The forgotten Brontë sister
Forget Charlotte and Emily, it’s time for Anne to take centre stage
Everyone has heard of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. But why has no one heard of Agnes Grey?
Meet Anne, the forgotten Brontë sister, and her debut novel, Agnes Grey.
With her family on the verge of financial ruin, Agnes is determined to become a governess: a teacher hired by wealthy families to educate, discipline and prepare their children to be launched into middle-class society. But little does she realise the difficulties that lie ahead.
Agnes’s endearing naivety to the daily struggles of a governess, trying but failing to control unruly children, and her understated, wholesome love for Edward Weston, captivate our attention. Whilst she remains the reserved and respectful woman that she is expected to be, Agnes confesses all to her reader.
And she certainly doesn’t hold back.
Brontë shares the honest tone of her sisters, unafraid of speaking her mind, of questioning the morality of aristocratic families and presenting a raw insight into the life of a governess. She, of course, knew this better than anyone, having been a governess herself, the novel being the product of her grim experience. But unlike Charlotte and Emily, Anne provides her heroine with a kind, compassionate gentleman, a refreshing change from the sinister love interests that feature widely across Victorian literature.
There are times where all I want to do is to give Agnes a hug and tell her that everything will be okay. I wish I could hold her hand as she weeps after an awful day of governessing, and tell her not to fret about Rosalie’s flirtatious meddling as Edward is completely besotted with you. Above all, I wish I could give her the praise that her employers withhold, tell her that she’s doing a great job, and that the children aren’t worthy of the undivided love, care and attention that you devote to them (even when they are being spoilt brats, which is most of the time).
Popular culture has further immortalised the likes of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, both of which have multiple film and theatre adaptations, and who can forget Kate Bush’s iconic single? Yet here is a wasted opportunity staring the film industry in the face. It’s about time that the work of Anne Brontë got the recognition it deserves.
Agnes Grey is available for purchase at Amazon, Waterstones or your local bookshop.
