Anne Brontë

Agnes Grey

Anne Bronte

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY SAMANTHA ELLIS When Agnes’s father loses the family savings, young Agnes determines to make her own living – as a governess. Working for the Bloomfields, her enthusiasm is soon dampened by isolation and the cruelty of the children in her charge. Agnes hopes for better in her second job, but when the scheming elder daughter Rosalie makes designs on Agnes’s new friend, the kind curate Mr Weston, she feels herself silenced and sidelined. Becoming a governess is one thing, becoming invisible is quite another.

ella

When we are harassed by sorrows or anxieties, or long oppressed by any powerful feelings which we must keep to ourselves, for which we can obtain and seek no sympathy from any living creature, and which yet we cannot, or will not wholly crush, we often naturally seek relief in poetry — and often find it, too — whether in the effusions of others, which seem to harmonize with our existing case, or in our own attempts to give utterance to those thoughts and feelings in strains less musical, perchance, but more appropriate, and therefore more penetrating and sympathetic, and, for the time, more soothing, or more powerful to rouse and to unburden the oppressed and swollen heart.

“Agnes Grey” is a 1847 novel by English author Anne Brontë. Her debut novel, it tells the story of a governess called Agnes Grey who works in families of the English upper class in the early nineteenth century. Widely believed to have been heavily influenced by her own experiences as a governess, is an authentic portrayal of their delicate roles and how they affected young women. Anne Brontë (1820 – 1849) was an English novelist and poet. She was the youngest member of world-renowned the Brontë family, famous for their contributions to English literature. Although her novels are now classics of English literature, she was not as well known as her sisters—partly due to the fact that her sister Emily Brontë prevented the re-publication of “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” after her death. This fantastic novel is highly recommended for all lovers of the English language and is well deserving of a place on any bookshelf. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

Including Introductory Essays by Virginia Woolf, Charlotte Brontë and Clement K. Shorter

Phoebe

'What a fool you must be,' said my head to my heart, or my sterner to my softer self.

sani

“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.”

in awe at how agnes grey is everything i would like to be. wise, strong-minded, kind, religious. anne brontë did great work in portraying how hard it was to be a governess during those times. one thing i loved was that it somehow had themes that reminded me of jane eyre considering how it is my favourite book.

Agnes Grey (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics)

Monicap

LO AMO, LO AMO AAAAA AGNES Y YO, AMIGUITAS MIENTRAS TOMAMOS EL TÉ estaba muy nerviosa de leer este libro, pensé que ya ningún inglés me iba a gustar pero lo amé, no quería terminarlo, lo íntimo que se sentía y con ese toque delicado DIOS MIO, Y LAS ÚLTIMAS PÁGINAS ESTUVE PATALEANDO EL AIRE MIENTRAS GRITABA DE MADRUGADA Y ESCUCHABA A TAYLOR SWIFT DE FONDO. 
Es un libro que se va a quedar tanto en mi, que siento que pude verme reflejada en algunas partes con la personalidad de Agnes, Diosss NECESITO ESTE LIBRO EN FÍSICO 🩷🩷🩷

this is a pretty fun reading experience for me because i was craving for some victorian writing and was pleasantly surprised with the yearning and desperation that comes with loving another in a setting that is very much NOT forbidden for the lovers to love (i’ve been reading a lot of bleak things lately… this bare minimum level of spice was getting me going with the book…) anyways i didn’t really expect for Agnes to have a romantic interest cus… i thought the book would focus more on her journey as a governess but this is a victorian novel so who was i kidding. it does say something about the setting and time that is reflected of the real live society that brontë lived in when the whole journey of Agnes as a governess was pretty bleak and very unsatisfying for her personal growth (understandable… i was a teacher too…) until jeng jeng jeng she met a romantical interest who shares her passion for goodness and knowledge. to reflect this to my own personal experience of living in this world… i don’t quite like the idea of being stuck in a career that i actually choose myself (especially because i like what i learned when i took it for me degree!!) only for me to find joy and sustenance in keeping the job in a form of another who would give me romantical companionship. entahlah babe. 

Syasya Diyana 

jack

i like agnes,, the book meanders a bit too much for my liking, especially with the first governess stint.

The well-educated daughter of a penniless clergyman, Agnes Grey is treated like a child by her family and so sets out to prove herself by seeking employment as a governess. Soon, however, her idealistic notions regarding the education and care of her wards are dashed as she battles to control the wild Bloomfield children in her first situation, and is then held in low regard by the superior Murray household. Drawing on Anne Brontë's own experiences, and dealing with themes such as the nature of childhood, the rise of the middle classes and the loneliness, cruelty and even ill treatment that life as a governess could entail, Agnes Grey is full of quiet passion and remains a beloved classic to this day.

