Agnes Grey guide

Summary

Characters

• AgnesAlso GreyLeadFrom Chapter 1
• MaryAlso GreyHelperFrom Chapter 1
• Mary AnnAlso BloomfieldChildFrom Chapter 1
• Mrs. BloomfieldGatekeeperFrom Chapter 1
• TomAlso BloomfieldChildFrom Chapter 1
• Mr. BloomfieldGuardianFrom Chapter 2
• Uncle RobsonOtherFrom Chapter 2
• MatildaAlso MurrayChildFrom Chapter 6
• RosalieAlso MurrayRivalFrom Chapter 6
• HatfieldSuitorFrom Chapter 9
• MelthamSuitorFrom Chapter 9
• ThomasAlso AshbySuitorFrom Chapter 9
• WestonLoveFrom Chapter 9
• NancyHelperFrom Chapter 11

Chapter by chapter

Storylines

• Agnes commits to publishing her intimate personal history under fictitious names.

  • Agnes reflects explicitly on her narrative's intended candour but acknowledges withholding an intimate thought.

• Richard and Agnes's mother establish a marriage that she sustains through reduced circumstances and his subsequent despair.

  • Alice counters Richard's preoccupation with death and his family's future; her affection brings him more sustained cheerfulness.

• Agnes's mother chooses marriage to Richard despite her relations' opposition and the forfeiture of her fortune.

  • Agnes's mother reaffirms her marriage against her father's conditional offer and dispatches her refusal; his death and the inheritance passing entirely to wealthy cousins end this opportunity for reconciliation and restored fortune.

• Agnes's protected position as the family's child leaves her dependent and obstructs her efforts to contribute as a capable adult.

  • Agnes enters employment outside her family and accepts concrete responsibilities for children, beginning to exercise the adult capability her protected position had constrained.
  • Her competence is now questioned by her employers, and she renews her determination to prove herself capable.
  • Agnes returns home after dismissal and anticipates renewed family resistance to her efforts to prove her competence.
  • Her family prevents her contributing her earnings and continues to constrain her employment choices, but Agnes persists and obtains paternal permission for another post.

• Agnes wants to see more of the world beyond her family home.

  • Agnes reaches Wellwood and begins experiencing an unfamiliar household, including its manners, educational expectations, and tolerance of cruelty.
  • Employment gives Agnes sustained experience of unfamiliar children and adults, replacing hopeful expectations with difficult discoveries.
  • Her first employment ends, but adversity has given her wider experience and a deeper appreciation of home.
  • The agreed appointment gives Agnes another opportunity to enter an unfamiliar world independently, which she anticipates with pleasure and reduced shyness.
  • Her new post brings further experience beyond home, though her initial response is desolation and joyless curiosity.

• Agnes privately desires a wider experience of the world.

• Richard seeks to increase his fortune for his family's benefit.

• Richard invests the proceeds of his inherited property in the merchant's trading venture to obtain large profits.

• The family's reduced income, debts, and lost investment force sustained household retrenchment.

  • Household economies have nearly cleared the debts, and Mary's drawings earn money; Richard nevertheless directs both daughters to save for their future support.
  • The surviving family must arrange an independent livelihood through a school and carefully allocate savings; the grandfather's estate provides no relief.

• Agnes wants the family to respond to hardship through cheerful work and self-reliance.

• Agnes conceals most of her hopeful ideas because she fears appearing frivolous or insensitive to the family's suffering.

• Richard's remorse over impoverishing his wife deepens his distress and physical illness despite the family's reassurance.

  • Richard remains anxious about his family's future after his death, although Alice's affection eases his sorrow and Agnes determines to earn more to relieve his anxiety.
  • Her father's health deteriorates further, and letters awaken Agnes's fear of impending calamity; no new cause for the decline is established.
  • Richard's illness culminates in death, ending the continuing illness conflict through loss rather than recovery.

• Agnes's mother undertakes to console Richard, pay debts, and reduce household expenditure.

  • Economies have reduced the debts to nearly nothing, and Alice's efforts to console Richard produce more sustained cheerfulness.

• Agnes's mother wants to obtain a restorative seaside stay for Richard, but the family lacks the money.

• Agnes's mother proposes selling Mary's drawings to fund Richard's seaside stay.

• Agnes proposes becoming a governess and seeks her family's permission and assistance.

  • The proposal to become a governess has been realized: Agnes arrives at her post, meets her pupils, and begins accepting her duties.

• Agnes's mother is estranged from her own relations and cannot draw on ongoing communication with them.

  • Her father breaks the silence with a conditional offer, but she rejects its premise; his subsequent death ends the possibility of further exchange with him, without establishing reconciliation with her other relations.

• Agnes's anticipation of independent life competes with anguish and guilt about leaving her family, especially Mary.

  • Agnes's pleasure in her prospective independent life revives, then gives way to dread as she approaches her new household; she resolves to remain calm. The chapter does not establish that her anguish or guilt about leaving her family has ended.
  • Agnes maintains contact with home and perseveres in her post, but her disappointment at the brief Christmas visit shows her continuing attachment to her family.
  • The happiness of her holiday is followed by renewed sorrow at separation; back at work, imagining her family's pity intensifies her distress.

