Agnes Grey was a lovely book to read. It was an example of it's period both in the language used and the scenes and settings within the book. The theme of the story was of a young girl moving away from home to become a governess after a financial crisis within her family and subsequently suffering disillusionment. She suffers at the hands of her employers in both situations she holds over a period of about 3 or 4 years, and the primary causes of these sufferings are unwilling pupils, neglectful parents and a tendency for others to look through her.
The story takes a brighter turn when one Mr Weston moves into the neighbourhood and becomes her friend. As one of the few people, and the only one of equal station with her, who treats her civilly and with the respect she deserves it is unsurprising that she falls in love with him. After her long period of doubt as to his affections it is a happy ending when she agrees to be his wife.
I'm not sure really what the purpose of the first situation was within the book, unless to show how cruel and blind the very rich could be, or to make the second family who were by no means a fluffy fairy-tale seem much less harsh. I suppose it made her affection for her pupils within the second family understandable.
Not a bad book.
Rowen
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