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Agnes Grey

by Anne Brontë, Angeline Goreau (Editor)

3.55 of 5 stars 3.55 · rating details · 14,867 ratings · 873 reviews

Anne Bronte was a 19th century British novelist and poet. She and her sisters Charlotte and Emily were the best-known women writers of the 19th century. At age 19 she left home and worked as a governess for a few years before becoming a writer. Agnes Grey was an 1847 novel based on her experience as a governess. Bronte depicts the precarious position of a governess and how...more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published January 3rd 1989 by Penguin Classics (first published December 1847)

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Nov 27, 2010 Tatiana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, classics, 1001

Out of all Bronte books Agnes Grey is definitely the one that reads as if written by a pastor's daughter. There is just a very familiar quality to it, a mix of self-righteousness, martyrdom and judgment, characteristic of "Christian" romances (yes, I have read a couple back in the day).

Not even once during the course of the novel does Agnes make a mistake and therefore she doesn't evolve, change. She is just the most perfectest creature ever who is mistreated by everyone around her. The beginni...more

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May 13, 2012 MJ Nicholls rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, pre-1900s, sassysassenachs, oxford-classics, distaff

Tackling Brontëism #1—Agnes Grey

Firstly, let’s diagnose this phenomenon. I first encountered Brontëism—definable as a slavish devotion to every word the sisters put to parchment—at university. I encountered the syndrome in American students who had spent their teens reading comedies of manners and upmarket romance novels and found in the Brontës a vicarious way to eke out their own desires for windswept romances in huge drawing rooms. Then I met British students whose puppy love for Wuthering He...more Tackling Brontëism #1—Agnes Grey

Firstly, let’s diagnose this phenomenon. I first encountered Brontëism—definable as a slavish devotion to every word the sisters put to parchment—at university. I encountered the syndrome in American students who had spent their teens reading comedies of manners and upmarket romance novels and found in the Brontës a vicarious way to eke out their own desires for windswept romances in huge drawing rooms. Then I met British students whose puppy love for Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre made me upchuck several weeks’ worth of pasta. So I cynically diagnosed the Brontë books as über-romance novels female readers held up as examples of the best sort of love possible in life—the love they would have if they could engineer their environment, to which all romantic relationships should aspire. Or versions of those moral-dilemma novels so popular at bookclubs and airports. It frustrated me. It was like having a particular area of literary history cordoned off to me. That I did not like.

Only problem was, I wouldn’t read the books. Now, however, I am reading the books. So this series of reviews is my attempt to understand the phenomenon of the Brontës so I can legitimately express discontent at their contemporary omnipresence, or proclaim my undying love too.

This novel is the first one by “the quiet one” Anne Brontë and describes her experiences as a governess in the homes of several brats. The first preconception smashed is that all Brontë novels are concerned with aristocratic characters: in this novel Agnes is from a lower middle-class family and volunteers to teach rich brats to help pay off her father’s debts. The chapters read like a handbook for being a patient and docile governess who has God on her side, with occasional turns of mannered humour and moments of affecting melodrama. The short chapters make the frequently dreary moments of micro-attention-to-detail regarding modes of deportment and social graces (that bog down so many novels of this period), more bearable. All in all, mildly entertaining. A lesser work from the lesser sister necessary for my experiment. More soon.

N.B. The comments below refer to a review I wiped.
N.N.B. Ever noticed the first initials of the sisters in alphabetical order spells A-C-E? Subliminal tactic?
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Aug 24, 2012 Sherwood Smith added it

My favorite of the Brontes is Anne. This is my favorite of her novels.

In this and Jane Eyre, we have governess-eye views of the gentry. In Jane Eyre, Jane manages to make herself central (her suffering in being a governess); in Agnes Grey, there is a meticulous look at the thin veneer of civilization over the soi-disant gentry who have all the money and manner but utterly no moral center. The examination of this family is one of the most effective pieces of quiet horror in literature, I think, b...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Simona Bartolotta rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classici

"In ogni storia vera è racchiusa una morale."

Questa frase è l'incipit del nostro Agnes Grey. Orbene, se la storia ivi narrata è vera anche solo in parte, e se essa davvero contiene una morale, quale sarebbe questa morale?
Io lo so, io lo so!

