Agnes Grey

For all those captivated by the trials of Jane Eyre, Anne Bront's heroine Agnes Grey is the ideal counterpoint. "Agnes Grey" is widely considered to be the best record of the precarious position of the governess in Victorian society, and the insolence, neglect and dependence that the gentle Agnes is forced to endure is conveyed with great feeling. Bront's account of Agnes' journey to find love, happiness and independence within the constraints of Victorian society is well-known and loved for its emotional subtlety and its incisive social scrutiny.