Quote 37
My aunt was a tall, hard-featured lady, but by no means ill-looking. There was an inflexibility in her face, in her voice, in her gait and carriage, amply sufficient to account for the effect she had made upon a gentle creature like my mother; but her features were rather handsome than otherwise, though unbending and austere. I particularly noticed that she had a very quick, bright eye. Her hair, which was grey, was arranged in two plain divisions, under what I believe would be called a mob-cap; I mean a cap, much more common then than now, with side-pieces fastening under the chin. Her dress was of a lavender colour, and perfectly neat; but scantily made, as if she desired to be as little encumbered as possible. I remember that I thought it, in form, more like a riding-habit with the superfluous skirt cut off, than anything else. She wore at her side a gentleman's gold watch, if I might judge from its size and make, with an appropriate chain and seals; she had some linen at her throat not unlike a shirt-collar, and things at her wrists like little shirt-wristbands. (13.109)
This first extended description of Miss Betsey fascinates us. Why? Well: look how different Miss Betsey's physical appearance is compared to soft, fair Mrs. Copperfield or Dora. Miss Betsey is the only woman in the novel who successfully raises a family (well, David) by herself (as opposed to Mrs. Steerforth, Mrs. Copperfield, and Mrs. Heep). What distinguishes her from these other women is that she keeps getting marked as masculine: she is "hard-featured," with "unbending and austere" features. Her dress is plain and "more like a riding-habit with the superfluous skirt cut off, than anything else." In other words, she is remarkably plainly dressed, to be "as little encumbered as possible." She even wears "a gentleman's gold watch." Miss Betsey's power in the household seems to be the result of her unusually independent, firm ways – and this independence demonstrates itself in her masculine appearance. So, there's a subtle equation here: feminine = weak; masculine = strong.
Quote 38
There was dust, I believe. There was a good deal of dust, I believe. I have a faint impression that Mr. Spenlow remonstrated with me for riding in it; but I knew of none. I was sensible of a mist of love and beauty about Dora, but of nothing else. He stood up sometimes, and asked me what I thought of the prospect. I said it was delightful, and I dare say it was; but it was all Dora to me. The sun shone Dora, and the birds sang Dora. The south wind blew Dora, and the wild flowers in the hedges were all Dora's, to a bud. My comfort is, Miss Mills understood me. Miss Mills alone could enter into my feelings thoroughly. (33.62)
David falls in love with Dora pretty much at first sight. When the three of them drive to some green space to have a birthday picnic for Dora with a bunch of friends, David is totally consumed by the sight of her. We're not too surprised that David's main attention is on Dora's appearance, which he keeps comparing to various lovely aspects of the natural world. If he talked to Dora a little more before they got married, and listened a bit more to the warning signs that they weren't made for each other, they both could have avoided a lot of heartbreak.
Quote 39
I thought I had killed her, this time. I sprinkled water on her face. I went down on my knees. I plucked at my hair. I denounced myself as a remorseless brute and a ruthless beast. I implored her forgiveness. I besought her to look up. I ravaged Miss Mills's work-box for a smelling-bottle, and in my agony of mind applied an ivory needle-case instead, and dropped all the needles over Dora. (37.47-8)
What's freaking out Dora here is that David has asked her to read a cookbook and study some accounts now and then, so that they can keep house without necessarily relying on servants. Dora flips out and David totally blames himself for just springing all of this on her. But seriously, this is a truly unflattering image of womanhood as being connected to weakness, childishness, and so on. Does Dora's characterization represent a more general assessment of the quality of women throughout the novel? Does Agnes Wickfield seem like a better or fairer model of womanhood to you? Are there problems with Agnes's depiction as well?