Wilkins Micawber

W.C. Fields in <em>David Copperfield</em>American actor W.C. Fields as Mr. Micawber in David Copperfield (1935).

Wilkins Micawber, fictional character, a kindhearted, incurable optimist in Charles Dickens’s semiautobiographical novel David Copperfield (1849–50). In a 1935 film adaptation directed by George Cukor, American actor W.C. Fields gave a memorable performance as Micawber.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
Citation Information
Article Title: Wilkins Micawber
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 07 January 2016
Access Date: November 14, 2026