Uriah Heep (David Copperfield)
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Uriah Heep is a fictional character created by Charles Dickens in his novel David Copperfield.
[edit] Role in novel
The character is notable for his cloying humility, obsequiousness, and general insincerity. His constant references to David as "Master Copperfield" are repeated so often by Dickens that they quickly seem insincere. He is the central antagonist of the later part of the book. David first meets him when he is living with Mr. Wickfield and his daughter Agnes. Uriah works as Mr. Wickfield's clerk and because of Mr. Wickfield's alcoholism Uriah controls most of his life and business. He eventually succeeds in having himself raised to being a full partner in the business. His eventual ambition is to marry Agnes and gain control of the Wickfield fortune. Like most of Dickens' villains, greed is his main motivation. Heep is eventually stymied by Mr. Micawber and Thomas Traddles, with help from David and Agnes. Once his fraud and treachery are unmasked, he persists in hounding Micawber and Copperfield. Towards the end of the novel, he is last seen in Mr. Creakle's prison where we find that he has returned to his "umble" ways, and puts himself forward as a model prisoner.
[edit] Other notes
While much of David Copperfield is autobiographical there is no evidence that Heep was based on a character in Dickens' life, though some believe his mannerisms and physical attributes to be based on Hans Christian Andersen whom Dickens met shortly before writing the novel.
The characteristics of grasping manipulation and insincerity can lead to calling a person “a Uriah Heep” as Lyndon Johnson is called in Robert Caro’s biography and Seymore Fleming from the play "Babes in Arms".
The British rock band, Uriah Heep is named after the character[1].
[edit] References
- ^ Kirk Blows. Uriah Heep Story. www.uriah-heep.com.
