The Role Of Women In Anne Bronte's Agnes Gray

Abstract: Anne Bronte wrote in Victorian England and Preeti Shenoy, an Indian author, is writing in Present time. Both are female authors. Their contribution for women empowerment is undeniable. Anne Bronte penned two novels namely Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Preeti Shenoy has authored five novels till now, viz. Life is What You Make It(2011), The Secret Wish List(2012),Tea for Two And Piece of Cake(2012), The One You Cannot Have(2013) and It Happens for A Reason(2013). They both challenged the male domination through their writings and worked for gender equality. In Victorian England situation was different compare to present time in India. It was much more conservative and difficult. Women were forbidden to express their

She got her financial freedom by choosing the profession of a governess, which was not an easy task going against the society as well family. In her own words, “my mother uttered an exclamation of a governess! Agnes Grey! What you be dreaming of? (10)”. But Agnes was adamant, bold and wanted to be free from patriarchal dogma. She wanted to help her father, family and finally to get financial freedom. Her father had recently lost his wealth, so Agnes took the financial responsibility. But her family did not want that. They thought that Agnes was too little to take the burden. She got her bold personality from a genetically strong woman, her mother Mrs. Grey who married her father going against her family. Mr. Grey, Agnes Grey’s father, was financially weak. But Mrs. Grey came from a wealthy family and eventually she was denied wealth from her father. This kind of incidents seems to be insignificant regarding the present time but in Victorian period it was unthinkable. It suggests the attitude of independent women who take their own decisions. Mrs. Grey took her decision as an emancipation woman, solely for her love, to satisfy her own choice and denied to take decision burdened by male dominated society. Agnes Grey an independent woman

She freely discusses everything with her son: “There is nothing in the world that I don’t discuss with Aryan. He chats with me freely on all subjects. Even about sex” (8). Vipasha discusses her thoughts with her friend Suchi. She emphasizes on her own decisions which she is going to continue though it seems to be unethical in the eyes of male dominated society: “I told her with firmness that was clear about what I wanted, and eyes, I knew that they might not be conventional choices… but they were important to me and I was sticking to the them (138).” Her decision seems to be unconventional and not normal. In our society normalcy is justified with male normality. Shilpa Das in her Invisible Women: Disability, Gender, and Feminism, discusses that: On examining the ladder of hierarchy, we find that society always equates human or general normality; the libermench or alpha male is the essential gender. Female normality is defined on the basis of this norm, and is thus a first level of deviance, the female being subordinate, and the ‘other’ to the male”(16). Thus Vipasha portrays the role of an emancipated woman. She does not want to be a subject of ‘desire’. She aspires to be a independent woman financially, physically and mentally. She rises above ‘gender’ which is cultural construction. She proves herself through her works and becomes a human