The Neglected Brontë

The Brontë sisters are all celebrated for their literary achievements and manage to capture the hearts of readers today, despite their work being published over a century ago. However, Anne Brontë’s contributions to the literary world are less known than either of her sisters’ works. Both Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and Charlotte’s Brontë’s Jane Eyre are regarded as classic novels that everyone should read. However, most people have never even heard of Anne’s books, let alone read them. By analyzing her novel, Agnes Grey, I believe that Anne Brontë is less successful because she wrote more in the style of Realism than Romanticism.

Brontë’s novel follows the life of Agnes Grey, the daughter of a poor clergyman who decides to become a governess to help support her family. The first family she works for, the Bloomfields, are malicious and Agnes struggles to teach them. She perseveres, but nonetheless is let go because Mrs. Bloomfield blames her for the children’s bad behavior. She decides to try again and goes to work for another family, the Murrays. While they are less vicious than the Bloomfields, they are thoughtless, selfish, and uncaring. Agnes struggles to manage her students, Rosalie and Matilda Murray. Soon, the town gets a new curate—Mr. Edward Weston. Agnes is immediately taken with Weston and eventually falls in love with him. Weston listens to Agnes and treats her with respect. Although he does not show Agnes much special attention, he is clearly intrigued by her.

When Rosalie Murray is brought into society, she is quickly courted by many men, who are all infatuated with her. Rosalie relishes the attention and leads on many men. After she breaks their hearts, she shows no remorse. Seeing Mr. Weston pay special attention to Agnes, Rosalie becomes jealous and decides to flirt with him herself. Agnes is disappointed, but tries to hide it. Eventually, Rosalie decides to marry Lord Ashby for his title. Soon after this, Agnes receives a letter that her father is very ill. She immediately returns home, but he has already passed away. Agnes’s sister, Mary, offers to take in their now-widowed mother. Their mother refuses and insists on supporting herself. She then asks Agnes if she would be willing to help her open a small school. Agnes readily accepts and returns to the Murrays to give them her resignation. The Sunday before her departure, Mr. Weston approaches her and asks if he could write to her. Agnes happily replies that he can, and begins to hope he might love her.

Agnes starts the school with her mother and becomes despondent when Mr. Weston does not write to her. Eventually, she is invited to visit Lady Ashby, formerly Rosalie Murray. Agnes finds Rosalie melancholy and lonely. Her husband does not love her. Agnes feels sorry for Rosalie, but is glad to see that her character has improved. Agnes returns home and runs into Mr. Weston, who is now the rector at a nearby parish. Soon, Weston becomes a regular visitor and spends as much time as he can with Agnes. One day, he proposes to Agnes and she happily accepts. Agnes informs the reader that they are now living happily with their three children.

Brontë’s novel is compelling, enjoyable, and masterfully written. So why is it not more well-known? I argue that it is because her novel – unlike those of her sisters – is not Romantic. One reason it veers toward Realism and away from Romanticism is because the romances in Agnes Grey are more realistic and plausible. For example, many of the problems that Agnes and Weston face are reasonably solved. Rosalie and Weston’s flirtation ends not because he decides to reject her and pursue Agnes; it ends because Rosalie chooses to marry someone else. Agnes is broken-hearted by Rosalie and Weston’s relationship, but he never comes to declare his love or rejects Rosalie, circumstances simply change. Weston does not use grand gestures to woo Agnes or attempt to sweep her off her feet. He shows his interest in a practical way and proposes to her in straightforward terms. He asks, “you love me then?” and Agnes simply responds, “yes” (Brontë 192). Readers often favor extreme and all-encompassing romances like those portrayed in Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre, so Agnes Grey’s romance may seem less compelling for many people.

Another reason the novel leans more into Realism is because the characters do not despair in the same way Charlotte and Emily’s characters do. In their stories, the characters are wild and temperamental. In fact, they are so passionate that they rarely show common sense. Agnes, on the other hand, is very sensible. She does not feel sorry for herself or mourn her fate. When struggling as governess, she reflects, “I had brought all this tribulation on myself, and I was determined to bear it” (Brontë 32). She loves Mr. Weston but always keeps her emotions under control. Although she desires to be with Weston, she never blames others when she is not. She hopes Rosalie will stop flirting, but more for Weston’s sake than for her own sake. She selflessly writes, “if he could but know her hollowness, her worthless, heartless frivolity—he would then be safe, and I should be—almost happy, though I might never see him more” (Brontë 141). Most people would hate Rosalie for her actions, but Agnes forgives her and truly tries to help her. Many readers find passionate love more enjoyable to read about, even though it is less realistic. While Anne’s characters are more virtuous, people may view them as weak-willed and easily pushed around.

Finally, Agnes Grey qualifies as Realism because the characters’ storylines do not have simple endings. Typically, the good characters arrive at a happy ending and the evil characters get their just deserts. This is what happens in Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre – everyone gets what they deserve and the audience feels satisfied. However, this is not how the world really works. Often, bad things happen to good people. Agnes suffers continually and is not rewarded for her struggles. Similarly, Rosalie is terrible but ultimately gets what she wants. Although she does not like her husband, she has gained the money and title she always desired. More importantly, she improves herself by becoming more virtuous. The reader may want to see her suffering miserably, but the ending she reaches is more generous and more real. Agnes and Mr. Weston get their happy ending, but Agnes assures us that their lives are not perfect. She says, “we have had trials, and know that we must have them again” (Brontë 192). They are also still very poor and struggle to make ends meet. Most readers want everything to work out perfectly and will look for books where everyone is thoroughly satisfied at the end. The ending of Agnes Grey does not provide this, but it is real and honest.

Although Anne Brontë’s Agnes Grey is less known than the seminal works of her sisters, she has shared a wonderful story that readers will enjoy for years to come. Her book is less celebrated because she writes Realism instead of Romanticism. This points to a question: would her book have been more successful if she were not stuck in the Romantic shadow of her sisters? On one hand, many people read her works simply because she has the Brontë name. But those readers are often sorely disappointed to find that her books are nothing like the books written by Charlotte and Emily. Anne’s stories and style are equally impressive as her sisters’. Since she is Anne Brontë, we will never know if she could have stood on her own. Nevertheless, the Realism reflected in Agnes Grey stands as an important contrast to the Romanticism that defines the works of the other Brontë sisters.

Works Cited

Brontë, Anne. Agnes Grey. Barnes & Noble Classics, 2005.