La morale è: don't worry, anche se sei una giovane istitutrice buona, dolce e caritatevole tanto da far venire il vomito, remissiva tanto da passare per inetta, ingenua tanto da non sembrare verosimile, arriverà anche per te il vicario della zona che ti solleverà dalle tue pene d'amore, da lui stesso inconsciamente scatenate.

Adesso, parliamoci chiaro. Magari il romanzo della più giovane delle sorelle Brontë non si merita le due stelline. Magari ne meritava tre. Ma io (chi legge le mie recensioni mi saprà una lettrice talora anche eccessivamente sentimentale) non riesco in nessun modo a passare sopra l'antipatia che mi ha ispirato questa protagonista. Sempre condiscendente, passiva, come smarrita, incapace di lottare veramente per ciò in cui crede. Ho ammirato il suo coraggio nel lasciare la casa natia ed avventurarsi nel mondo del lavoro per aiutare la famiglia, pur essendo così giovane; ma la sua forza si esaurisce lì. All'inizio del suo incarico come istitutrice, dimostra forse un accenno di intenzione a perseguire il suo metodo d'insegnamento, anche se le madri dei marmocchietti si fossero dimostrate troppo deboli di carattere per lasciare che lei svolgesse il suo compito come Dio comanda. Ma tutte chiacchiere e nulla più, alla fine decide di fregarsene altamente di tutti i principi che aveva tanto esaltato e tenersi il posto a costo di crescere male le piccole pesti. Questa è una cosa che io posso anche capire, il sacrificare il proprio pensiero pur di aiutare la propria famiglia, ma almeno non tirartela tanto! E poi abbiamo tutti quei suoi strani vagheggiamenti sul soffrire da sola, sul non mostrare il suo amore. Ad un certo punto si chiede persino se sia eticamente giusto fantasticare innocentemente sull'amato, quando magari l'amato non vuole che tu fantastichi su di lui. Cocca mia, se ti fai di 'sti problemi...
Ma la parte più divertente della storia è notare la sfortuna nera che perseguita la povera Agnes. Reietta tra i suoi simili, l'innocente creatura non fa che incontrare gente irrimediabilmente antipatica e fanciulli che più arzilli non si può. Non sto scherzando, non un'anima pia. Povera Agnes, lei tapina!

Dopo questa interminabile parentesi sulla protagonista -anche se quel mollusco non ha neppure lo spessore di un personaggio secondario-, immagino vorrete sapere qualcosa sullo stile della piccola Brontë, o sulla storia.
Lo stile è curato, lineare, persino piacevole e a tratti deliziosamente ironico. Se non fosse che praticamente l'autrice ha riportato metà Bibbia a furia di inserirne versetti, riferimenti e quant'altro a destra e a manca con un risultato un po' Frankenstein, sarebbe valso al romanzo un voto in più.
La trama è di una banalità sconcertante. A pagina cinquanta si capisce tutto. Capisci anche che quel tutto non sarà così emozionante come magari ti aspettavi, purtroppo.

Non credo ci sia nient'altro da aggiungere. Se non che per quanto mi riguarda l'orgoglio delle sorelle Brontë rimane sempre e solo Charlotte con la sua Jane Eyre.(less)

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Apr 03, 2012 Kim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, mt-tbr-challenge

Agnes Grey is the first of two novels written by the youngest of the Bronte sisters. A number of aspects of the life of Anne Bronte, who died from tuberculosis at the age of 29, are reflected in the plot. The eponymous heroine is the daughter of a clergyman who loses his independent income, as a result of which she elects to work as a governess. Written in the form of a memoir, the first person narrative sets out Agnes' experiences working for two families, meeting and falling in love with a cle...more
Agnes Grey is the first of two novels written by the youngest of the Bronte sisters. A number of aspects of the life of Anne Bronte, who died from tuberculosis at the age of 29, are reflected in the plot. The eponymous heroine is the daughter of a clergyman who loses his independent income, as a result of which she elects to work as a governess. Written in the form of a memoir, the first person narrative sets out Agnes' experiences working for two families, meeting and falling in love with a clergyman and setting up a school with her mother.

For me, part of what makes the novel interesting is knowing that in depicting Agnes’ life as a governess, Bronte drew heavily on her own experiences in the same role. Compared to Jane Eyre’s life as a governess, Agnes’ life is extraordinarily mundane. There is nothing romantic about Bronte’s portrayal of that life. Indeed, while the novel contains a love story, there is nothing of the romantic in it at all, and certainly nothing of the gothic. When Agnes falls in love, her sentiments are conventional. There are no souls yearning for each other across the moors and while Agnes’ love interest is no St John Rivers, he has nothing in common with Edward Rochester. Further, although there are some very beautiful descriptions of nature – particularly in the latter part of the novel – nature does not play the part it does in the works of Anne Bronte’s sisters.