Cait🪼

Thank fuck for the Brontë sisters. 
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite the innumerable Bible references lol (Agnes Grey is a pastor's daughter, but it became mildly stifling at points trying to find the story amongst meaningless quotes).

Hannah Yang

miss agnes grey and mr edward weston the most lovely, principled couple ever!!

Gillian Rose

While this was way less depressing than her sisters' works, I really didn't connect to anything or could tell you much about the story. It was well-written, but I couldn't muster up a lot of feelings.

Celeste Richardson

Agnes Grey provides much more enlightenment regarding the lives of governesses than any other work I’ve read. It also speaks volumes about parents who coddle their children and ignore any negative traits they have instead of correcting them while there’s still a change to do so. These kids end up not living up to this potential as adults, and are often completely insufferable from childhood until their end of their days. As a former teacher, I could relate to Agnes’s experiences with both these indulgent parents and their obnoxious spawn.

I love Agnes as a protagonist. She’s honest to a fault, never puts on airs, and accepts herself for who she is. She’s also endearingly awkward around her love interest, which felt oddly refreshing to me. I appreciated Anne’s prose here, and her character development. Both felt far more modern that that of her sisters. Though I can’t say I love this book as much as I love Jane Eyre, it’s more accessible. And I like it far more than Wuthering Heights. Agnes Grey is a fun, easy-to-read classic that I think would be great for those who are just dipping their toes into classics.

A Novel Notions Classics Club buddy read with TS and Haïfa, with Emma hanging out in the wings!

lena

I really loved the story. It was written so wonderfully. But it must be said that Anne is not the most unknown sister for no reason. You have already noticed that her father was a clergyman and she herself was very religious, but all in all a beautiful book. I absolutely adored Rosalie and Agnes mother! Just wanted to add that :)

Agnes Grey (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Collection)

Agnes Johansson

Mr Weston is really underrated, he’s such a cutie

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY SAMANTHA ELLIS When Agnes's father loses the family savings, young Agnes determines to make her own living - as a governess. Working for the Bloomfields, her enthusiasm is soon dampened by isolation and the cruelty of the children in her charge. Agnes hopes for better in her second job, but when the scheming elder daughter Rosalie makes designs on Agnes's new friend, the kind curate Mr Weston, she feels herself silenced and sidelined. Becoming a governess is one thing, becoming invisible is quite another.

finn

man, Anne Brontë sure knows how to write

Grace Holding

** spoiler alert **
           It’s a classical book, but you can feel all the self righteousness on the book. It’s a good book, it’s well written, but the book is so slow.
The narrative is so slow, that it was hard to read at some points.
The idea of a teacher, the daughter of a preacher, and you can tell that it was wrote by one.
The whole book also works on how to teach humility to spoil brats, not really what I expected.
I had so high hopes for the book, and even tho it’s not a personal favourite, I still give it 4/5 starts.

Haley McDowell

Melissa

Perfect novel that depicts the governess position beautifully (and maybe even realistically in a sense?). And even a very nice feminist novel

Maribel González

Si fuera sobre 10, le pondría un 5, un aprobado justito. Ni me ha gustado mucho ni me ha disgutado. Es una lectura corta, que no se me ha hecho pesada en general. Aunque en algún momento me sobraban descripciones o fragmentos muy religiosos. La trama es lineal, es simplemente la experiencia de una institutriz, no pasa nada interesante. Además, es una protagonista un poco sosa y si no fuera por algún personaje odioso que le ha dado vidilla al argumento, me hubiese aburrido bastante.

Laurie Abrial

Well, what a glorious read to finish this year on!

This short novel was such a powerful read? Especially as I've read it in one day. I was not expecting for the narrator to be so feminist, to have a voice so strong and determined. I must say I'm really impressed. I'm tempted to keep The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall as the last reading of the Brontës' work for I can now imagine how much more impactful it must be, having the chance to be a developed story of a few hundred pages. Why does no one mention this book, even at uni?
I'm so glad I'm reading Jane Eyre on the side, too. The romanticised experience of being a governess in that novel contrasts with this autobiographical account of Anne's, although I know Charlotte also personally faced challenges when she was one herself. 
Ah!! it makes me so much more eager to pick up The Brontes by Juliet Barker!!
Anyway, 
Happy New Year, everyone!!

