Yarmouth: Time And Space In David Copperfield
ONE
Carrier's cart was at the gate. David was leaving his mother and his house for the first time. When the cart moved, Clara ran out to the gate, and called the carrier to stop, that she could kiss little David once more.
Yarmouth was a seaside town. Blunderstone is around 9 K.M. south of Yarmouth. The cart was slow, the lanes were narrow; even if the carrier were not there the cart would have reached its destination. For David, Yarmouth seemed a different world. A world of boats, ships, boat builders, shipwrights, and sailors. The smell of fish, and oakum and tar. Ham, who was waiting for them in the public house, came forward and carried little David on his back. He was in Rookery at the time of David's birth. But David was seeing him for the first time. Ham was, by now, a huge and strong fellow of six feet high, broad and round shouldered, but with a simpering boy's face and curly light hair that gave him a sheepish look. He was dressed in a canvas jacket and a pair of stiff trousers.
They walked for sometime, before they reached the house, through a place littered with bits of chips; little hillocks of sand; gas works, rope-walks, boat-builder's yards, shipwrights' yards, caulker's yards, rigger's lofts, Smith's forges and so on. David felt wondering if the world were really as round as his geography book said, how any part of it came to be so flat. The dull waste that lay accross the river also drew his attention. Then followed a desolate place. And a ship-like thing was seen. David came to know from Ham that it was the house of Peggotty's brother.
They reached the house, which was a wonder to David. He was charmed, and it looked as Aladdin's palace, roc's and all. [Roc is a monstrous bird mentioned in Arabian Nights] There is a mention of Sarah Jane lugger. Lugger is a small sailing ship with one or more masts . So Sarah Jane is the name of the lugger.
Dane Peggotty was a dealer in lobsters, crabs, and crawfish and these creatures were kept in a wooden outhouse. The smell of lobsters always lingered in the atmosphere.
According to Mr Peggotty Ham was the son of his brother Joe. After his death by drowning Mr Peggotty adopted him. Mrs Gummidge was the widow of his partner. Little Emily was the daughter of his brother-in-law. Both of them were also adopted by him.
Why Clara Peggotty chose an employment outside her circle? (family and friends). It may be that lower classes always break customs readily; and rising industrial revolution offered more opportunities. She found it necessary, to seek employment outside her circle, that his brother adopted three orphans: Ham, Emily and Missis Gummidge. The boathouse was overcrowded. Instead of fighting for space in the small boathouse, she came out and found a space in Rookery; but maintained her cordial relation with her brother. She was critical of Clara Copperfield's new relationship, still she stuck on for the welfare of little David.
David liked the life inside the boathouse. Peggotty showed him his bed, in a crib. It was on the stern of the boat.
Little Emily had great ambitions. She wanted to be a lady, and earn money, and would gift her uncle with money and dress. Occasionally Mr Peggotty would go to The Willing Mind, a pub in Yarmouth, and that day Mrs Gummidge would be all complaints and tears. Ham, when free, would go with David and Emily. He would show them boats and ships; and once or twice he took them for a row.
After a fortnight's stay at Yarmouth, David, along with Peggotty returned to Rookery, in Blunderstone. But David felt that his home was changed.
(Based on Chapter Three)
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TWO
David was in Yarmouth a second time; a stopover in his journey to Salem House in London. The inn, where he waited for stagecoach was a changing inn. Such inns also provided food and resting place
William, the waiter in the Inn where he waited for the stagecoach is an interesting character. David procured a sheet of paper through William; and wrote the following note to Peggotty:
My dear Peggotty I have come here safe. Barkis is willing. My love to mama. Yours affectionately. P. S. He particularly wants you to know BARKIS IS WILLING.
Stagecoach was popular by 1690. It was a four wheeler four or six horses drawn carriage used for public transport. It also carried small packages and mails. (Dover Mail in A tale of two cities) At pre fixed stages the horses were changed. It took nearly seventeen hours to cover a distance of 170 k.m. from Yarmouth to London. Now it takes only four hours by train.
William the waiter by his stories conquered David by eating all his food; and one of his bright shillings. By stories of rib breaking schools of London he frightened David. He falsely presented before other travellers that David had great appetite.
David's appetite had become a talk among the crew and passengers. The journey to London by stagecoach was not at all comfortable. David was hungry; the night was chilly. David was put between two gentlemen, as to prevent his tumbling down from the coach. The elderly lady in great fur cloak, sitting in front of David had a basket, which she did not know where to put. David's legs being short, she decided to put it underneath him. It cramped and hurt him much. He moved a little, and the glass in the basket rattled against something. And then came her shout, 'come don't you fidget. Your bones are young enough, I am sure!'
Morning came. The stagecoach had arrived at Whitechapel area of London. Whitechapel was an area of extreme poverty, unhygienic streets, immigrants, working class and mixed cultures. A ladder was brought for David to step down. A solitary walk to the booking office.
Sitting on the weighing scale amongst various packages, and luggages scattered around, a procession of thoughts and worries came to his mind. The immediate concern was, who would come to fetch him. Whether Mr Murdstone was playing a trick to get rid of him? As he was involved in these procession of wild thoughts, a gaunt shallow young man of hollow cheeks entered and whispered something to the booking clerk. He was the man who came to fetch him. David found that he was a poor man poorly dressed.
He was Mr Mell; a Junior teacher of Salem House. He said that the school was in Blackheath, six miles away from Whitechapel; and they would go by stage coach. David was very hungry and could not hold that much distance. Mr Mell took him to a Baker's shop where David bought a loaf of brown bread, and then to a grocery where he bought an egg and a slice of streak of bacon. They arrived at the alms house where Mrs Mell and Mrs Febbitson lived.
