Agnes Grey (1847) is the debut novel of Anne Brontë, the youngest of the Brontë sisters. It follows Agnes Grey, a young clergyman's daughter who becomes a governess to help support her financially struggling family. Serving first the spoiled Bloomfield children and then the wealthy Murrays, Agnes endures disrespect, isolation, and the powerlessness of her position in Victorian society. Despite hardship, she preserves her dignity and moral convictions. Eventually, she finds true love with Reverend Edward Weston, an upright and compassionate clergyman, and marries him. Semi-autobiographical, the novel offers a sharp critique of class cruelty, flawed education, and women's limited prospects.
