The Good and Bad Experiences of Governess in Anne Bronte's Agnes Grey

 

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte is a tale of the experiences of a governess. The story is

 somewhat autobiographical because Brontë was a governess and had a very bad

 experience with her first employer but fared better with the second. Agnes Grey was

 disinherited from her wealthy family when she refused to yield to her father and

 marry a man from her own social circle. Of the six children that Richard Grey and his

 wife had, only two, Agnes and Mary, who survived beyond infancy and early

 childhood.

 Richard Grey felt guilty for what his wife had given up for him and sought ways to

 make up for it. This led to the family's financial ruin until a friend suggested a way to

 double his private property.

“The small patrimony was speedily sold, and the whole of its price was deposited in the hands of the friendly merchant, who as promptly proceeded to ship his cargo and prepare for his voyage.”
After the death of her husband's merchant ship, Agnes looked at ways that she could help her family financially, but she kept most of her ideas to herself, fearing they would think her frivolous. Grey responded in a human way and was bitter and disappointed, even though we would expect him to respond in a more God-like way.
““My mother thought only of consoling my father and paying our debts and retrenching our expenditure by every available means, but my father was completely overwhelmed by the calamity: health, strength, and spirits sank beneath the blow, and he never wholly recovered them. In vain my mother strove to cheer him, by appealing to his piety, to his courage, to his affection for herself and us…”
Agnes was qualified to be a governess because she was educated. Her parents homeschooled her, except for Latin which her father taught her. Agnes found herself working for a cold and cruel family. The previous governess tried to discipline them and was demoted.
“‘But Tom,’ said I, ‘I shall not allow you to torture those birds. They must either be killed at once or carried back to the place where you took them from, that the old birds may continue to feed them. ’But you don’t know where that is, Madam: it’s only me and Uncle Robson that knows that. ’But if you don’t tell me, I shall kill them myself – much as I hate it.’You aren’t. You aren’t touch them for your life! because you know Papa and Mamma, and Uncle Robson, would be angry. Ha, ha! I’ve caught you there, Miss!’”
Agnes convinced her mother to assist her in finding another governess position. The boys were sent to school and the girls were homeschooled; the parents blamed Agnes for their poor behavior. The story of Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte teaches us how to behave with dignity even when we are not treated fairly or with respect. Rosalie married Sir Thomas Ashby for status and for wealth, and it turned out that shortly after they had been married, she grew to detest him.