Amber Laha

Agnes Grey is Anne Bronte's first novel and it does show. Although it was noticeable, I enjoyed the book thoroughly. It kept me interested, with Agnes' tale of being a governess at a time where social standing had a lot of say in how your life was like. This book came off semi-autobiographical, which made it even more interesting to me. I know some people thought it made it boring, but I have always had a lot of interest in this family and this book did bring to light a little bit about this particular sister. Not only that, she had a message and she spoke it clearly and without any nonsense. The fact that governess' were looked down by both the employer and the servants made them isolated and Anne Bronte was showing the faults of that society.

There are issues with this book, mainly, the preaching. There were times, were she would go on and on about religion and such and it did drag a little because of that.

To note, I know some think she was too perfect. In reality she was not and she says it herself. There are those who never do anything outwardly bad, but not good either. I think with Agnes, she tried to do good but failed(and not of her doing either), but where she really struggled was internally and spiritually. That was Bronte's focal point throughout this book, the spirituality and moral compass that guides people and how when you don't have either things can go wrong. I don't believe in God or anything, but in the context of the book, this is the message that I felt this author was trying to send(other than the society's outlook on social standings and rankings).

Edyta

When I'm reading some of the Bronte novels I like to imagine what it would mean if they were unreliable narrators. What if Agnes is lying in her journal and trying to present herself in the best light possible? It's a very appealing perspective as Agnes seems to be just a little bit to perfect and a little bit too much of a victim.

Riley

Agnes Grey is a pleasant read, a useful classic work in its representation of values and social structures of its period but not a particularly notable piece of literature, except perhaps in contrast with Anne Brontë's more tragic Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which I intend to read next and cannot comment on one book's relationship with the other until I have done so.
Any lack of satisfaction with character arcs is a credit to the realism of the writing. In life, people don't grow quite as they should, as they do in romantic fiction. This book is not quite a romance, but rather a reflection on the role of parental influence and how value systems are instilled in people from childhood, whether by intention or neglect.

Patricia Santos

Opinião do blogue Chaise Longue: http://girlinchaiselongue.blogspot.pt...

É a mais nova das irmãs que tomaram de assalto a literatura inglesa do século XIX. É a menos romântica e a mais irónica das irmãs. E a mais esquecida. Anne Brontë nasceu em 1820 e viveu na paróquia de Haworth até ir trabalhar como preceptora aos 19 anos. A sua carreira literária, que inclui um livro de poemas em conjunto com as irmãs e dois romances, começou após o seu regresso a casa. Criança precoce, Anne era especialmente chegada a Emily, sendo ambas inseparáveis quase como gémeas, talvez daí que pareça quase um acaso do destino, Anne ter morrido cinco meses depois da irmã favorita cuja morte a havia afectado imenso. As suas últimas últimas palavras, “Tem coragem” foram para Charlotte, prestes a perder a terceira irmã no espaço de um ano.
Agnes Grey foi publicado em 1847 e foi o primeiro romance de Anne. Baseado na sua experiência como preceptora, é considerado um retrato fiel das condições desta carreira mas não teve o mesmo sucesso imenso que o seu outro romance, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
Depois de Emily se tornar uma das minhas autoras preferidas, depois de Charlotte me arrasar com Jane Eyre, chegou a hora de conhecer Anne, ou melhor, ler algo seu. O talento com as palavras era um dom de família, que as três irmãs Brontë partilhavam, isso é uma certeza que qualquer leitor que as conheça pode constatar. Tal como as suas irmãs, Anne tem uma escrita eloquente e cuidada, um jeito natural para demonstrar nas palavras o que ficou por dizer mas, ao contrário de Emily e Charlotte, Anne não é uma romântica mas sim alguém pragmático, com um sentido moral alto e que compreendia que apenas a experiência nos pode dar certos conhecimentos. Tem, aliás, um tom mordaz e irónico que não associámos às suas irmãs mas também Agnes Grey não é o estilo de livro que se possa comparar a O Monte dos Vendavais ou Jane Eyre pois estes são dois romances e o livro de Anne é um retrato auto-biográfico logo tem uma vertente realista que os livros das suas irmãs não partilham.
Na forma de um diário, esta narrativa concerne a rotina de uma jovem preceptora que, tendo vivido protegida no seio da família na província, vai ter de aprender a conviver com uma sociedade que não está disposta a entender ou adaptar-se. Relato de uma profissão bastante usual no século XIX, Agnes Grey apresenta as vicissitudes e as alegrias dela bem como a forma como eram vistas as mulheres que educavam as meninas de estatuto mais elevado e é, exactamente por isso, que este livro é um clássico. Apesar de ser uma leitura que não me agradou tanto como as das outras irmãs Brontë, tanto pelo tom como pelo estilo de escrita pois não sou grande fã de diários, a verdade é que este livro é uma obra de extrema importância pois apresenta-nos detalhes de uma profissão que, apesar da sua importância, obrigava a que aquelas que a exerciam fossem tratadas não só como se tivessem um estatuto baixo como, muitas vezes, o seu papel era relegado pelas vontades e caprichos de pais e crianças. 
Através da experiência de Agnes, apercebemo-nos de muitos pormenores interessantes sobre a educação inglesa de finais do século XIX. A forma como os pais largavam os filhos na mão de outrem mas procuravam exercer a mesma autoridade retirando as das preceptoras que deviam ensinar mas manter os mimos, a forma como as próprias crianças e jovens eram induzidos a pensarem-se superiores àquelas que os ensinavam e criavam, como as questões pessoais destas pessoas deviam desaparecer face às questões fúteis daqueles que as empregavam, são alguns exemplos apresentados pela voz de Agnes das experiências porque grande parte destas preceptoras passaram naquela época e que este livro retrata de uma forma realista e verídica e, se algumas vezes o livro chega a ser aborrecido, a verdade é que apesar de Agnes Grey ter uma parte romântica é nestas experiências que estão a grande importância deste livro que apresentou à sociedade inglesa a forma falsa e desinteressada como as suas crianças eram educadas, como as preceptoras acabavam por se verem isoladas numa casa cheia e como a intelectualidade desta sociedade ainda se encontrava bastante estagnada.
Tal como a escrita, também as personagens de Anne são realistas, tendo muito senso-comum e moral que praticam conforme a sua educação e meio social. Penso que Agnes acaba por ir buscar muitas das características da autora apesar de me parecer muito diferente da personagem de Shirley que Charlotte baseou na sua irmã Anne mas isso será reflexo da forma como nós nos vemos de maneira diferente da que os outros nos vêem, tendo sido bastante interessante comparar ambas as personagens.
Agnes Grey é assim um relato biográfico não só das experiências de uma autora como também de uma profissão. Uma obra de extrema importância que deve ser lida por todos os que se interessem pelo tema ou simplesmente pela sociedade inglesa desta época.

