Zusammenfassung
Zusammenfassung von Agnes Grey
Für wen es gedacht ist
For readers who love a clear Victorian novel with a moral backbone, and anyone curious about women's work, class and independence in the nineteenth century.
Worum es in diesem Buch geht
Agnes Grey is the first novel of Anne Brontë, the youngest of the three Brontë sisters. It appeared in 1847, published together with Emily's Wuthering Heights, under the pen name Acton Bell. Anne drew on her own years as a governess in private homes in Yorkshire, and the book reads like a plain, honest report from inside those houses.
The story is told by Agnes herself, the clergyman's daughter who sets out to earn her own living when her family falls into money trouble. She has courage and good principles, and she is sure she can teach. What she finds are spoiled children, careless parents, and a position that gives her duties but almost no power. In about nine minutes you will follow her through two very different households, meet the people who test her, and see what keeps her steady. Let us begin with the quiet home she leaves behind.
In dieser Zusammenfassung
- 1A sheltered girl decides to workFree
- 2The Bloomfield children defeat her kindness
- 3Dismissal and a hard lesson at home
- 4Horton Lodge and the Murray sisters
- 5A curate's kindness and a cottager's friendship
- 6What the book argues and how it speaks
Punkt 1 von 6
A sheltered girl decides to work
Agnes Grey is the youngest daughter of Richard Grey, a country clergyman in the north of England. Her mother, Alice, came from a wealthier family and married him against her relatives' wishes. The household is small, loving and comfortable, though never rich. Agnes and her older sister Mary have been brought up at home, taught by their mother and cherished by their father.
The peace breaks when Mr Grey, hoping to increase the family's fortune, puts his money into a merchant's venture. The venture is lost at sea, and the family is left with very little. Their wealthy relatives do not rescue them, and their mother chooses to face poverty with her husband rather than accept help that would divide them. The change is hard on everyone, but it stirs something in Agnes.
She decides to become a governess. Her family laughs a little at the idea, since she has never been away from home and is treated as the baby of the house. Agnes is stung by this and grows more determined. She believes she can be useful, earn her own money, and prove that she is no longer a child.
Her hopes are bright and a little naive. She imagines gentle pupils who will love her and parents who will be grateful. She pictures herself shaping young minds with patience and kindness. The book wants you to notice how much she has yet to learn, and it sets this first part up so that every later disappointment is felt against these high expectations.
Her parents consent in the end, with some worry, and Agnes goes out to her first position. She leaves with a small stock of confidence and a strong sense that goodness will be rewarded.
What do you think she will find when she arrives?
That’s 1 of 6 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
- Nothing to pay today · Renews every year
- We email you before you pay
- Cancel online in two clicks
Who’s who
- Agnes Grey
- A clergyman's youngest daughter, Agnes becomes a governess to support her family while holding firmly to her principles.
- Mr Weston
- A sincere village curate, Mr Weston shares Agnes's concern for poor neighbours and treats them with kindness.
- Rosalie Murray
- Agnes's beautiful elder pupil at Horton Lodge, Rosalie seeks admiration and hopes to make a grand marriage.
- Matilda Murray
- Rosalie's younger sister and Agnes's pupil, Matilda prefers horses and dogs to the discipline of lessons.
- Tom Bloomfield
- The spoiled eldest child of Agnes's first employers, Tom resists her teaching and enjoys cruelty.
- Richard Grey
- Agnes's gentle father is a country clergyman whose unsuccessful investment brings financial hardship upon his family.
- Alice Grey
- Agnes's courageous mother married Richard against her wealthy family's wishes and supports their daughters through hardship.
- Nancy Brown
- An elderly, nearly blind cottager, Nancy becomes Agnes's friend and welcomes her visits and reading.
About this edition
Every format is free to start, and print and large print are at cost.
- LengthAbout 69,000 words
- Reading timeAbout 4 h 40 min
- Listening time7 h 45 min
- FormatseBook, large-print eBook, audiobook, 15-minute summary; paperback, hardcover and large print at cost
- LanguagesEnglish and 12 other languages
Questions about Agnes Grey
What is Agnes Grey about?
It follows a young clergyman's daughter who takes work as a governess after her family loses money. She meets difficult employers and unruly children in two households, and the book shows how she keeps her principles and dignity.
Is Agnes Grey based on a true story?
It is fiction, but Anne Brontë drew on her own experience as a governess in Yorkshire homes. Many of the humiliations and frustrations Agnes meets reflect what Anne saw and felt. It was published in 1847.
Why did Anne Brontë write under the name Acton Bell?
The Brontë sisters used male-sounding pen names to avoid prejudice against women writers. Charlotte was Currer Bell, Emily was Ellis Bell, and Anne was Acton Bell. Agnes Grey appeared under that name in 1847.
Is Agnes Grey hard to read?
No. It is short, with clear sentences and a simple structure. The story moves steadily and the voice is direct and easy to follow.
What is the main message of Agnes Grey?
The novel argues that governesses were treated with little respect or power, and that integrity and faith matter more than rank or show. It values quiet endurance and honest kindness above wealth and flattery.