Agnes Grey

I just finished reading Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte the other day (yeah I know I should be working on other things but I needed a distraction). Anne is probably the least known of the Bronte sisters. Although, I found her prose to be less dense than Charlotte's and not as melancholy as Emily's, it would not be fair to compare her writing to theirs (although one cannot help but do so). I won't go into the plot summary but the story involves a poor young woman who must find a job and what else was there for a woman to do in such a situation but become a governess of course!

This is more of a social commentary than a book review because honestly, I couldn't wait to be done with the book. It was ok but I have read similar types of these books before and this one didn't stand out for me. I am glad women have come a long way from being governesses and having little prospects. It's depressing to think that women had to either become a governess or look for a husband, what kind of life is that? and if you look for a husband, it doesn't mean it would be a love match, find someone, anyone that has a little money and marry them? Imagine if some random guy came up to me and proposed marriage (wonder how that would turn out)?? Maybe better than some of my dates? It would be odd because how could you truly know someone.

Even in Agnes Grey I felt I never really knew Agnes' true character (and spoiler ahead), nor the character of the guy she ends up marrying. They never even kissed (that would have been a scandal back in the day)! I would just find it very odd to marry someone I never kissed, I know it still happens in some cultures.I am not saying everything has to be physical for some type of love to exist but it's just hard to imagine a relationship without physical contact. The book felt very plot driven to me, like this governess must get out of this solitary existence and she does end up getting married later, however it all felt like this was her only choice (and I am sure it was). Anyway, that's my social commentary on the book. I don't think I would have been accepted into society back then, unless I were a man, then that may have worked. Maybe one day, when I am done with school, I will make it a point to read every book that has a governess in it from the that time period, perhaps only then can I appreciate our current world we live in.

Edited to add: I am in no way judging anyone that abstains from physical contact prior to marriage, nor any woman that becomes a housewife. It is your business what you do. I just wanted to comment on what was unacceptable back then has become more commonplace now.