James Steerforth
Encyclopedia
James Steerforth is a character in the novel David Copperfield
by Charles Dickens
. He is a handsome young man noted for his wit and romantic charm. Though he is well liked by his friends, he proves himself to be lacking in consideration for others.
Several years later, after moving to London
, David encounters Steerforth, and the two resume their friendship. Steerforth takes David to his home in Highgate
and introduces him to his mother, Mrs. Steerforth, and Miss Rosa Dartle, an eccentric young woman who resides with his mother at her home. Miss Dartle was Steerforth's caretaker while he was a boy, and the two have had a troubled relationship, as is seen from the scar on her lower lip which she received from Steerforth throwing a hammer at her.
David later invites Steerforth to Yarmouth
to meet Daniel Peggotty, a fisherman who is the brother of his former housekeeper Clara Peggotty
. During this vacation, Steerforth catches sight of Dan's niece Emily (known by her family as "Little Em'ly"), and becomes attracted to her. Some time later, shortly after visiting Steerforth at his home again, David makes another trip to Yarmouth and learns to his great surprise and dismay that Emily has run off with Steerforth to live a life of luxury in Europe. This news greatly distresses both the families of Steerforth and Emily.
Emily is regarded as a seductress by Miss Dartle, while Mr Peggotty and his nephew Ham, who was also Emily's fiancee, consider Steerforth to have stolen Emily from them. Mr Peggotty leaves home on a quest to find his niece, searching all throughout Europe for her. Eventually, Emily returns to England and finds her uncle, telling him that Steerforth had grown bored of her company and left her to become a sailor, after which she decided to return, promising never to leave him again.
A while later, David makes another visit to Yarmouth and is caught in the midst of a great storm. When he reaches Yarmouth, this storm has reached the peak of its ferocity. The storm causes a ship to be wrecked near the coast, with sailors stranded aboard. Eventually all but a lone sailor have been washed away. Ham sees this and attempts to get on board the ship to rescue the sailor. After reaching the ship, he and the sailor are crushed and killed by a strong wave. Their bodies are afterwards dragged ashore. The sailor whom Ham sought to rescue is Steerforth. The death of Steerforth brings grief and shock to both his mother and Miss Dartle. It is here that Miss Dartle confesses that she had always loved him and had desired to be his wife, and angrily blames Steerforth's associates (including his mother) for having corrupted him and led him to his demise.
David Copperfield (novel)
The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery , commonly referred to as David Copperfield, is the eighth novel by Charles Dickens, first published as a novel in 1850. Like most of his works, it originally appeared in serial...
by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
. He is a handsome young man noted for his wit and romantic charm. Though he is well liked by his friends, he proves himself to be lacking in consideration for others.
Role in novel
David Copperfield first meets James Steerforth as a boy attending Salem House boarding school. He is a few years older than David, and is first seen when dealing with a group of younger boys who are taunting David about biting his stepfather. David quickly comes to admire and respect him, as the other boys at the school do, and a friendship begins to develop between the two. As Steerforth is several years older than he, David looks up to him as a sort of protector. Steerforth is said to be the only boy at the school bold enough to stand up to Mr Creakle, the school's strict headmaster, and to make Mr Creakle feel intimidated.Several years later, after moving to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, David encounters Steerforth, and the two resume their friendship. Steerforth takes David to his home in Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
and introduces him to his mother, Mrs. Steerforth, and Miss Rosa Dartle, an eccentric young woman who resides with his mother at her home. Miss Dartle was Steerforth's caretaker while he was a boy, and the two have had a troubled relationship, as is seen from the scar on her lower lip which she received from Steerforth throwing a hammer at her.
David later invites Steerforth to Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
to meet Daniel Peggotty, a fisherman who is the brother of his former housekeeper Clara Peggotty
Peggotty
Clara Peggotty is a fictional character in Charles Dickens's 1850 novel David Copperfield.Referred to as 'Peggotty' so as not to confuse her with David's mother, who is also called Clara, Peggotty is the housekeeper of the family home and plays a big part in David's upbringing. Peggotty is the...
. During this vacation, Steerforth catches sight of Dan's niece Emily (known by her family as "Little Em'ly"), and becomes attracted to her. Some time later, shortly after visiting Steerforth at his home again, David makes another trip to Yarmouth and learns to his great surprise and dismay that Emily has run off with Steerforth to live a life of luxury in Europe. This news greatly distresses both the families of Steerforth and Emily.
Emily is regarded as a seductress by Miss Dartle, while Mr Peggotty and his nephew Ham, who was also Emily's fiancee, consider Steerforth to have stolen Emily from them. Mr Peggotty leaves home on a quest to find his niece, searching all throughout Europe for her. Eventually, Emily returns to England and finds her uncle, telling him that Steerforth had grown bored of her company and left her to become a sailor, after which she decided to return, promising never to leave him again.
A while later, David makes another visit to Yarmouth and is caught in the midst of a great storm. When he reaches Yarmouth, this storm has reached the peak of its ferocity. The storm causes a ship to be wrecked near the coast, with sailors stranded aboard. Eventually all but a lone sailor have been washed away. Ham sees this and attempts to get on board the ship to rescue the sailor. After reaching the ship, he and the sailor are crushed and killed by a strong wave. Their bodies are afterwards dragged ashore. The sailor whom Ham sought to rescue is Steerforth. The death of Steerforth brings grief and shock to both his mother and Miss Dartle. It is here that Miss Dartle confesses that she had always loved him and had desired to be his wife, and angrily blames Steerforth's associates (including his mother) for having corrupted him and led him to his demise.
Film and television portrayals
| Year | Title | James Steerforth played by: |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | David Copperfield | Hugh Williams Hugh Williams Hugh Williams was an English actor and dramatist of Welsh descent.-Personal life:... |
| 1969 | David Copperfield David Copperfield (1969 film) David Copperfield is a 1969 American television film directed by Delbert Mann based on the novel of the same name by Charles Dickens adapted by Jack Pulman, who later went on to adapt the Roman saga I, Claudius for BBC Television. The film was made in the UK for 20th Century Fox Television.The film... |
Corin Redgrave Corin Redgrave Corin William Redgrave was an English actor and political activist.-Early life:Redgrave was born in Marylebone, London, the only son and middle child of actors Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson... |
| 1999 | David Copperfield David Copperfield (1999 film) David Copperfield is a two part BBC television drama adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel David Copperfield, adapted by Adrian Hodges. The first part was shown on Christmas Day and the second on Boxing Day in 1999... |
Oliver Milburn Oliver Milburn Oliver Milburn , occasionally known by the name Oz Milburn, is an English actor.-Early life:Milburn was born in Dorset and educated at the Dragon School in Oxford, and then Eton College. He then went straight into television, with no formal acting training.-Career:He played Matthew Bannerman in... /Harry Lloyd Harry Lloyd Harry Lloyd is an English actor. He played Will Scarlet in the first two seasons of the BBC drama Robin Hood which began in 2006... |
| 2000 | David Copperfield David Copperfield (2000 film) David Copperfield is a 2000 film that was a joint US/Irish TV film adaptation of Charles Dickens's novel David Copperfield. It was filmed in Ireland, and broadcast on the TV Channel TNT as a Hallmark Entertainment production on December 10–11, 2000.... |
Paul Bettany Paul Bettany Paul Bettany is an English actor. He has appeared in a wide variety of films, including A Knight's Tale, A Beautiful Mind, and The Da Vinci Code... |
External links
- Steerforth at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...