What is the name of the headmaster at Salem House in David Copperfield?

The headmaster at Salem House in David Copperfield is Mr. Creakle. He runs the boarding school attended by the young David Copperfield and is known for his harsh discipline and intimidating manner.

David is sent to Salem House after his stepfather, Mr. Murdstone, punishes and separates him from home. At the school, Mr. Creakle singles David out for extra severity because of Murdstone’s request. Creakle’s treatment reflects the novel’s broader concern with how children can be controlled and mistreated by powerful adults.

Mr. Creakle is often confused with Mr. Squeers, another Dickens schoolmaster. Squeers runs Dotheboys Hall in Nicholas Nickleby, while Creakle presides over Salem House. Mr. Micawber is David’s debt-ridden but entertaining friend, and Mr. Murdstone is David’s cruel stepfather rather than a school headmaster.

Later in the novel, Creakle becomes a magistrate and runs a prison. Dickens presents him with irony: he considers himself enlightened even though his earlier conduct toward children was brutal.