in those tons of unlimited dialogue about nothing, where Dickens did not even try to tell anything, but simply continued to pour water from glass to glass, forgetting to move forward. What to do - it was necessary to publish a literary magazine with another chapter every week, so Dickens applied all his skills to maintain the required volume of the next publication.
Dickens's autobiography in the form of "David Copperfield" only partially brought the author closer... without revealing anything new.
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"The Life of David Copperfield" is the eighth novel by the famous English writer Charles Dickens. At the time of publication of the work, Dickens's star was already shining brightly in the firmament of world literature. The public read his “Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club”, “Oliver Twist” and “Nicholas Nickleby”, “Barnaby Rudge” and “Martin Chuzzlewit”, “Dombey and Son”, as well as “The Antiquities Shop”.
The first chapters of the life story of David Copperfield began to be published in 1849. The last, fifth, publication was made in 1850. Main character, who is also the narrator, begins the story from the moment of his own birth, and we are parting with a mature man, successful, in demand in his business, a loving and beloved family man.
Knowing Dickens' biography, you can find many autobiographical moments in the novel. This is also indicated by the form of the narration - the story is told in the first person. Of course, you shouldn’t completely identify the author and the main character. David Copperfield - first of all artistic image, inspired by the author’s memories and the uncontrollable imagination of the great prose writer.
Let's remember how David Copperfield's life turned out.
David Copperfield was born on Friday at twelve o'clock at night. The baby's first cry coincided with the first strike of the clock. The nurse and some experienced neighbors saw in this a number of mystical omens. Firstly, the boy was promised a difficult fate, full of trials and suffering, and, secondly, they assured the mother in labor that her son would see spirits and ghosts.
Years later, Copperfield analyzes that the first part of the dubious “inheritance” went to him in full, but the second has not yet passed into his possession, which, by the way, he does not regret at all.
David's young mother was little concerned about the neighbors' predictions. At that moment, she was occupied with absolutely uninteresting everyday problems. For example, how to feed your son and yourself. The thing is that David's father died suddenly four months before his birth, and the young Mrs. Copperfield, who was not adapted to life, absolutely did not know what to do next.
Just before the birth, the sister of her late husband, Miss Betsy Trotwood, came to her house. This bossy one Strong woman volunteered to help my daughter-in-law and her girl. For some reason Miss Betsy was convinced that Mrs. Copperfield would certainly have a daughter. With his birth, David upset his aunt so much that without saying goodbye, she ran out of her daughter-in-law’s house and never appeared there again.
Meanwhile, young David Copperfield was growing up. She took care of him loving mother and the caring maid Peggotty. But soon the happy times in David’s life came to an end - his mother remarried. Her chosen one, Mr. Murdstone, turned out to be a most disgusting person. He controlled absolutely everything, not excluding the relationship between mother and son. Any manifestation of affection and tenderness towards a boy was considered unacceptable.
Soon Mr. Murdstone's sister joined the family. David remembers very well the day when a stroller stopped at the threshold of their house, from which a prim lady with hair the same black as her brother stepped out. She had thick dark eyebrows that looked like a man's sideburns. Miss Murdstone brought two black chests, a copper purse and her icy voice. She was truly a “metal lady” who, from the very first day, began to rule the house as a mistress.
Little David's life was becoming a living hell. The main torture in the domestic underworld was the lessons taught by Mr. Murdstone himself. For any offense, the teacher severely punished the student. David was literally dumb with fear, every moment expecting another slap on the head. Once, during a pedagogical spanking, David bit his “tormentor.” For such inappropriate behavior the boy was sent to private school Salem House.
Luckily, the link turned out to be quite nice. Young Copperfield made friends he had never had before and unexpectedly showed himself to be a capable student. And most importantly, there were no hated Murdstones and their iron views at school.
David Copperfield's short-lived happiness ended on the day of his mother's death. Mr. Murdstone no longer saw the point in paying for the boy's education, informing him that he was old enough to earn his own living. At that time, David Copperfield was ten years old.
The stepfather assigns his stepson to the Murdstone and Greenby trading house, of which he is a co-owner. Peggotty's favorite maid is being counted on. She leaves for her native Yarmouth, having persuaded Murdstone to let David go stay with her.
Work in London trading house left the most terrible memories in David's memory. Always hungry and cold, he collapsed after grueling work shifts. The only consolation is the Micawber family, from whom he rents an apartment. These good-natured losers surround him with warmth and care, which is so necessary for someone thrown into the world. adult life boy.