In my view, the book’s major weakness is the relative lack of development in Agnes’ character. Jane Eyre is defined and changed by her experiences. However, while Agnes undergoes some very difficult experiences working as a governess, the Agnes at the end of the novel is more or less the same as the Agnes at the beginning of the novel. Agnes acknowledges that her youth and inexperience contributed to some of the difficulties she faced. However, she never questions herself and never doubts that she’s right. I like Agnes, but if I wanted to be harsh I might describe her as a bit of a prig.

I listened to an audiobook edition of the novel, very capably narrated by English actress Emilia Fox. I’m glad to have done so and I’m looking forward to listening to Anne Bronte’s other novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. It’s part of a vague plan to read / re-read all of the Bronte sisters’ novels including, one of these days, Wuthering Heights, for which I have long cherished a deep dislike.

I rate this at 3-1/2 stars. It doesn't have the complexity of Jane Eyre, but it's still a pretty good read.

I’ll finish the review with the words Anne Bronte used to finish Agnes Grey. It's hard to think of a simpler conclusion.

“And now I think I have said sufficient”.
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Feb 15, 2010 Wealhtheow rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, victorian

A wealthy and feted woman falls in love with a humble clergyman, and insists on marrying him, although it loses her her dowry. The vicar cannot stop tormenting himself over all his wife gave up, to the extent that he loses what little money he has in a too-bold investment. As gentleborn, well-educated, penniless women, there are few options left for his daughters; the older takes up selling delicate watercolors, while the younger, Agnes, hires herself out as a governess. The first family she wor...more A wealthy and feted woman falls in love with a humble clergyman, and insists on marrying him, although it loses her her dowry. The vicar cannot stop tormenting himself over all his wife gave up, to the extent that he loses what little money he has in a too-bold investment. As gentleborn, well-educated, penniless women, there are few options left for his daughters; the older takes up selling delicate watercolors, while the younger, Agnes, hires herself out as a governess. The first family she works for is terrible; she is not allowed to discipline the children, and every adult around them seems bent on ruining them. It is here that Agnes's true strength of character is revealed. Rather than allow a little boy from torturing a nest of baby birds to death, she squashes them flat. When his uncle says he will find the boy another nest to "play" with, she calmly informs him that if he does, she will kill them too. She is hard as nails. I was glad to read this interlude, because for the vast majority of the book Agnes is silent and seemingly submissive, and only her internal narration reveals her stubborn, judgmental piety. As a governess, she is never in a situation where she can reveal her true feelings, or even effect much change. She cannot discipline or reward her students with anything but her own approval or disapproval--no matter how often she thinks about how helpful a good beating would be.

The second family is more interesting, and drawn with slightly more nuanced strokes. Agnes is to polish two young ladies: Rosalie, who is beautiful but shallow, and her sister Matilda, who is boisterous and careless. It is the same basic idea as in Villette, where the poor, plain, virtuous narrator is contrasted with a vivacious, wealthy, thoughtless blonde. Both women are attracted to the kind and virtuous Mr.Weston. In Villete, the rivalry was complicated by the warmth and friendship between the two women; this is largely absent from Agnes Grey, to the book's detriment. Agnes feels only patronizing pity or anger for Rosalie, and Rosalie has no depth of feeling. A few times, her anger at her situation flashes up--even as beautiful and privileged as she is, she knows that her life is bound by the choices of the men in her life, not her own, and she takes what petty revenges she can. But in the end, Rosalie serves more as an object lesson against seeking pleasure and freedom than as a character in her own right. (As much as I hate Amy/Laurie, at least their marriage isn't a morality play in misery to make the main character's own lackluster marriage look better.)

