David Copperfield, Chapter 31 summary
Chapter 31 of 64 · 16 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 31, Davy helps Peggotty settle Mr. Barkis’s estate and attends his burial before learning that little Emily has run away with Steerforth. Ham brings the news and Emily’s letter, while Mr. Peggotty vows to find her; Mrs. Gummidge’s comfort finally allows him and Davy to cry.
What happens
- Davy finds Mr. Barkis’s will and helps Peggotty understand and arrange the estate.
- Mr. Barkis is buried at Blunderstone, and Davy visits his mother’s grave with Peggotty and her brother.
- At the boathouse, Mr. Peggotty welcomes Davy and describes the candle he lights to guide Emily home.
- Ham arrives without Emily and tells Davy that she has run away.
- Davy reads Emily’s farewell letter, and Ham identifies Steerforth as the man with whom she leaves.
- Mr. Peggotty prepares to search for Emily, but Mrs. Gummidge persuades him to pause and comforts him.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of David Copperfield, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
In this chapter
What to notice
Mr. Peggotty’s response to Emily’s departure is a determination to recover her, not reject her. It turns the household’s shock toward a search.
Quick check
What does Mr. Peggotty’s window candle tell Emily?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of David Copperfield, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
200,000+ classics to read, hear and hold
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
