Agnes Grey

Anne Brontë drew on her own years as a governess to write this quiet, clear-eyed first novel, published in 1847. Agnes Grey, the daughter of a clergyman whose family has fallen on hard times, takes a post teaching the children of wealthy households, hoping to earn her keep and see something of the world. What she finds instead is the loneliness of a servant who is neither family nor equal: spoiled pupils, careless parents, and long stretches of being ignored. Against this she holds onto her principles and a slow-growing affection for the kind curate Edward Weston. The book is less dramatic than her sisters’ work and more honest about the daily indignities of paid labour. Free PDF and EPUB editions are available to download.