I really enjoyed this book at first. The writing style is good, and several of the characters are well-drawn (Agnes's mother was a favorite of mine). But Anne Bronte cannot seem to help herself from making everything a lesson. The few times when she lets slip her sarcasm are fantastic, but much of this book is a drab series of events in the life of a priggish and self-satisfied woman. Agnes herself is frustrating--I found her the least likeable when I was clearly supposed to admire her the most (when, for instance, she moralizes to a sickly old woman). She has no sense of humor. She constantly martyrs herself. And the man she moons over is utterly colorless: all we know of him is that he likes visiting the poor and misses his mother. The few interactions he has with Agnes sound like job interviews: do you like to read? are you unsociable? how much charity work do you do? etc. We the reader know little about him, and certainly nothing about how he talks, for Bronte wrote more dialog between Rosalie and one of her suitors than she provides for Agnes and the love of her life. I think Bronte was actually more attracted to the story of Rosalie, but felt it wrong not to provide a moral heroine.

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Mar 11, 2009 Salma rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Chandra and Abigail

Shelves: classic-lit, favorites, bronte-philia

The story is simple- Agnes Grey is a clergyman's daughter who wishes to earn her living as a governess. The book reads as a diary without the dates of her experiences 'teaching' the offspring of the 'cream of the crop' in nineteenth-century British society. I use those words in quotes because the narrator makes it very clear to the reader that learning for the sake of learning is not foremost on her students' minds. And she also makes it clear that she finds the fact that these shallow, arrogant...more The story is simple- Agnes Grey is a clergyman's daughter who wishes to earn her living as a governess. The book reads as a diary without the dates of her experiences 'teaching' the offspring of the 'cream of the crop' in nineteenth-century British society. I use those words in quotes because the narrator makes it very clear to the reader that learning for the sake of learning is not foremost on her students' minds. And she also makes it clear that she finds the fact that these shallow, arrogant, shallow, shallow people are so highly esteemed in society laughable.

And I burst out laughing pretty much throughout every chapter of the book-which definitely didn't happen when I read Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre. It's funny to see the intelligent, subdued Agnes attempt to get into discussions on morality with Rosalie Murray- her sixteen-year-old student who's pretty much a nineteenth-century Paris Hilton. The issue of morality and Christian values is a strong theme throughout the book, which does make Agnes, who's otherwise very likable, a bit self-righteous. She's shocked at the idea of flirting and spending money on pretty clothes. I mean, come on. Then again, this is 1800s England.

One thing that irked me is the way all rich people are characterized to be an all-encompassing evil and people of the lower classes are considered to be inherently good. In this story, Agnes meets rich people who torture small animals for no reason, take pride in breaking people's hearts, treat their children like they're dogs, and dissipate their time and energy in celebrating wine, women, and song. Meanwhile, the poor people are nothing but love and light. Sorry- but it don't work that way. I know rich white people have been villainized in literature, but the basic truth is- there's good and bad in all people, regardless of race and class. Yet Agnes Grey finds no redeeming quality (other than physical appearance) in any of her employers.

But there were some serious problems with class divide in this society, and this work tackles that- which is commendable on its own. Yes, governesses were treated as barely fit to tie their employers' shoes, no matter how intelligent and refined the governess and how crass and rude the employer. Anne Bronte makes keen observations on a society that has come to pride itself on money and rank above anything else. That said- I still stand by my previous argument. Making a valid point is fine, but when the characters become caricatures, it becomes harder for the reader to take it seriously.

I know an author's work should stand on its own- endless comparison to other writers is for boring literary critics and PH.D candidates in English. But with Anne Bronte, I couldn't help it. The legends surrounding the Brontes are almost bigger than their literary conceptions. I kept comparing her to Charlotte and Emily.

Anne Bronte, in a way, is more readable than her sisters. Her prose is direct, wit-laden, and almost reminiscent of Austen's cool observations of British class and gender divides. The sense of tragedy and intense romance that permeate her sisters' work is absent here. But that's fine with me. Agnes Grey easily goes down in my list as a favorite.(less)

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May 05, 2012 Francine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: brit-lit, classics, bildungsroman

There were a few things I really, really loved about Agnes Grey:
1. The beauty, simplicity and flow of Brontë's writing (in epistolary form, no less!),
2. The remarkably early consciousness regarding animal rights, and
3. The excitement of once again losing myself in a quaint, romantic little jaunt through Victorian England.

There were also a few things that really, really irked me about it:
1. Agnes (both the character and the work) had a tendency to be overly preachy and moralistic,
2. Despite being...more

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May 17, 2008 Mandy rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: a fan of predictable Victorian-era romances.