When Micawber is imprisoned as a debtor, David decides to flee London. The only hope for salvation is his grandmother, Miss Betsy Trotwood, who was once so disappointed by the fact that David was not born a girl.
Hungry, dirty, exhausted, the boy barely makes it to Miss Trotwood's house. He is ready for any twists and turns of fate, but his grandmother, surprisingly, greets her grandson very cordially. He is immediately fed, bathed and put into a clean, warm bed. For the first time in many months, David Copperfield slept peacefully.
Ten-year-old Charles Dickens, like his hero, was forced to leave school and go to work in a blacking factory. This happened because his father (a kind but extremely impractical man) ended up in debtor's prison. During the months of working in the factory, Dickens tried to forget how horrible dream. Since his dismissal, he never appeared at the factory again and always avoided the ill-fated street.
Finally, David Copperfield's life began to resemble that of children his age. He goes to school, eats home-cooked meals from his loving grandmother, who has become his full-time guardian, and even has a best friend- this is Agness Wickfield, the daughter of a local lawyer.
Agnes's father was once a successful lawyer. After the death of his wife, he seriously lost his temper, began to abuse alcohol, after which his affairs rapidly began to decline. Now he barely maintains his office, which is run by the vile swindler Uriah Heep. This adventurer carried out many vile machinations that almost ruined many of David’s loved ones, including his grandmother. Over time, Hip was bred to clean water, and his victims' fortunes were returned.
Meanwhile, young David Copperfield grew into a grown man. On the advice of his grandmother, he entered the Faculty of Law, but did not achieve much success in this field. But while practicing in Mr. Spenlow's office, he met Dora, the owner's daughter. David immediately fell in love with the pretty Dora and, despite the obstacles that arose in the path of the young people, he won the hand of his chosen one.
Unfortunately, the first years life together proved that there is nothing worthwhile behind Dora's beautiful appearance. She never became David’s comrade-in-arms, like-minded person, friend, or soul mate.
Things didn’t work out with jurisprudence either. David begins to realize that this is not the occupation to which he would like to devote his life.
The marriage of Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine was unsuccessful, despite the fact that at first future wife also captivated the young Dickens with her beauty. Already in the first years of marriage, Charles clearly sympathized with her sister Mary, whose unexpected death became a severe blow for him.
A happy ending
Life, however, put everything in its place. Silly Dora died suddenly, freeing David from the marriage that was weighing him down. He met his fate in the person of his childhood friend Agnes.
The novel “David Copperfield” by Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens, The Life of David Copperfield as Told by Himself
Charles John Huffam Dickens
(1812-1870)
"Sift world literature“Dickens will remain,” argued L.N. Tolstoy, who in his youth was greatly impressed by the masterpiece of the English prose writer Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) “The Personal History of David Copperfield” - “The Life of David Copperfield, Told by Himself” (1849-1850).
This novel, in which the writer gave a new understanding of the nature of good and evil for his time, became Dickens's first and only experience in the autobiographical genre and at the same time an example of social, everyday, psychological and philosophical novel, in which the conflict is not built around everyday secrets, but “is concentrated around the revelation of psychological secrets.”
It became the standard of an educational novel, which already contained all the innovations of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses by D. Joyce. But unlike Joyce, Dickens’s novel is permeated by genuine sympathy, sincere respect and love for ordinary people, especially to children.
It was after David Copperfield that the already “Inimitable” Dickens became “so popular that we, modern writers, we cannot even imagine how great his fame was. There is no such glory now” (G.K. Chesterton).
Critics began to call him a great poet for the ease with which he mastered words and images, comparing him in skill only to Shakespeare.
"The Life of David Copperfield as Told by Himself"
(1849-1850)
"David Copperfield" was created by a writer in the so-called. the third period of his work was in the 1850s, when he lost all his illusions and, continuing to believe only in the omnipotence of literature in exposing the vices of society, became an angry satirist and pessimist.
The novel was published in monthly installments from May 1849 to November 1850 under the title "The Life, Adventures, Trials and Observations of David Copperfield, Jr., of Rookery, Blunderston, as described by himself (and never in any case intended for publication)."
In his work, Dickens was one of the first in world literature to show how the personality and fate of the hero is shaped not only and not so much by the sequence of events, but by the time in which a person lived, his memories of this time and the rethinking of his entire life in connection with this.
