Anne Bronte's Agnes Grey and the Critics

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Anne Bronte's Agnes Grey and the Critics

Little is known about the composition of Anne Bronte's book Agnes Grey. Many critics believe that the original draft of Agnes Grey was titled, Passages in the Life of an Individual and was written July of 1845. The first edition of the novel was published in 1847 in combination with Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Through out her life, Anne had written many poems and finished two complete novels. Both of her novels, Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were published. Anne's sister Charlotte Bronte was an important force in the reasons behind Agnes Grey's publication. The three Bronte sisters were preparing to have their first book of poems published which was titled, Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. During the period that the poems were published, Charlotte made attempts to have three novel published. She wrote to the publishers informing them that Currer, Ellis, and Acton had just finished The Professor, Wuthering Heights, and Agnes Grey. A gentleman by the name of Thomas Newby accepted only Wuthering Heights and Agnes Grey. Newby promised Charlotte that he would have 350 copies of the novels published but he continued to procrastinate and not come through on his word. Due to growing frustrations, Charlotte wrote to W.S. Williams of Smith, Elder and complained of the constant delays caused by Mr. Newby. In 1847, 250 copies were finally published. The novel consisted of three volumes, Wuthering Heights occupied volumes one and two, while Agnes Grey occupied volume three. The first edition of publication among these 250 copies contained many errors. Grammatical errors were seen more in Agnes Grey than in Wuthering Heights. It is with these er...

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...of the great authors of her time, but the Bronte's sisters are known around the world for a wonderful compilation of literature that has remained popular and an important part of literary history.

Work Cited

Inglesfield, Robert. "Introduction to Agnes Grey" (1988). Pp. XI. Douglas Ferrold's Weekly Newspaper January 15 1848. Atlas January 22, 1848. Both critics unknown

Moore, George. "Conversations in Ebury Street." (1924) NineteenthCentury Literature Criticism, Volume 4 pp.42-43.<o:p></o:p>

Nineteenth -Century Literature Criticism Vol. 4 pp 37-57

Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism Volume 4 pp 40 GrahamsMagazine (1850) Vol. XXXVI, No 2, page 167. (Author unknown).

Sinclair, Mary . "Introduction to the Tenant of Wildfell Hall." (1914) Pp. v-viii. <o:p></o:p>

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