There are two categories of books I can always depend on to serve as pleasurable, easy relaxation reading, and those books are anything written by Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters. I have read Anne Bronte's other work, 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,' and therefore was familiar with her style of writing when I picked up this book. Her novels have never attained the same greatness of the works of her sisters (Charlotte's and Emily's characters tend to be much more developed and their plots much mo...more There are two categories of books I can always depend on to serve as pleasurable, easy relaxation reading, and those books are anything written by Jane Austen or the Bronte sisters. I have read Anne Bronte's other work, 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,' and therefore was familiar with her style of writing when I picked up this book. Her novels have never attained the same greatness of the works of her sisters (Charlotte's and Emily's characters tend to be much more developed and their plots much more intricate), but there is something to be said for Anne's more subdued fashion- at times, it is easy to forget that her writings are fiction, as the narratives are written by the books' heroines and I suspect that Anne was very much in their character when she composed her stories.

'Agnes Grey' is 'The Nanny Diaries' of the Victorian era. The premise is simple: Agnes Grey, in an effort to help her family financially, becomes a governess and experiences great challenges with her employers and pupils. In my opinion, the very thing that holds Bronte's book back from literary greatness are her rather simple characters. Agnes is everything that embodies innocence, goodness, strength of morality and Christian goodwill. The people she endeavors to teach are superficial, unkind and thoughtless. Bronte contrasts these two kinds of characters throughout the book until the story reaches its rather predictable conclusion. Of course, as the book is written by a Bronte woman, there is romance to be expected, and this aspect of 'Agnes Grey' is both pleasant and its outcome entirely unsurprising.

In the end, I would have to compare 'Agnes Grey' to a modern-day chick-flick. The plot runs along the well-trodden story lines of kind vs. unkind, rich vs. poor, outer beauty vs. inner beauty, etc. Bronte's book does not enlighten the reader to anything extraordinary, but the G-rated sweetness of the protagonists and some heartwarming moments make it a lovely story to have in one's library. :)(less)

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Apr 22, 2008 C.A. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-victorians, books-i-own

A review I read of this book compared it to the beauty of a muslin dress, and I'd have to say that's the best analogy you could make. The construction of this novel is very plain, and the writing doesn't concern itself with dressing up situations, but there are subtle touches of characterization and grace that really impressed me. Anne Bronte has a lively tone that I think could be fairly compared with Jane Austen (this book reminded me a bit of Persuasion, which is one of my favorite Austen nov...more

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Mar 26, 2010 Sylvia rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: girls who care about virtue

Recommended to Sylvia by: Hannah Brockhaus

This is the kind of romance that I enjoy. Agnes Grey must be one of my favorite literary females. She's the type of role model who's not unrealistically perfect, but has developed virtues that make her a very worthy character. The book is certainly far from exciting or "passionate," but it has plenty of solid themes and lessons for young girls to learn from. It shows how the temporary pleasures of flirting are entirely fleeting, but the constant modesty and dependence on God is rewarded with tru...more

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May 28, 2010 Christy B (Readin' and Dreamin') rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, classics, victorian, the-brontes

When venturing forth on Anne's work, I decided to start with Agnes Grey, rather than her more popular The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Agnes Grey is more autobiographical.

One of the things I noticed that differentiated Anne from her sisters was she was more to the point, more realistic in her writing. There was no taking the long way around, she got you to the point good and fast, yet without missing the sights along the way.

Agnes Grey is the story of a young woman basically forced to become a gover...more

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Aug 07, 2007 Atrebs rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was the one Bronte sister I hadn't read. I enjoyed it more for its commentary on dealing with students than anything else. here's my favorite quote from the young governess that I think is highly applicable in education today: "...a more arduous task than anyone can imagine, who has not felt something like the misery of being charged with the care and direction of a set of mischievous, turbulent rebels, whom his utmost exertions cannot bind to their duty; while, at the same time, he is resp...more

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Jul 06, 2007 Maria M. Elmvang rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, owned, 2007, 3-stars

Since I've read books by both of Anne Bronte's sisters, I figured it was time to read this one as well, so I could compare the writing abilities of all three of them. Unfortunately I have to say that Anne is the weakest of them. There's too much telling and not enough showing. Even the romantic aspect couldn't keep me interested for long, nor did I ever really fall in love with any of the characters. However, neither did any of the characters exasperate me (as in "Wuthering Heights" by Anne's si...more

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Jul 15, 2007 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: classics lovers

