Review: Agnes Grey – The 19th Century had Gen Alpha Kids, too (Spoilers)

After last year’s assigned reading of Wuthering Heights, I decided that the Bronte sisters were actually good writers. After reading Jane Eyre in my freshman year and hearing spoilers about Wuthering Heights, I had thought they were essentially the 19th century version of Stephanie Meyers times three. However, Wuthering Heights, for all the nightmarish dysfunction changed my mind about their writing abilities, so this Christmas, I decided to ask for Agnes Grey, a book written by the youngest Bronte sister, Anne. After reading it, it has become my new favorite book by the Bronte sisters.

The main thing I enjoyed about Agnes Grey is that it’s the most realistic of the books I’ve read by the Bronte sisters. While it is a work of fiction, in many ways, it’s also an autobiographical work, with strong parallels to Anne Bronte’s own experiences working as a governess for five years. Both Anne and her protagonist, Agnes, are the youngest daughters of clergymen, were born into modest means, and had to eventually take on jobs as governesses with rich families to help provide for their families and were later dismissed. In fact, one scene from Agnes Grey happened in real life. In this scene, one of Agnes’s charges, Tom Bloomfield, wishes to tear some baby birds apart for his own amusement and Agnes is forced to smash the birds to death with a rock to spare them such a painful end. This story also played out in Anne’s life during her first governess role.

The second thing that I loved about Agnes Grey is the fact that it’s also the fact that it’s very obviously inspired by Anne’s own faith. In “The Biographical Notice of Ellis and Acton Bell,” written by Charlotte Bronte soon after the passing of Emily and Anne Bronte from tuberculosis, Charlotte recalls that Anne was a devout Christian and this shines through in Agnes Grey. Not only does Agnes consistently mention her Christianity as a way of dealing with the troubles of teaching kids who are determined to vex her, but numerous times throughout the book, the Bible is directly or indirectly referenced.

Agnes Grey is an example of good Christian storytelling. Though Christian themes and elements are obvious throughout the book, they aren’t preachy and in your face. The character of Agnes is likeable, and you’re invested in her struggles as a governess. You’re impressed by her ability to stay strong, patient, and loving amidst adversity. She is the quintessential well-written Christian character. How this book isn’t recognized as a work of Christian literature is beyond me.

The last thing I will comment on is how Agnes Grey is a masterclass in writing first person points of view. The book is narrated almost as though Agnes is writing a letter or writing in her diary about her experiences. Not only do we get to see what she went through, but we also get to see her emotions about sharing certain things about her life and feelings. I think this is something that a lot of authors don’t do when writing in the first-person POV. A lot of them just have the characters say whatever is on their mind about whatever’s going on the book. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I do feel like it removes a bit of believability from the characters. Unless the book is being written as something like a diary, most people would want to keep at least some experiences or thoughts to themselves. In fact, some books such as Fourth Wing have been mocked for being intended as histories for the world the author has created, written by the protagonists, while also having graphic descriptions of intimate moments that any person, if writing a history, would likely want to leave out. Allowing the characters to leave parts of their lives out makes the writing feel more natural and human.

Until next time,

M.J.