Anges Grey. Anne Bronte. Wordsworth Classics. Originally published 1847. 168 pages. Source: Purchased from Betterworldbooks.com.
First sentence: All true histories contain instructions: though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity, that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely for the trouble of cracking the nut.
Plot: At age 19 Anne Brontë left home and worked as a governess for a few years before becoming a writer. Agnes Grey was an 1847 novel based on her experience as a governess. Bronte depicts the precarious position of a governess and how that can affect a young woman. Agnes was the daughter of a minister whose family was in financial difficulty. She has only a few choices for employment. Agnes experiences the difficulty of reining in spoiled children and how wealth can corrupt morals.
My thoughts: I like Bronte's style of writing. After the last book I read this one was a calm and enjoyable read. Not all of the situations that Anges was in was calm and enjoyable but over all I enjoyed this one.
Anges was a very kind young woman. She had no skill or trade in which to earn money to help support her family so she convinced her mother to help her secure a position as a governess. Having no real knowledge of raising children other than her own experience as a child she found her first position. It was not a favorable experience as the children were greatly spoiled and she had no control over them at all.
Her second situation was somewhat better as the children were much older. The issues she dealt with were along the line of lack of character building. She did have some villagers that she was able to minister to through acts of kindness. The new parson was very kind and Agnes had some very tender feelings for him. But she was tormented by Miss Murray in that Miss Murray wanted every man to love only her.
Anges returned home after the death of her father to help her mother with a school she had started in order to make a living. Anges was sad to be leaving Mr. Weston, the parson, but she had hopes of seeing him again.
This was a nice read and I wish I had taken the time to sit and enjoy it more. It took me a lot longer than it should have being as busy as I was in March. I would read this one again.
Anges was a very kind young woman. She had no skill or trade in which to earn money to help support her family so she convinced her mother to help her secure a position as a governess. Having no real knowledge of raising children other than her own experience as a child she found her first position. It was not a favorable experience as the children were greatly spoiled and she had no control over them at all.
Her second situation was somewhat better as the children were much older. The issues she dealt with were along the line of lack of character building. She did have some villagers that she was able to minister to through acts of kindness. The new parson was very kind and Agnes had some very tender feelings for him. But she was tormented by Miss Murray in that Miss Murray wanted every man to love only her.
Anges returned home after the death of her father to help her mother with a school she had started in order to make a living. Anges was sad to be leaving Mr. Weston, the parson, but she had hopes of seeing him again.
This was a nice read and I wish I had taken the time to sit and enjoy it more. It took me a lot longer than it should have being as busy as I was in March. I would read this one again.
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