Shelves: classics

Again, I am very impressed with the style and proficiency of writing the youngest Bronte sister has. I really blazed through this book, whereas it took me a lot longer to read Villette (despite its being a much longer book, the time spent reading was disproportionate). I was intrigued by the article by Charlotte Bronte at the end of the book, where she reviews the life and works of her two younger sister, Emily and Anne. She really didn't understand Anne or her writing much at all. She had very...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1001-books-you-must-read-2007, my-bookshelf

This book is primarily about the difficulties of being a teacher. It should be completely outdated, as eduction has changed so drastically in the last 150 years. Strangely, it is not. If anything, the triangle between teachers, pupils, and parents has only become more estranged.

If modern teachers were asked about the three things which most hamper their teaching efforts, they would list Agnes' grievances in the same order:
1. A teacher cannot teach in a classroom without discipline.
2. An emphasis...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Nahiyan Asadullah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: anne-bronte, favorites

This book absolutely blew me away!

It's a must read for anyone who has a taste for classics. One of the really great things one should appreciate about classics, I feel, is their ability to engross the reader in the narration. And 'Agnes Grey' is one of those books which would not give you a moment's peace until you finish reading it. I actually felt kind of sad to realize that the author Anne Bronte, the youngest member of the Bronte literary family, only has two novels to her credit! The other...more This book absolutely blew me away!

It's a must read for anyone who has a taste for classics. One of the really great things one should appreciate about classics, I feel, is their ability to engross the reader in the narration. And 'Agnes Grey' is one of those books which would not give you a moment's peace until you finish reading it. I actually felt kind of sad to realize that the author Anne Bronte, the youngest member of the Bronte literary family, only has two novels to her credit! The other one is 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall'.

'Agnes Grey' especially reads very original probably because it is primarily based on Bronte's experience as a governess. The daughter of a poor Irish clergyman in the Church of England, Anne Bronte lived most of her life with her family at the remote village of Haworth on the Yorkshire moors. For a couple of years she went to a boarding school. At the age of nineteen, she left Haworth working as a governess between 1839 and 1845. The protagonist Agnes Grey is somewhat of a representation of the author in real life. The pages are actually compiled from the diary of Agnes, but we don't get to know it until in the concluding paragraph of the novel. Hence, the account is basically a conversation to the self which makes it more involving and personal. If you read the book you will find that you are actually having a closer a look into the life of the person in question since a diary is either strictly personal or rather a confession.

From the beginning to the very end, one cannot help but sympathize with Agnes Grey. Given the predicament she finds herself in, with her pupils. Agnes and her older sister Mary were the only two that survived the perils of infancy, of the six children of their poor clergyman father. Her father marries a woman from a noble family which her family doesn't approve of. And apparently she never complains for having to live in poverty with her husband. Mrs. Grey is a character from which, I believe, we have a lot to learn. We find her to be the ultimate model of steadfastness, belief and mercy. Against all odds, she chooses to be patient and laughs away the hefty situation she deliberately brings herself in. And when Mr Grey passes away and her father sends a letter telling her that he hopes by now she feels regretful for the marriage, she gets angry and says she should not feel regretful for her two beautiful daughters (Who would also likely be her support in old age) and her intimate friend in whom she always found herself in repose. It is extremely touchy and I am sure it will touch anyone's heart for it tells us what it means to be a true companion. Mrs. Grey proves the equation that there is a companionship both in life and death, and she chooses both without compromising either of them. Now if we look into Agnes's character, we find a somewhat similar picture. She is, also like her mother, someone who does not judge people based on wealth and position. She chooses to fall in love with someone who is barely attractive, she rather goes for Mr.Weston for his good nature. And She does not regret it. She eventually finds that Mr. Weston loves her back.

Now let's talk a bit about the other characters of the novel. In the beginning, we see Agnes's willingness to support her family by working as a governess, which initially gets rejected by her parents with some aversion, however she eventually gets the green signal to work outside. The first family she starts working with are the Bloomfields. The Bloomfields have three children. Master Tom, Mary Ann and the youngest little Harriet. Tom is as arrogant as hell and he tries to own his governess right from the word go, as if she was some sort of a slave to him. Much to the horror of Agnes, she finds Tom has a habit of killing innocent creatures like birds. He brutally murders them. Worse, he actually gets some sort of support from his parents and he says his father would do the same when he was his age. This seriously bothers Agnes and she makes it her life's mission to protect the birds from the oppression. However, as it turns out, Mrs. Bloomfield is a bigger obstacle. She doesn't let Agnes practice any kind of power over her children yet expects Agnes to discipline them. A huge dilemma indeed!