While David was having his breakfast Mr Mell at the request of Mrs Mell played his flute. The breakfast, the flute, and his sorrows brought sleep into his eyes.
Mr Mell took David into the stagecoach. David was in deep sleep.
(Based on Chapter Five)
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THREE
On his way home when the Salem school closed for holidays David was put in another inn in Yarmouth. He was given a nice room with a DOLPHIN painted on the door.
Barkis came in the morning. They started their journey to Blunderstone. David came to know that Barkis did not receive any reply for his message from Peggotty. Barkis was still willing. Barkis asked whether Peggotty was her Christian name. David told her that her Christian name was Clara. Barkis took a chalk from his pocket and wrote on the tilt of the carriage, "Clara Peggotty"
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FOUR
From Salem House to Yarmouth on David's return home to attend the funeral, the journey was by a heavy night-coach. Very slow, arrived at Yarmouth next day morning by ten o'clock. Barkis was not there. A fat short-winded, merry-looking, little old man in black came to him; and he conducted David to a shop in a narrow street.
This was Omer the Undertaker who was arranging the funeral for the dead. Minnie was his young daughter.
Omer took David's measurement for funeral garments. Tea and bread-and-butter were offered to David. Omer told David that he knew his father Mr Copperfield. He was five foot nine and a half, and he lay five and twenty foot of ground. The baby was dead, he said to David. They were waiting for the coffin to be ready. David sat at a table in the corner.
Joram came and informed that his job was finished. Minnie coloured a little at the sight of Joram; and the other two girls smiled at one another. Omer asked David whether he would like to see the coffin. But Minnie stopped him with the words 'No father.'
Omer came with the chaise; It was a kind of half chaise cart and half pinaforte-van; painted of a sombre colour, and drawn by a black horse with long tail. All the things were put in first. Then David was put. Minnie and her lover Joram, being part of undertaker followed. Omer sat in front to drive.
(Chapter Nine)
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FIVE
Peggotty and David were in the cart of Barkis, on their way to Yarmouth from Rookery in Blunderstone; after the death of David's mother. This journey was the first opportunity of both Barkis and Peggotty to convey their feelings for each other, and it seems both of them had come to a conclusion, and they preferred to keep it close to their chests.
Later while walking their way up to meet Mr Peggotty and Ham, Peggotty opened her heart to David. She was very particular that her wish should reconcile his feelings. She was also particular that she should be near her David.
Peggotty and Ham welcomed them. Everything in the Boathouse remained the same; but little Emily was not there. She had gone to school. When she returned she did not respond to David. Her sly and shy behaviour captivated David. The return of Emily from the the school offered an interesting glimpse of David's mood swings which in his later life make appearance at different occasions. David was out of the boat house, expecting Emily on her way home from the school. He saw her at a distance but pretended as if she were a stranger, but later followed her. Emily was aware of this and took a short-cut and he lost sight of her. When he returned to the boathouse, he saw her at the doorstep smiling at at him.
Emily was very much attracted by David's description of his friend Steerforth. He was handsome, he was bold, he was generous, he was a jack of all trades. Emily was already in love with Steerforth and he seemed suited to her childhood dream of becoming a lady.
David lay down in the old little bed at the stern of the boat, listening to the rising sea and putting a short clause in his prayers that he might grow up to marry little Emily. ( a childish fancy, and quite natural.)
The days passed as they had passed before. But little Emily seldom wandered with David in the beach. She had her lessons and needle-work. She liked David, but used to taunt him playfully. She used to sit quietly at work in the doorway, and David on the doorstep at her feet, reading to her.
One day Mr Barkis appeared with a bundle of oranges, for Peggotty. After that he appeared every day with a bundle, and left it behind the door. The merchandise always varied - a double set of pigs' trotters, a huge pin cushion, half a bushel of apples, a pair of jet earrings, some Spanish onions, a box of dominoes, a canary bird and cage, and a leg of pickled pork. Sometimes he took Peggotty for a walk on the flat.
At the fag end of David's visit, it was given out that Mr Barkis and Peggotty were going to make a day's holiday; that Emily and David would follow them. Mr Barkis came, driving his chaise-cart at the time of breakfast in the boathouse.
Mr Barkis bloomed in his new coat, the cuffs of which would have rendered gloves unnecessary; and the high collar pushed his hair up on the end of the top of his head. Peggotty was dressed as usual in her neat and quiet mourning.
Mr Peggotty was ready with an old shoe to be thrown after Peggotty. Show throwing was a custom to blessings. By throwing shoe after a bride, the father or guardian renounced his authority over the girl. Mr Peggotty gave the shoe to Mrs Gummidge to be thrown after Peggotty.
On their way they stopped at a church. Mr Barkis tied the horse to some rails and went in with Peggotty. It was a simple marriage; the clerk giving away the bride.
After food at an inn, Peggotty, little Emily and David went for a stroll, while Mr Barkis philosophically enjoyed his pipe.
They returned to boathouse at night. Mr and Mrs Barkis bade goodnight to the rest of them. David thought he had now lost Peggotty, too.
But the morning came, and with it came Peggotty. She took David to her own home. A beautiful little cottage.
That night David left Mr Peggotty, Ham, little Emily and Mrs Gummidge; and passed the night with Peggotty's, in a little room in the roof.
'Young or old, Davy dear, as long as I am alive and have this house over my head,' said Peggotty, 'you shall find it as if I expected you here every minute.'
In the morning David went with them to Rookery, in their cart. They left him at the gate. David was under the old elm trees, looking the cart moving away, and he looked at Rookery. There was no one to look for him in Rookery.
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