And although the novel is autobiographical in nature, it is not the autobiography of the writer; his own childhood and youth served him only as a reason for writing the work and gave him the main plot moves and characters. And there are so many of them (characters) in the novel that in a tangle-labyrinth storylines It's easy to get confused.
It is impossible to retell the book without literally emasculating everything - from its style to the characters' characters - within the framework of an essay. However, despite all the apparent mosaic, the novel is very simple, and it is this simplicity that best testifies to its literary perfection.
The novel, narrated in the first person, which gives it intimacy and trust, is populated by heroes, many of whom have become household names.
The popularity of the name of the main character, David Copperfield, can be judged by the fact that the world-famous illusionist took his name as a pseudonym. Unless Dickens’s hero did not need to show tricks to humanity, since his inexhaustible faith in people, in goodness and justice was enough for him.
Uriah Heep became a symbol of sanctimonious humility and human insignificance; the young aristocrat Steerforth is a narcissistic, irresponsible snob. When people want to point out the inhumanity of the system and methods of education, they usually name the names of Murdstone, David's cruel and greedy stepfather, and Creakle, a former hop merchant turned headmaster of a boys' school who "knows nothing but the art of flogging, and is more ignorant than the most the last student in school." Nanny Peggotty and David's grandmother Betsy Trotwood became symbols of kindness, albeit somewhat fussy, businessman Micawber - a thoughtless talker and loser.
The book tells a story young man, who overcame many obstacles and endured many hardships, a desperate and courageous person, charming and sincere. The pages dedicated to David's childhood and youth remain unsurpassed in world literature to this day, a textbook picture inner world boy and youth.
Philologist E.Yu. Genieva drew attention to the psychological authenticity of the narrative, with which “the distance is maintained between the author writing the novel and the growing hero” when “Dickens makes us look at the world through the eyes of little David.”
It was with this novel that the writer began the evolution of his central theme - “ great hopes“and the heroes’ overcoming of self-deception and spiritual emptiness, their comprehension throughout their lives of the main human skill - the ability to distinguish between good and evil.
If we omit the parallel plot lines and branches, the outline of the main character’s life is as follows. David, born six months after the death of his father, was surrounded as a child by the care and love of his mother and nanny Peggotty. But when his mother married the domineering and cruel Mr. Mardstone for the second time, the boy’s life became unbearable. It ended with him being sent to a school run by the fanatic Creakle.
After the death of his mother, his stepfather no longer wanted to pay for his education and made him a slave of his company. The teenager's life passed in hunger and cold, as well as in the monotony of washing bottles, until he, in despair, found his grandmother in Dover, who became his guardian.
David successfully completed school, then his grandmother paid for his training to become a lawyer. The young man fell in love with Dora, who became his first wife, but did not make him happy. After her death, Copperfield married for the second time to Agnes, who loved him all his life. David, meanwhile, mastered shorthand, wrote reports, and, having moved from journalism to fiction, became famous writer, possessing the main thing that a writer should possess, which Dickens himself possessed - “the instinct of universal humanity” (F.M. Dostoevsky).
The novel captivated not only readers and critics. He had a strong influence on many literary schools, has become a textbook for the most different writers: D. Conrad, G. James, F. Kafka, W. Faulkner, M. Proust, B. Shaw, I. Waugh and others. L.N. fell under his charm. Tolstoy, F.M. Dostoevsky, N.S. Leskov, I.S. Turgenev and many other Russian writers. The book had a huge resonance in Russia. “The Life of David Copperfield” is still Dickens’s most popular novel, translated into all languages of the world. Most famous translation into Russian belongs to A.V. Krivtsov and E.L. Lannu.
The novel has been filmed dozens of times. Silent and sound films and television series were created by filmmakers from England, the USA, Germany, France, Italy, and Brazil. Became legendary american film 1935, filmed by D. Zukor - “ Personal story, adventures, experiences and observations young David Copperfield."
The novel affected me strong impression: sweetened the mind, enriched the soul, diversified the palette of feelings. The beginning sagged a little: reading about the baby’s vision of home and his time spent was not entirely exciting, and about the trials associated with the mother’s second marriage was difficult (just as it is difficult to see the suffering of children firsthand). However, I already read avidly about the adventures of David Copperfield, from the journey to Dover to the very last page of the book.
David himself, sometimes too naive (“Blind, blind, blind!”), delights with his warmth, purity of soul, lack of cunning and suspicion. He resembles Prince Myshkin, who was lucky enough not to be considered weak-minded due to the kindness of his soul. He was not lucky with his loved ones right away, but they always supported him for who he is. That's how I like him.