On the face of it, Mrs. Bloomfield is extremely amiable. But as time goes by, Agnes starts to realize that she is just a hypocrite.

Without saying anything about Mary Anne and Harriet let us now move on to the next family, the Murray. Two daughters, Rosalie Murray and Matilda Murray. Rosalie is extremely beautiful and her arrogance is far more severe than her beauty. She can rightfully be called narcissistic. The only things she wants from the men is to admire and appreciate her beauty. And to achieve that goal she is ready to go to the nth level of cruelty. She traps a man and makes him believe she loves him and when he tries to propose her, she ditches him.

Matilda is the menace. And at one point she threatens Agnes on her job. However, she does admit that parting with her does not quite appeal to her.

After getting married to Thomas Ashby, Rosalie visits Agnes to bid her farewell. And to Agnes's disbelief, Rosalie hugs her sincerely and cries. Soft heart Agnes forgives all of her offenses right away. And then after a considerable hiatus between their meeting, she sends a letter to Agnes and asks her to pay a visit. Even though now apparently it seems she has an epiphany we find at the very next second that her habit of bragging about herself hasn't gone away completely, however subtle though it is.

And on and on, I could right an essay but let me not give you the complete thing in my attempt to giving a synopsis here! I suppose, I have become extremely psyched after completing the novel. That and the awe-striking quality of the story. And please don't think I have rated it 5 stars for the sake of it. Please pay heed and do yourself a favor. Read the novel for yourself, I strongly believe you wont regret it. For the sake of brevity, I have left out a lot of different aspects of the novel but I really wish I could write more. (less)

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 16, 2008 Eden rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this book. Every time I reread it, I like it more. I love how gentle, how subdued, how circumspect the book is. I also love the themes it made me think about that I very rarely encounter in modern-day literature. Themes like: duty, community, love of God, repsonsibility to God, focusing on others needs before my own. These themes are thrilling to me because they feel so outside my present culture and it is amazing to me to see how much they guide Agnes' life.

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Nov 28, 2010 booklady rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, classic, family, education, fiction, historical-fiction, literature

This is Anne Brontë's first novel and my first by her. The youngest of the four Brontë children—Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne—she was only a year old when her mother died. Raised by a reputedly gloomy and difficult father, the children seemed to transcend their drab and overbearing lot through elaborately constructed fantasy worlds which were the juvenile precursors to their adult literary constructs.

In Agnes Grey, Anne Brontë fictionalizes her own real life experiences as an English gover...more

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Apr 13, 2009 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had always meant to read this, but it took the easy availability of the kindle to get me to do so. It reminded me more of Jane Austen than of her sisters' work, maybe because it was so concerned with the economics of marriage, but also, I think, the un-Gothicness of the writing. Her observations on raising other people's children reminded me of my own experiences, and her description of a shy awkwardness in dealing with the opposite sex also felt really modern. It doesn't get the "loved it" ra...more

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Nov 05, 2008 Misfit rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a simple, albeit enjoyable tale of Agnes Grey, a younger daughter who seeks her way in the world employed as a governess. I understand this tale is based upon Ms. Bronte's own experiences and brings to light the snobbery of the upper class along with the often degrading way that the servants are treated by the same.

The first family literally has the children from h***, the second family being not quite as abusive, but still treat the servants as second class people. The young Misses Mu...more

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Oct 15, 2010 Amalie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: The Bronte Lovers

Shelves: english-literature, austen-bronte

I read this some time ago and till I started to hunt for Charlotte Bronte’s books, I didn’t even know there was a third sister. After going through the biographical details Agnes Grey seems clearly autobiographical and gives the reader the idea how Anne’s life might’ve been shadowed by the talents of the older sisters.

The story is about a younger sister seeking to leave home and earn a living as a governess. The novel in this sense has a similarity to Jane Eyre which is also “a governess novel”...more

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Jan 17, 2011 Linds rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Mansfield Park

Shelves: 1800-s, 5-star-2011-read, austen-bronte, england, historical-romance, classic, read-in-2011, regency, romance, child-care

This book is so much more like a Jane Austen read than a Bronte one! No crazy wives in the attic or Heathcliffe hitting his head against a tree in the orchard. No melodrama really anywhere to be seen.

