What impression does Charles Dickens create of the Murdstones? What techniques does he employ to create this impression?

The first 200 words of this essay...

What impression does Charles Dickens create of the Murdstones? What techniques does he employ to create this impression?

I think the Murdstones are the two main villains in the story. Mr.Murdstone, step dad of David, he is evil, cruel and treats David harshly. He hates David and wants him out of the way. Mrs Murdstone, sister of Mr.Murstone also vicious and self-centred. Both of them together ruin the early childhood of David and have control of the Copperfield family. The sheer evilness of the Murdstones resulted in the death of David's mother-Clara, although at one point he did love Clara, but her pretty house and her income probably added to her attractions in his eye. I think worst of all the Murdstones tormented David both physically and psychologically.

Dickens is very clever in describing the appearance of the Murdstones, it very much relates to their ruthlessness. He describes the eyes of Mr.Murdstones as ".... with his ill-omened black eyes...." Already we are given a warning of impending disaster from the looks of his eyes.

". Shallow black eye...an eye that has no depth in it to be looked into" This just shows the wretched character he