Agnes Grey By Anne Bronte

 

My Views-

My incorrigible propensity for books with Biblical references and teachings, decoyed me into this precious work of gracious civility in the midst of hardships!

Agnes Grey, delineates, that amidst all the tormenting, hardships, lamentations and broodings, the tenets of love-laden Christianity can flourish life, infallibly!

The tenacity of enduring hardships at home and vexations in profession, and abiding by the endearing Christian tenets, earned Agnes a loving husband, home and children!

Persistent unshaken firmness, devoted diligence, unwearied perseverance and unceasing care, towards family and profession, qualified Agnes, to earn a happy ending for herself. I applaud the positive ending of this novel, on a happy-note!!

We are often shielded by our own obscurity, and secure ourselves, by closing all doors to vulnerability. But Anne Bronte, audaciously, lay her life and views, all naked, in this first novel of hers. Commendable! Isn’t it?

Agnes Grey, is a didactic novel, expounding, the coming-of age, growth, the endurance of exploitation, by the governesses in the Victorian England, and many more stifling issues.

According to me, Agnes Grey, shouldn’t be limited to the hardships and tormenting of the governesses in the Victorian England alone, but can be extrapolated to the modern day and age relationships and friendships!

Agnes, gives her heart and soul to her ailing improversihed family, love and care to the abusive-miscreant children whom she looks after, and respect to her employers, and yet is derided by the condescending and supercilious bosses, and taken for a ride, with frivolity, by the ungrateful bickering children.

Analogically, same can be applied in modern day and age, no matter how much love and respect parents shower on their children, no matter how much a human does for another with sincerity, we hear cases, of being taken for granted or being reprimanded. Love and respect, is not always returned back, alike!

Christian principles teach us to stay resilient, keep forgiving, loving and surrendering (It is not for others, but for the self. I will stay away from delving into Bible and in my fondness for it).

Agnes Grey does not retaliate in vengeance for wrong treatment, rather working on changing her job and situation with full tenacity and zeal.

The novel is not an entertainer, but an edifier!

The daily-life problems are compounded by wrong decisions and destiny not unfolding the way they devised or wished to be!

 

A quick abridged plot-summary: -

Agnes, daughter of a minister of modest means, Mr. Grey, a loving husband and father, with a want to provide and augment his little fortune, risks his money with a merchant, who unfortunately dies in wreck. Plunged into debts and swamped in misery and poverty, the family scrupulously cuts-down on expenses and food. Deciding to become a bread-winner for the family, Agnes, decides to get employed as a governess for children of affluent families, with all bright hopes and ardent expectations. Her first employment is with Bloomfield Family. Rich, condescending, diabolical than what Agnes conceived or envisioned to be, she endures to continue working with the unruly, abusive, miscreant children and the reprimanding bosses. Within a year, she is dismissed on account of slow-growth of the children. Returning back home, she starts searching for a new job, and finally gets employed with the Murrays, and this second job turns out to be a wee better than the first. Though, she still feels ignored!

Agnes helps an old woman, Nancy Brown, with poor eyesight, in reading the Bible, when she consequently ends up meeting Mr. Edward Weston, the new parson. They eventually start getting closer as friends. Meanwhile, her father passes away, when she along with her mother, opens a school, leaving the Murrays and Mr. Weston. One day, she takes a walk by the seashore, and stumbles upon Mr. Weston. He informs her, that he has been looking for her since the time he changed his parsonage. Agnes introduces him to her mother, and accepts Mr. Weston’s proposal. Eventually they get married, and consequently become parents to 3 beautiful children.

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I wish if I could, give heartfelt infinite stars, to this evocative work of Anne Bronte(first-novel). It touched my soul and peeled off various layers, in ways inexplicable. Giving any stars, would be undermining such a work, but still 5-stars (as per the GRs rating-system)

 

Throughout, the novel, we can witness Agnes renewing her hope and spirit, irrespective of the abuse, frivolity and condemnation she is subjected to! She never gives into vengeance of any kind, and keeps steadying her nerves and stifling the rebellious flutter of her heart! She takes on the arduous journey of her life, with redoubled ardour! She rises every time, with hopeful exhilarations, irrespective of the profuse disappointments of the yester-day.

This novel is a work or art and hope, edifying the importance and success of Christian tenets and beliefs! I loved it!

Limiting it as a mere depiction of the exploitation of the governesses during the Victorian Era, is totally unfair, in my view. Agnes Grey, holds much more!!