本套书包括《艾格妮丝·格雷3册》和《威尔德菲尔庄园的房客6册》共9册。《艾格妮丝·格雷》AgnesGreyisthedebutnovelofEnglishauthorAnneBrontë(writingunderthepennameofActonBell),firstpublishedinDecember1847,andrepublishedinasecondeditionin1850.ThenovelfollowsAgnesGrey,agoverness,assheworkswithinfamiliesoftheEnglishgentry.ScholarshipandcommentsbyAnne'ssisterCharlotteBrontësuggestthenovelislargelybasedonAnneBrontë'sownexperiencesasagovernessforfiveyears.Agnes,hersisterMary,andtheirmotheralltrytokeepexpenseslowandbringinextramoney,butAgnesisfrustratedthateveryonetreatsherlikeachild.Toproveherselfandtoearnmoney,sheisdeterminedtogetapositionasagoverness.Eventually,sheobtainsarecommendationfromawell-placedacquaintance,isofferedaposition,andsecuresherparents'permission.Withsomemisgivings,shetravelstoWellwoodhousetoworkfortheBloomfieldfamily.ThechoiceofcentralcharacterallowsAnnetodealwithissuesofoppressionandabuseofwomenandgovernesses,isolationandideasofempathy.Anadditionalthemeisthefairtreatmentofanimals.AgnesGreyalsomimicssomeofthestylisticapproachesofbildungsromans,employingideasofpersonalgrowthandcomingtoage,butrepresentingacharacterwhoinfactdoesnotgaininvirtue.
