Genres: Fiction, Classics
To truly enjoy reading literary classics you have to be transported back to a place and time that’s very different from our own. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte is a perfect platform. It’s a tale of the experiences of a governess. The story is a semi-autobiographical work of Anne Bronte who, before getting published was a governess herself.
Published in 1847, is a novel about a young woman, in Victorian England, Agnes, is the younger daughter of an impoverished clergyman. Her parents had married against her mother’s family’s wishes and when their fortune was wrecked Agnes determines to help out by working as a governess.
The first family she works for are the Bloomfields. Mrs Bloomfield tells Agnes her children are clever and very apt to learn. In fact they are terrible children, utterly spoilt and cruel. I found their brutality shocking, the more so since Anne was writing from her own experiences. One of the most vivid scenes is where Agnes kills a brood of nestlings to prevent Tom Bloomfield from torturing them.
Agnes is treated like a servant, rather than as a governess. She has no authority over the children and is not allowed to discipline them much as she would like to. Her attempts to improve their wild behaviour by quoting Bible texts and moral instruction have no effect on the children’s behaviour. As Agnes’s mother has told her that people do not like to be told of their children’s faults she kept silent about them and despite her best efforts she failed to make any impression on them.
Her second employment with the Murrays is little better – her charges are two teenage girls, who are just as spoilt as the younger children, wilful and determined to have their own way and two younger boys who are rough and unruly. Fortunately the boys are soon packed off to school and she only has to cope with sisters.
Both families are portrayed as wealthy, snobbish and totally lacking in any regard for Agnes. Agnes Grey vividly portrays the class distinctions of Victorian society, the position of women in that society from both the working and the middle classes through the first-person narrative. Above all it gives a very clear picture of the life of a governess, with all its loneliness, frustrations, insecurities and depressions. The characters, for the most part are well drawn, and I liked Agnes’s unspoken thoughts.
I recommend Agnes Grey, but it’s not a book that you can whip through quite easily, you have to think about what you are reading so you can enjoy and digest.
5 out of 5!
Reading is my favourite occupation, when I have leisure for it and books to read
I just finished reading this a couple of weeks ago and it reignited my love of the Victorians. I’m rereading, “Jane Eyre” now after 33 years!
I find writing of Anne more fascinating than of elder sister. Tell me, what are you feeling on reading Jane Eyre after such a long time? 🙂
I haven’t reached a point where I’m so wrapped up in it that I have to be reading, but I am enjoying it. I would like to read Anne’s, “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall”.
I haven’t read that boo by Anne Bronte. Although, re-reading does not work for me, I tried with some Russian writers but did not turn out so well. Maybe, I should give time in a greater amount to re-read books.
The only Bronte I have yet to read. Better put this on my list. Thanks!
You’re welcome. This Bronte is a good one 🙂
If you visit my blog and look for the Goodreads widget, you’ll find the short review I gave and you should get the inside joke.
Haha I read it, and the joke’s a good one! 😀
I was anticipating that moment at the end of the book and it brought me tears of joy!
It’s one of the most wonderful moment!
Thank you for this review; I’ve always wanted to try the “other” Bronte works (huge fan of “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” and “Jane Eyre”) but haven’t read the others. And now I will! 🙂
You’re most welcome 🙂
I bought this book today!
I hope you enjoy reading it 🙂
I could not agree more with you on Agnes Grey! I loved it, in fact, I love Anne’s writing most of all the Bronte sisters. I can definitely recommend The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which again, applies a critical view on the treatment of women at that time.
I have yet to read Tenant of Wildfell Hall, but I do find Anne’s writing more comfortable then her sister Charlotte.
Nice review. A friend of mine had always recommended this to me but I never seemed to take an interest in it, but now I have!
I am glad now you have 🙂
Do you find it very different from Brontes other books of similar subject matter?
Yes, I do. How about you?
I’ve not read this one but maybe I Will based on your response.
I hope you enjoy reading it 🙂
I took a Brontë class during my BA and Anne was definitely my favourite!
Her writing shows an immense potential that her sister Charlotte’s writing doesn’t.
Reblogged this on Anita & Jaye Dawes.
Thanks. Let’s begin to read more. With love.
Indeed!