David Copperfield · Character

Mrs. Micawber

Mr. Micawber's fiercely loyal wife, who endures endless insolvency with grand declarations and never once deserts her husband.

supporting

Also known as Poor Mrs. Micawber, the Micawber, poor Mrs. Micawber

First appearance: XI: I Begin Life on My Own Account, and Don’t Like It

As a supporting figure in David Copperfield, Mrs. Micawber is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Lives in the prison with her husband; makes egg-hot for David and discusses family affairs.

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Mrs. Micawber presides over a household perpetually on the brink of ruin, greeting each new creditor and each new scheme with the same resolute cheerfulness. Her devotion to her improvident husband is absolute and slightly absurd, yet it is also genuinely heroic, and she will not hear a word against him. She matters because the Micawbers embody the novel's comic endurance of poverty, and her steadfastness becomes crucial when the family's fortunes finally turn.

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See Mrs. Micawber in XI: I Begin Life on My Own Account, and Don’t Like It

Character Web

29 connections

A slice of how Mrs. Micawber sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Central characters and antagonists
Protagonist

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it presents the emotional peak of David's concealed grief and the…

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In the story

Mrs. Micawber appears across 7 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

XI: I Begin Life on My Own Account, and Don’t Like It
Lives in the prison with her husband; makes egg-hot for David and discusses family affairs.
Liking Life on My Own Account No Better, I Form a Great Resolution
Mrs. Micawber tearfully declares she will never desert her husband, and expresses gratitude to David for his friendship.
Somebody Turns Up
Mrs. Micawber recounts the family's failed attempts to secure employment in Plymouth and the coal trade, and expresses her unwavering support for her husband.
Tommy Traddles
Mrs. Micawber is mentioned as part of the household downstairs, though she does not appear directly in the scene.
Mr. Micawber's Gauntlet
Advocates for Mr. Micawber to advertise for employment; retires early but joins for tea and inquires about Dora.
Enthusiasm
Expresses unwavering loyalty to her husband and discusses his future prospects.
LVII: The Emigrants
Mrs. Micawber delivers a lengthy speech about Mr. Micawber's future eminence and the importance of feeling his position as an emigrant.

Chapter companion notes

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See Mrs. Micawber in XI: I Begin Life on My Own Account, and Don’t Like It