David Copperfield · Chapter
XLVI: Intelligence explained
David, now married to Dora and working as a writer, encounters Littimer, who relates details of Little Em'ly's flight from Steerforth.
What happens
David, now married to Dora and working as a writer, encounters Littimer, who relates details of Little Em'ly's flight from Steerforth. Miss Dartle interrogates Littimer, revealing her bitter obsession. David later visits Mr. Peggotty to share the news that Em'ly has left Steerforth, though her whereabouts remain unknown. Mr. Peggotty maintains hope that she is alive.
Themes in this chapter
Cruelty and Abuse of Power
Littimer's cold manipulation and Steerforth's predatory behavior toward Em'ly exemplify the abuse of social and personal power.
Redemption and Forgiveness
Mr. Peggotty's steadfast hope and willingness to forgive Em'ly underscore the theme of redemption despite her fall.
Memory and Nostalgia
David's recollection of Em'ly's innocent childhood on the beach contrasts sharply with her current tragic situation.
Characters to notice
- David Copperfield
Narrator and protagonist, now a successful writer, who investigates Em'ly's fate and comforts Mr. Peggotty.
- Rosa Dartle
Bitter and intense, she orchestrates the interview with Littimer and reveals her relentless animosity toward Steerforth.
- Littimer
Steerforth's former servant, who calmly recounts Em'ly's departure and his own falling-out with Steerforth.
- Mr. Peggotty
Devoted uncle of Little Em'ly, who receives the news of her separation from Steerforth with quiet dignity and unwavering hope.
- Little Em'ly
Referenced as the subject of the search; she has run away from Steerforth and is missing.
- James Steerforth
Mentioned as the man Em'ly fled from; Littimer describes his insulting behavior and the rift between them.
Key passages
“Oh, Emily! Unhappy beauty! What a picture rose before me of her sitting on the far-off shore, among the children like herself when she was innocent, listening to little voices such as might have called her Mother had she been a poor man's wife; and to the great voice of the sea, with its eternal 'Never more!'”
David imagines Emily as a tragic figure, surrounded by children on a distant beach, haunted by the lost possibility of a simple, happy life as a poor man's wife.
David's nostalgic and sorrowful reflection on Emily's lost innocence and the irreversible consequences of her choices.
“I have a character to maintain.”
Littimer insists on preserving his reputation and social standing, even while recounting his involvement in a scandal.
Littimer's obsession with respectability reveals the hypocrisy of Victorian moral codes.
“My niece, Em'ly, is alive, sir! I doen't know wheer it comes from, or how 'tis, but I am told as she's alive!”
Mr. Peggotty declares his unshakable belief that Emily is still alive, guided by an inner conviction rather than evidence.
Mr. Peggotty's faith and determination contrast with the despair surrounding Emily's disappearance.