David, who is employed by her father, the lawyer Mr Spenlow, falls in love with Dora at first sight and marries her.

She proves unable to cope with the responsibilities of married life and is more interested in playing with her dog, Jip, than in keeping their house.

In 1830, Dickens met his first love, Maria Beadnell, thought to have been the model for the character Dora in David Copperfield.

Maria's parents disapproved of the courtship and ended the relationship by sending her to school in Paris.

Spenlow is played by Morfydd Clark in Armando Iannucci’s 2019 adaptation, The Personal History of David Copperfield.