DAVID COPPERFIELD CHARLES DICKENS

Character Analysis of the most

Unctuous villain URIAH HEEP

-- by Shiladitya Chakraborty

Uriah Heep is considered to be the most unctuous villain of Dicken's creations . The name itself has become a byword for a falsely "UMBLE" hypocrite . Heep is not just a person , he is an evil machine . He is consumed with hatred , envy and malice . He is a "MONSTER IN THE GARB OF MAN " . Uriah Heep is a master of deception and he wants to fulfil his ambition only through evil methods and by ruining others or making their position lower . Of Uriah heep W . EASTWOOD remarks , " URIAH HEEPS' LEADING

1 CHARACTERISTIC IS HYPOCRISY , HIS INORDINATE AMBITION AND RAVENING EGOISM . "

We are introduced to Uriah Heep as a clerk to Mr. Wickfield . Being a youth of fifteen , he looks much older . His hair is cropped and he "HAD HARDLY ANY EYEBROWS " and "NO EYELASHES AND EYE OF A RED BROWN " . He looks completely repulsive . "HE'S GOT A PALE FACE " and " A LONG , LANK SKELETON HAND " . He excites terror in us with his first appearance . These cold , long , wwhite hands of Uriah Heep stands for the symbol of inhumanity . Being an example of Slimy , sneaky and evil-albino , the characterization of Uriah Heep is a good example of Dicken's mastery of grotesque . Considerable use of physical pecularities foreshadow the animal-like characteristic of Uriah's mind .

Uriah Heep is the very incarnation of hypocrisy . Uriah and his mother both are obsessed with maintaining the appearance of humility . 'UMBLENESS' is Uriah's chosen road to power and success .But all his humility and "UMBLENESS" are a mere pretext . He is highly ambitious. He wants wealth , power , rank , and position . He requires power and influence . The thing which makes Uriah so fascinating is the complication behind the smarmy face . Being cloaked under

2