The characters surrounding the narrator and the main character are varied, but clearly defined: good vs bad. The formidable grandmother, comical in appearance (but tough inside) Miss Mowcher; Rose Dartle and her love beg to be included in a separate book; Traddles and his protracted engagement, Steerforth vs. Ham, girls who slipped along the way; David's teachers and mentors; of course, Littimer, Heep, Creakle and others like them are a gallery of faces and their stories. Only Mr. Micawber, in spite of everything, is dear to the author and in any situation is justified and, in the end, successful. That is the will of the author.
Perhaps the story of David Copperfield is slightly idealized, somewhat implausible, but it is instructive and has good conclusions (about marriage, work, duty, religiosity, honesty, good and evil). And let the scammers and liars be punished. Let it go loving hearts connect.
Rating: 10
Now I can at least imagine exactly what Holden meant by “David Copperfield dregs.” Really, it's a mess. May Dickens fans forgive me, but how I tormented this book - I haven’t read anything with such creaking and gnashing of teeth for a long time. And God knows, if it weren’t for the St. Petersburg-Kyiv train, on which there’s nothing else to do for a day anyway...
Let's start with the fact that this book can be used to teach young linguists. How NOT to translate. Because I haven’t seen such a disgusting translation for a very long time. I haven’t checked it with the original, but I have a clear feeling that this is a banal copy of the original, a translation word for word, preserving the completely unnatural English sentence construction in Russian. Even where there is a similar stable expression in Russian, which would be both shorter and more beautiful, Lann and Krivtsova prefer a word-by-word translation. I remembered the only pearl - “The Hut of Happiness is better than the Palace of Cold Luxury, and where there is love, there is everything.” Apparently, high religious beliefs did not allow the pirivodtchet to write something like “with my dear one, heaven and in a hut”
The result was literally the following: most of text is “excess water”. What looks quite short and succinct in English, when translated word-by-word into Russian, spreads out and becomes a terrible, tooth-breaking piece of paper, with extremely long periods. Honestly, I read the text diagonally. And at the same time, it seems that she has lost absolutely nothing, and even gained (or at least retained the remnants of her nerves).
Certain moments - when translators try to convey some emotions - are the worst. Because where Dickens, judging by the plot, should have love, friendship, sympathy, tenderness, etc. - the translators produce such disgusting sugar-coated snot that it seems it was written not by Dickens, but by Dolores Umbridge. Everything sounds too pathetic and unnatural.
In general, IMHO, as much as you can kill a book with translation, this translation killed it. I hope the translators will burn in hell forever((
As for the novel itself (which can hardly be discerned behind such a terrible text), it is, in general, a fairly ordinary educational novel. And, in my opinion, quite boring and drawn out. True, it is already difficult to distinguish where the boundary of responsibility of the author is, and where is the responsibility of the translators. I was especially confused by the author’s manner of jumping across rather long periods of time for no apparent reason. Like, fell in love, got married, lived together - it's all long and detailed. And then one short shot: the wife died. An excellent move, one is tempted to ask about the justification, although life is a strange thing in general. But these sudden cuts in the text - I can’t call it anything else - were somehow very jarring.
Moreover, perhaps the most interesting characters turned out to be the main villains - Uriah Heep and Rose Dartle. At least they are not touchingly plush and not endowed with the Dorian Gray crown of beauty and meanness, like some others. Lively and evil, which is much more true than the “noble poor” of the Peggotty family. Yes, I'm an angry old cynic, but this whole line irritates me. Only Dora is more infuriating, but Dora is generally a diagnosis. Lord, Dickens managed to perfectly bring out what was in modern world called “blendingo”, and so clearly - such bright way I don’t remember this type in literature anymore)
In general, it’s difficult for me to say anything about the plot. Biography and biography. The hero’s path, as they say, is from rags to riches, which very significantly ends with the hero acquiring a stable financial position and starting a family, and everyone he meets life path ill-wishers are laid to rest. It’s not that it’s completely unreliable, but somehow it’s emphasized too much, causing more of a smile than a sincere belief that “vengeance is mine, and I will repay.” The beginning, about childhood, was terribly boring, perhaps the most interesting period concerns Steerforth (or whatever his name is?) and the beginning of his career. All IMHO, of course. It turned out to be a very typical portrait in the interior, and I won’t say that it was at all entertaining.
