Agnes Grey vs Jane Eyre

It's shorter, simpler, sweeter... and I like it a whole lot better! I enjoyed reading Agnes Grey even more the second time around, even though the first time was only a year or two ago.

As an ex-school teacher, I got a kick out of Anne Bronte's comments in Agnes Grey about parenting and discipline, behaviour management for teachers, the relationship between authority and responsibility, etc. They make Agnes Grey a fascinating portrayal of the situation of a governess in the 1800s; and an intriguing comparison to the situation many teachers face in schools in the Western world today. I remember vividly the emotional exhaustion felt after a day, a week, a month of "teaching" classes of children who did not want to be taught. Agnes's struggle to teach anything to children over whom she is allowed not one shred of control is described realistically and, I felt, with honesty as to the personal frustrations of such situations:

"Patience, Firmness, and Perseverance were my only weapons; and these I resolved to use to the utmost. ... By these means I hoped, in time, both to benefit the children, and to gain the approbation of their parents; and, also, to convince my friends at home that I was not so wanting in skill and prudence as they supposed. I knew the difficulties I had to contend with were great; but I knew (at least I believed), unremitting patience and perseverance could overcome them; and night and morning I implored Divine assistance to this end. But either the children were so incorrigible, the parents so unreasonable, or myself so mistaken in my views, or so unable to carry them out, that my best intentions and most strenuous efforts seemed productive of no better result than sport to the children, dissatisfaction to their parents, and torment to myself." (Ch III)

Anne's portrayal of Agnes is far more sympathetic than Charlotte's Jane, and Agnes actually ends up with a man who is her moral and spiritual match, which is a delightful improvement. Agnes's employment and locations lack the gothic drama of Jane's, and are much more believeable (for me) because of it. Anne's subplot of Miss Rosalie Murray's marriage for money is wound up in a very satisfying way - despite the inherent sadness of just desserts. Charlotte also chose to include final details of the secondary character St John River's missionary activities in India, but with a somewhat more forced delivery, in my opinion.

Now I am looking forward to reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, to see what intrigues this sister has in store for me. Despite the popularity of movie (etc) portrayals of Wuthering Heights, I have no idea of the story, but I am looking forward to it if only because in the Introduction to Agnes Grey I read of Charlotte Bronte's critical response to it. I am also looking forward to Anne Bronte's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which Charlotte apparently disapproved of most heartily.