Agnes Wickfield: Character Analysis in David Copperfield

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      Agnes was the daughter of Mr. Wickfield. She is completely self sacrificing. She is so patient and wise that everywhere she goes, she seems to shoot out rays of calm and contentment.

      Agnes was looked upon by David as a sister during his school days at Canterbury. She always gave him a pleasant smile when he returned home from school. She was chiefly instrumental in recovering David from depression into which he had fallen after his mother's death and work at Murdstone and Grinby warehouse. She restores him once again to healthy and cheerful boyhood.

      She was intelligent and efficient. She kept her father's house for him. She is so caring that she is more concerned for her father than for herself, always living shut up in her father's dark house. She loved and respected her father and always looked after his comfort and wellbeing.

      She was ever anxious to free him from the wicked and damping influence of the villain Uriah Heep. She would not trust her father alone with Uriah. She intelligently assists Traddles and through the help of Micawber, the wicked designs of Uriah are defeated.

      She was a young woman of great understanding. She was David's counselor after he had left his school. He paid her great compliments. He called her his good angel, who always inspired him to look higher and try for nobler things. He was happy when Agnes approved of his choice of Dora for his wife. She advised him to go abroad after Dora's death in order to escape her memories and tried to restore him to nature and man while he was abroad. She always took an intelligent interest in his work and was proud of what he wrote. After her father's name had been cleared she marries David. She had given her word to the dying Dora that she would marry David after Dora's death. Even Miss Betsey has a high opinion of Agnes's wisdom and takes her advice after she (Betsey) had lost her fortune. She had advised David to take the Secretary's position with Dr. Strong.

      We may close our account of her by quoting what Miss Betsey told David about Agnes on his return from his travels, "You will find her as good, as beautiful as earnest, as disinterested, as she has always been. If I knew higher praise, Trot, I would bestow it on her."

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