Agnes Grey
is a novel published in 1847 and written by Anne Brontë,
the younger sister of Charlotte and Emily Brontë.
Agnes Grey, the protagonist of Anne’s novel, is a girl who has grown in a happy family, in contrast to the protagonists of Jane Eyre (by Charlotte Brontë) and Wuthering Heights (by Emily Brontë), her sisters’ masterpieces. Her dad is a minister, while her mum is woman who has given up her prosperity for love.
However, one day, Agnes decides to work as a governess
because of the economic problems of her family. Her first work experience takes
place in a rich country family. Here, she has to take care of the education of
two rebellious children, but soon she will leave her job because she will not be
able to manage the children.
At this point, Agnes moves to Horton Lodge, where, as
a governess, she has to deal with two girls: Rosalie and Matilda Murray.
Then, she meets minister Edward Weston, who she will
fall in love with.
Through Agnes
Grey, Anne Brontë wants to highlights some social issues of the Victorian Age and she wants to leave
a moral to her reader:
“All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity, that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut.”
For example, this book faces the behaviour that the
wealthy family assumes toward its employees or needy people. It highlights the
superficiality of the rich people who consider the poorer as inferior.
Moreover, Agnes Grey wonders if beauty is really so
important. She says that the education and a beautiful and quick mind is more
essential than appearance.
“It is
foolish to wish for beauty. Sensible people never either desire it for
themselves or care about it in others. If the mind be but well cultivated, and
the heart well disposed, no one ever cares for the exterior.”
She knows that external beauty is, unfortunately, more appreciated then moral or intellectual
qualities.
“A little
girl loves her bird--Why? Because it lives and feels; because it is helpless
and harmless? A toad, likewise, lives and feels, and is equally helpless and
harmless; but though she would not hurt a toad, she cannot love it like the
bird, with its graceful form, soft feathers, and bright, speaking eyes.”
In addition, in this book, the religious aspect is also very important; Agnes Grey often turns
to God or prays Him to find comfort.
“The end of
Religion is not to teach us how to die, but how to live....”
Many times, she quotes some passages of the Bible.
This aspect is present in her sister Charlotte’s work,
especially in Jane Eyre. Indeed,
between Agnes Grey and Jane Eyre there are many analogies, but
many differences too. For example, both the protagonists of the two books are
governesses, but their personalities are quite different.
Anne Brontë
Anne Brontë was born on 17th January 1820
in Thornton.
In 1821, when her mother died, her family moved to
Haworth where her father was the vicar of the local parish. Her father was a
Protestant minister and he changed his name from Brunty to Brontë: probably, he
wanted to associate himself with Horatio Nelson, duke of Brontë.
At first, she was educated at home; then she went to a
public school, while her sisters, Charlotte, Emily, Mary and Elizabeth, were sent
to a boarding school, where two of them, Mary and Elizabeth, died because of
tuberculosis.
Anne and her sisters, Charlotte and Emily, wrote and
published a book of poems. They decided to sign their work with pseudonyms:
Currer Bell (Charlotte Brontë), Ellis Bell (Emily Brontë) and Acton Bell (Anne Brontë).
Anne Brontë worked as a governess like her sister
Charlotte.
In 1847, she published her first work, Agnes Grey. However, this book was not
very successful.
In 1848, Anne published The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Also this book was not very successful
because of the themes debated. They say that Anne’s brother, Patrick, probably
inspired the male protagonist.
Already seriously ill of tuberculosis, she decided to
take a trip to Scarborough with her sister Charlotte. Here, Anne died on 28th
May 1849.
ANGELICA, 3scB
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