I've never read a book from the lesser known Bronte sister before and I was surprised how engaging and charming this simple story was.

The story starts out with Agnes, the daughter of a vicar. Unfortunately her father loses everything in a bad business deal so she becomes a governess to help pay off...more

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Sep 18, 2011 Marialyce rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: buddy-reads, classics, sept-2011

I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story about the ills of society. It was a simple tale told of a young woman who takes on the role of governess to what nicely could be called a bunch of brats. Agnes, our dignified protagonist, decides to become a governess to young children. Unfortunately, those entrusted to her care are spoiled, unmanageable little curs who delight in the most appalling behavior including torturing animals, as well as one another and poor Agnes. Poor Agnes is st...more

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Jul 12, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindred-characters

I don't think I've ever been so conflicted about a rating. Though the story is evenly written, my opinion of it was in constant fluctuation. The first quarter of the book, I hated. I found the writing dull and the heroine insufferable. While it's true, there was none too little self-righteousness in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, I could easily sympathize. Helen was up against a decadent, domineering husband. Agnes, as a governess, grapples with children. Small children, to begin with. And, she ju...more

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Sep 26, 2008 Jaclyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

In character, Agnes Grey is most similar to Jane Eyre - both governesses, both strong individuals. Jane has a rather rougher time of it as a child, but Agnes finds being a governess more challenging than Jane. Anne Bronte's book is a celebration of the individual and her right to seek happiness for herself, regardless of gender or socioeconomic class, as well as an indictment of social mores and the treatment of educated working people in England in the 1800s. Agnes becomes a governess to earn m...more

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Jun 15, 2008 Justwinter rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, fiction

Of all the Brontes, I think Anne is my favorite writer. At least, I thought that as a teenager when I was ripping through all the Bronte stuff I could sink my teeth into.

Anne Bronte's characters are a little more...I don't know if jaded is the right word, but a little more sharp and edgy than Charlotte's and way more down to earth than Emily's. Her writing is far less romantic/Gothic than either of her sisters. It has a more critical tone, more modern in character. I think she was probably the m...more

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Jun 24, 2008 Tina Demas Broccolo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: good

None of the Bronte sisters disappoint so I did enjoy it, but it doesn't have the same pull as Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre. It details what life was like if you were a governess, which was a very awkward situation to be in. It meant that you were of high enough birth that you shouldn't work (socially inappropriate), but that your family was in a situation where you needed the income so you went to live with those in a higher station than you. Since you're hired help, the family doesn't really...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 11, 2008 Cecile rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People studying for the GRE

I read Agnes Grey because I am currently on a Bronte jag. However, I don't really feel like comparing Anne's work to those of her sisters because, well, sibling rivalry is mean.

Some reviews of this book commented on an apparent lack of passion in the text; though that may be an accurate observation, it is not a bad one. Simple is not necessarily better than florid, you know. I did spend almost the entire novel thinking, "This Agnes is a self-righteous bitch" until it occurred to me near the end...more

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Aug 08, 2007 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Different picture on the dust jacket.

Anne Brontë's novel of a governess is a very interesting contrast to her sister Charlotte's more famous governess novel. As Agnes' family suffers financial hardship, Agnes volunteers to seek work as a governess. In spite of the families misgiving because of Agnes' youth, tenderness and inexperience, they finally agree. At first she gains employment with the Bloomfield family, whose children are probably the most horrible little hellions I've ever read of. I'...more

1 like · like · see review

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About Anne Brontë

Anne Brontë was a British novelist and poet, the youngest member of the Brontë literary family. Anne's two novels, written in a sharp and ironic style, are completely different from the romanticism followed by her sisters, Emily Brontë and Charlotte Brontë. She wrote in a realistic, rather than a romantic style. Her novels, like those of her sisters, have become classics of English literature.

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The Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Agnes Grey

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“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.” — 75 people liked it

“I was sorry for her; I was amazed, disgusted at her heartless vanity; I wondered why so much beauty should be given to those who made so bad a use of it, and denied to some who would make it a benefit to both themselves and others.

But, God knows best, I concluded. There are, I suppose, some men as vain, as selfish, and as heartless as she is, and, perhaps, such women may be useful to punish them.” — 55 people liked it

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