 Bruna Acioly Leão

Ao contrário de suas irmãs, Anne Brontë tem uma escrita que foge do estilo gótico da época e conta essa história com um realismo, que em Agnes Grey tem toques também de autobiografia.

Aqui não temos grandes romances, nem aventuras, mas o chamado romance de formação em que a protagonista busca encontrar seu próprio lugar no mundo, o que não era fácil para uma mulher de sua época. Suas opções eram ser professora ou “governess” tutora na casa de crianças ricas; ou se casar.

A autora nos leva pela história de Agnes, que apesar de ser numa análise superficial, mais mundana do que as histórias das outras irmãs Brontë, conta com uma escrita rica e fluida, o que faz o livro decorrer sem dificuldades para o leitor - não tirando em nada o mérito literário da autora.

O livro aborda temas muito relevantes até hoje, como a formação do caráter humano, o papel da religiosidade, e assim como na obra de suas irmãs, a luta da mulher para ter valor na sociedade.

Jana Pashovska

Some critics declare this work as 'the most perfect prose narrative in English literature' but I unfortunately cannot say that I agree and my own feelings towards this book are quite ambivalent. On one hand, I fully recognize Anne's power of realistically depicting how hard life was for unmarried, educated women in the 19th century— women who cared little for vanity and instead focused on their mental faculties and tried to make something of themselves while constantly being looked down upon—and I very much like her simple but elegant language and narration, but on the other hand, I found the plot somewhat dull and too filled with melancholy religious sentiments which I could neither follow nor understand, and for this reason I struggled to stay interested in this book. It is still an important classic though and I am at least glad to have read it because now I can proudly say I have read all the Brontës.

Raya 

** spoiler alert **
           Agnes is a young girl who decides to be a governess after her father loses his patrimony in a disastrous speculation which ruins his health. During this time, she suffers from the pangs of frequent reproach and tormenting isolation. Oneday she meets Edward Watson, who is a country parson and falls in love with him. But the idea of her sentiments being one sided soon grips her. 
Even though the plot is fairly predictable and the narration style is apparently simple, the novel provides a penetrating insight into the mid-nineteenth century world of governesses and the hardships which were often inflicted upon them. It also highlights the middle class morals and values and reveals the cruelty and chauvinism with which young single women had to cope. If you are looking for a pleasant and light classic, you can go for this.😇

Agnes Grey

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