Anne BRONTE : Agnes Grey

 

Drawing heavily from personal experience, Anne Brontë wrote Agnes Grey in an effort to represent the many 19th Century women who worked as governesses and suffered daily abuse as a result of their position.

Having lost the family savings on risky investments, Richard Grey removes himself from family life and suffers a bout of depression. Feeling helpless and frustrated, his youngest daughter, Agnes, applies for a job as a governess to the children of a wealthy, upper-class, English family.

Ecstatic at the thought that she has finally gained control and freedom over her own life, Agnes arrives at the Bloomfield mansion armed with confidence and purpose. The cruelty with which the family treat her however, slowly but surely strips the heroine of all dignity and belief in humanity.

 

 

Not the most passionate novel from the Brontë sisters, but a very interesting one nonetheless, for a few reasons.

First, it's not that dispassionate, the fire lies under the wise and reasonable surface of the very well-behaved, dutiful Agnes Grey, daughter of a clergyman.

Second, because it's an opportunity - one more, if you consider the Brontë novels - to find out more about the life of governesses. And what a dreadful life it might be if you fall into the wrong family, whether this is a family wealthy but not aristocratic (the first family, with the best depiction of a mini-future serial killer in the making that I've ever read - go home, Dexter) or an aristocratic family with spoiled children. 

 

A governess in XIXth century England was in a bad position from the start : she was educated but not wealthy (or she wouldn't be a governess). Those who employed her were her superiors, but the children were her social superiors too, they had the right to give her orders and decide what how to spend their days, ultimately. The governess was supposed to direct them and instruct them, but she didn't have the powers to do so. She had to defer to the parents (well, the mother, who then defered to the pater familias) who were supposed to punish their children themselves, but what if the children told their parents lies and the parents believed them ? Or just didn't care. Or assumed the worst from their governess without inquiring further. They first hired nurses to take care of the children when they were little, then governesses to educate them when they were older because they don't want to deal with them themselves, then sent the boys away to school. 

The governess was a social inferior to her masters, but a social superior to the servants, so basically, she was alone in her position in the household. And they didn't have much time and space for themselves.

Third, the character of Agnes is well-developped and interesting. She's very moral, religious and judgemental - a bit like William was in The professor written by Charlotte. She's looked down upon by her superiors, but she looks down on their on the moral standpoint. I might have disliked her for that, but she bears a deep love for animals that I haven't found any equivalent of in the Victorian literature. It made me think of Emily and her dog. And the way she talks about her attraction for *that* character is endearing. There you fee the fire, too ! Plus she sometimes let down her pride to please people, which is nice. Other characters are not so deeply explored. Rosalie, one of her pupils, is a thoughtless and coquettish young woman, but it's not really her fault and Agnes cares for her anyway.

Four, Agnes is strong and independant. After trying to work with the first family and going back home, she could have remained there, in the shelter of her loving family. But she wants to help them and perseveres. When something happens in her family, her mother does the same : she doesn't want to be a burden to anyone and decides to open a school. I like that. Both could have the easy way out, but they fight for themselves. 

The grief of losing a family member and having to live with the loss is well treated : you see that poor Anne had to deal the experience herself, several times.

My conclusion is as follows : though not my favourite Brontë novel, it is one that I enjoyed reading. It lacked the bite that you can find elsewhere in that family but there was a deep love for nature, animals, family and her job as a governess was depicted realistically. It makes me want to find a book about governesses. How did they end up if they couldn't marry ? Hopefully, in a village like Cranford, but probably not. Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to reading The tenant of Wildfell Hall !

 

Here is a short video on governesses :

   and Claudia's take on the novel :