Clara
Peggotty
In the novel she is called kindly "the Peggotty", because her name is the
same that the one of the David Copperfield's mother, Clara Copperfield
and Mr Copperfield called her for her surname in order not being confused
the one with the other. She is the servant and loyal nursemaid of David,
her character is showed to us practically in the same line since the beginning
of the story to the end, excepting the fact of her marriage in the middle
of the novel and her later widowhood of Barkis, the coachman.
In the humil families of the England of 19th. century it was habitual to
put to work the daughters as servants in rich homes.
The Peggotty family is a fishermen one, they live in a house built into
a ship in the beach of Yarmouth, the head of the family is daniel Peggotty,
brother of our present aim, a sailor single with a big heart that bring
him to adopt his two orphan nephew (Cam and Emily) and to protect the widow
of a matter, the Gummidge.
When the Peggotty gets married with Barkis and is discharged of Rockery
for the Murdstones after the death of David's mother, she goes to live
to a house in Yarmouth, not far away the old ship, where always would have
a room for David, with who had deeps ties of fond. That fond is do deep
that she wouldn't accept the proposition of Barkis if she would guessed
a little grimace of displeasure of the little David.
The Peggotty loved the needy Clara Copperfield and she went on loving
her if it is possible more than before when she became in Mrs Clara Murdstone
and she saw the treatment she receive for the two brothers.
Before the penetration in the family of the Murdstone brothers, the pleasent
Peggotty was treated practically as another member of the family more,
because she made her life with their in the livin room and even she ate
with their (and this preferencial treatment was not the usual with the
servants).
She helps David to do his firsts steps and she heared him when she became
to read his firsts books. But all this life was shorten when entered in
the house Mr Edward Murdstone, the Peggotty was banished to the kitchen,
and is forbiden to David to begin conversations with the serfdom...., but
all that is not enough for break their ties of love; the contact continues
and when David is placed in confinment in his room after being punished
for bit Murdstone's hand, she encourages him since the other side of the
locked door, and give him messagges from his mother and about his future...
When David is send to Mr Creakle's school the Peggotty appears in the way
where they saw off and she gave him money of his mother and herself, and
a few turnovers. It was not the only time she pay him that sevice, because
when David decided to go to looks for his aunt Betsey Trotwood,, she send
him money too.
David's mother died in in the arms of Peggotty, her loyal friend, who did
not apart from her side since the beginning of her sad sickness.
At the beginning
of the novel it is showed to us the terror of the Peggotty in the presence
of Miss Trotwood, and returns to show us the same terror in other times
in the novel, however they end living in the same house, and the Peggotty
is so loyal as she was with the Copperfield, as her governess.