Rating: 4
There is so much magic in this book! Truly, this is Dickens's best novel and one of best novels 19th century, century. in which culture and literature became accessible to many. Dickens is a humanist and romantic, a slightly dark mystic, a poet and a wizard of words. The novel is full of wondrous images, descriptions of nature and the city, seasons and elements. Wonderful, musical, colorful descriptions of the seashores strewn with shells (Newton comes to mind at the end of his life), the roads along which David wanders at the beginning and end of the book, rain and storms in the city and the sea, cozy rooms and cute trinkets, the house in which he lives Jeep. Bright colors The author draws almost all the characters in the novel. Some of them remain completely unclear. This is, of course, Steerforth, arrogant and unkind, but also capable of manifestations of friendship, and Mr. Dick, perhaps, choosing the role of the blessed one of his own free will. Uriah Heep is very bright, especially in his frank speeches in the revelation scene, and at the end of the book, already in prison. Perhaps his true antagonist is not David, but Mr. Dick, who brings goodness and peace and a smile. He is especially remarkable in what he says about Dr. Strong: “He is so modest, so modest, he condescends even to poor Dick, who is weak in mind and knows nothing. I wrote his name on a piece of paper and sent it along a string to the kite when he was in the sky among the larks. Kite was so glad to receive it, sir, and the skies became even brighter!” In these words we can see a kind of appeal and appeal to heaven, but special language, accessible to few. You can recall the story of L.N. Tolstoy about the three elders with their words: “three of you, three of us...” One of the most touching heroes of the novel is Dora. A heavenly flower, a beautiful Eloi from “The Time Machine”, who for some reason ended up on earth. The poor and beautiful girl-wife, who with infinite wisdom asked Agnes to take her place. These and many other heroes of the novel deserve to be played on screen and in the theater best actors. The novel, in general, is very good for film adaptation, theater production and, probably, musicalization (production as a musical). The internal monologues of the main character, his internal wanderings through his soul are excellent. It's a little scary when you read and understand his thoughts about Dora. It's a pity that David never explained things to Steerforth. Of course, I don't mean another slap in the face. There is not as much sentimentality in the novel as it might at first seem. And this is not a novel about education. It can be called a novel of human development and change. And you can also see in it England, of which the author is very proud, but also clearly sees its shortcomings. The translation by Krivtsova and Lanna is also excellent. Thanks to the author and translators for the pleasure I received while reading the novel. I will undoubtedly return to him more than once.
Rating: 10
Dickens, good old Dickens! Where would we be without your wonderful novels, without those role models that you unobtrusively bring out in them, without this idea of good honest people that we can all be...
I can't tell you how much I loved David Copperfield! It has everything: wonderful, bright, lively characters who instantly become your friends; dramatic events, making you cry avidly; subtle humor - not the kind that makes you laugh while rolling on the bed, but that evokes a constant cheerful smile of joy; exciting adventures; and, of course, the finale, where everyone gets what they deserve.
If I had to choose a favorite character, it would be Grandma Trotwood. "Janet! Donkeys! And the most annoying thing, suddenly, was Dora - oh, how she infuriated me! I certainly agree that it’s better to be a kind fool than a smart bitch, but not the same phenomenal idiot who doesn’t want to think about anything at all!!! She said the only worthwhile phrase in her life about the future of their marriage...
The story of Doctor and Mrs. Strong is extremely instructive. My soul ached for them, and both of them are the best spouses.
So far this is the best thing I’ve read by Dickens, and it’s definitely going on my favorite bookshelf.
Rating: 10
There are books, when reading which you enjoy the style and style more than what is happening in the text. The feeling is as pleasant as it is ambiguous if you try to describe it. Of all the books I read, two gave me this feeling, and one of them was “David Copperfield.” Not sure, maybe if the author had not written about life interesting character, surrounded by wonderfully written characters and equally carefully depicted events, but simply a set of descriptions of the countryside or one’s working day, it would still be fascinating to read. I think if such a feeling arises from the syllable, then the book is for you.
There are some disadvantages. The story itself is not very realistic, although the hardships that the author sends to the heroes are not at all fantastic. The beginning didn’t seem drawn out to me, but in the finale the hero’s incomprehensible stupor begins to bother me.
And what is most interesting is that David himself, for all his positivity, is only an observer, and not an arbiter of justice.
Rating: 10
Dickens is real great writer, one of the titans of world literature, his name is on a par with Shakespeare, Goethe, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky... And this book is perhaps his best - one that everyone who can read should read.
