Female Author: Why you should never be a governess…
Anne Brontë is quickly becoming my favourite of the Brontë sisters (even though writing her name is nightmare because god forbid that ë is easily accessible on a keyboard…). She is often overshadowed by her sisters Charlotte and Emily, with novels such Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, respectively. However, earlier this year, I also read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne and I loved it more than anything. It is a masterclass in exploring domestic violence, alcoholism and misogyny in Victorian era England. She looks at issues that were just so taboo back then. But, we’re not here to talk about Helena and her toxic marriage…
We’re here to talk about poor Agnes and her toxic career. We meet Agnes when she’s a bit younger, before she learns about the pitfalls of poverty. Her family is comfortable: neither poor nor upper class. Her father is a clergyman in northern England, who married above his station. Her mother, however, gave up her fortune for love, which already had a huge effect on Anne as a young woman. Throughout the story, she unwaveringly places a lot of emphasis on moral character and actions, rather than on looks or wealth.
Her father , predictably, makes a very bad investment and loses all their money. To help out around the house, Anne decides to begin working as a governess because after all, how hard can it be?
If, like me, you have ever worked in a similar position, you were probably laughing your head off, or yelling at her “RUN FOR THE HILLS!”. I worked as an au pair for two years, and I would not wish that upon my worst enemy. There were so many times where I was laughing out loud at Anne’s frustrations, and even more times where I yelled “OH MY GOD GIRL, preach.” I think I even wrote that in the margins. Trying to navigate family dynamics as “the help” is truly one of the most awkward and just horrendous positions ever. You ultimately have no power because the parents have the final say, and yet they expect you to manage their God awful children, who are spoiled beyond belief.
But enough about my own grievances… Anne does not last long in her first position, and cannot handle the fear of disappointment from her family and friends, which let’s be honest, we’ve all been there after we “fail” at something. However, no one blames her, and she moves on to the next family, full of women that I wanted to punch in the face….
What I love about Anne’s novels that I think is sometimes lacking in her sisters’, is the level of humanity that she incorporates into her characters. While I love Wuthering Heights, the melodrama and gothic-ness of it all sometimes takes away the relatability. Don’t get me wrong, I love the gothic, but I identify with Agnes and Helena (Wildfell Hall) on such a personal level. Her writing, while really good and poetic at times, is accessible and does not get bogged down in well… bogs. Her characters are so relatable- even if you’ve never worked as a governess, you probably worked for a terrible boss at some point. And I’m sure we’ve all met people like Rosalie Murray in high school, who wants what she can’t have and is malicious because she’s bored. “Oh you have a crush on the new guy? That’s cute. Too bad he’s obsessed with me.” Cue the eye roll.
One of the most interesting characters to me was Matilda Murray, the younger sister. She was the not best, and killed rabbits for fun, but I got the sense that she was simply a horribly repressed woman, longing for the freedom of a man. She wanted to swear and hunt, and probably wear pants. She wanted to hang out with the boys and drink. But she was constantly being told to act like a lady and to stop swearing so much, while simultaneously being encouraged by her father. Of course she was miserable, and she took it out on Agnes. Rosalie, on the other hand, was just vicious.
Throughout all her turmoils and strife, Agnes keeps a level head, and I admired her for that. She went into a job that she was not entirely prepared for, but she learned her worth. In the end, Rosalie gets what is coming to her (a bad marriage and yeah that sounds a bit harsh but you know… don’t be a b****. Ok. There’s a very small part of me that feels sorry for her…), and Agnes gets to marry the kind pastor that she had fallen in love with. And you kind of want to cheer for her.
So…
What did you think of the novel? How did it compare to other Brontë novels you’ve read?
Is Rosalie in any way redeemable? Are there any excuses to be made for her behaviour? Do you think she got what she deserved? She seems a bit pitiful and pathetic at the end, not to mention unbelievable lonely and neglected. I found her more tolerable to be honest when she was unhappy… Not sure what that says about me or her.
What do you make of Anne’s slightly preachy tone she can take with regards to religion or morals? Sometimes I feel like she lays it on a bit thick, but one interesting question that arose during the conversations that Agnes had with Nancy was what does it mean to have faith versus to merely worship? Anne makes a very distinction, and which has more merit. (Looking at the character of Mr. Hatfield…)
Her take on homesickness also stuck with me. As someone who moved away from home and feels it quite often, her concept of what home means and what it feels like to experience that separation was very poignant for me. The fact that she found a piece of her home and herself in flowers and the landscape, and the nostalgia she felt when confronted with these…. that hit me hard. There’s something to be said in trying to translate yourself into your surroundings, so that you feel at home. In the words of Mr. Weston:
The ties that bind us to life are tougher than you imagine, or than any one can who has not felt how roughly they may be pulled without breaking. You might be miserable without a home, but even you could live, and not so miserably as you suppose. The human heart is like india-rubber, a little swells it, but great deal with not burst it. (p. 106)
I’ll leave you with that quote. Feel free to comment below with any thoughts you may have, or questions.
Happy Reading!