• Agnes conceals her anguish about the imminent separation beneath apparent gaiety.

• Agnes's relationship with Mrs. Bloomfield begins with perceived coldness and discomfort, leaving Agnes relieved when their first evening together ends.

  • Initial discomfort develops into a strained relationship marked by Mrs. Bloomfield's demands, reproaches and suspicions of Agnes's treatment of the children.
  • Agnes overhears the elder questioning her suitability to Mrs. Bloomfield, and Mrs. Bloomfield subsequently overrides her disciplinary decision after hearing its explanation.
  • Mrs. Bloomfield's coldness becomes explicit reproach and culminates in dismissal, leaving Agnes distressed and unable to justify herself.

• Mrs. Bloomfield assigns Agnes responsibility for Mary Ann's personal care and arranges for the child's crib to be placed in Agnes's room.

  • Agnes performs Mary Ann's bedtime care, but resistance to supervision and dressing repeatedly obstructs her assigned duties and brings maternal reproach.

• Agnes seeks friendly relations with her pupils and hopes to win their affection.

  • Occasional cooperation offers encouragement, but aggression, entrenched resistance and Mary Ann's indifference to a withheld kiss frustrate Agnes's hope of winning affection.
  • The children deliberately organize resistance and attack her possessions, frustrating her effort to establish affectionate relations.
  • Preventing Tom's cruelty provokes his fury and threatened retaliation; dismissal ends her opportunity to win the children's affection in this post.

• Agnes seeks to reform Tom's cruelty and prevent him from torturing animals whenever she can.

  • Agnes achieves some moral instruction and prevents this brood's torture, but Tom remains intent on cruelty.

• Agnes's opposition to Tom's cruelty encounters his determination to torment animals and his reported parental permission and adult encouragement.

  • Robson supplies and promises birds for Tom, while Mrs. Bloomfield reproaches Agnes for intervening and defends a doctrine of human convenience that Agnes questions.

• Tom intends to roast the next bird he captures alive to test its survival time and taste.

• Agnes adopts winning Tom's affection as a means of correcting his conduct.

  • Tom's aggression, dishonesty and refusal to learn obstruct correction through affection; Agnes adds firm compulsory tasks, which produce only occasional cooperation.
  • Tom evades confinement, resists restraint and triumphs when his mother defeats Agnes's restriction; no event establishes that affection gives Agnes corrective influence.
  • Tom responds to her intervention with fury and threatened retaliation, and her departure ends this attempt to reform him through affection.

• Agnes must manage the children's faults while interpreting Mrs. Bloomfield's restrictions and her mother's advice as requiring complete silence about them.

  • Parental restrictions and dissatisfaction intensify her predicament. She reports Mary Ann's immediate refusal when questioned, but otherwise resolves to suppress resentment and continue.
  • Agnes faces renewed reproach, ends the argument over the birds, and cannot defend herself against dismissal without exposing her emotion.

• Agnes is held responsible for the children's conduct and education while they reject her authority and their parents reserve punishment to themselves.

  • Agnes remains accountable for conduct she cannot control. Mr. Bloomfield secures obedience through a threat, while Mrs. Bloomfield directly overturns Agnes's supper condition; Betty's dismissal further demonstrates the limits imposed on servants' discipline.
  • Despite some academic progress, Agnes remains unable to control the children's conduct and is dismissed; leaving the post ends this responsibility without vindicating her.

• Agnes's relations with Mr. Bloomfield develop through his incivility, demands and conduct at table, which diminish her esteem for him and make her uncomfortable.

  • Mr. Bloomfield's angry intervention, rebuke and continual inspection deepen Agnes's irritation and discomfort.

• Agnes adopts short compulsory lessons, confinement until completion, patient firmness, dependable promises and kind religious instruction to improve the children and earn their parents' approval.

  • Lessons are sometimes completed, but prolonged remonstrance exhausts Agnes, confinement fails, and Mrs. Bloomfield prevents her from enforcing a consequence, undermining dependable firmness.
  • Her methods produce limited learning, but adult influence undermines her instruction, attempts to control conduct fail, and the parents dismiss her.

• Agnes and Mary Ann become locked in a contest over a refused lesson word; escalating pressure strengthens Mary Ann's resistance and leads Agnes to regret the struggle.

• Fanny's deceptive conduct turns her parents' suspicions against Agnes, who understands their accusations as blaming her for the children's existing faults.

• Agnes resolves to remain in her post and demonstrate her competence despite hurt, resentment and parental dissatisfaction.

  • Agnes returns to her post and continues teaching, enforcing tasks and explaining her decisions despite escalating resistance and scrutiny.
  • The parents terminate her employment despite some academic progress, preventing her from remaining to demonstrate her competence.

• Agnes resolves to conceal her resentment and persevere under the parents' accusations.

  • Agnes perseveres, attempts to repair outward relations with the elder, and relieves her irritation after Mr. Bloomfield's rebuke by stirring the fire.
  • Agnes continues to restrain her speech and conceal emotion, but dismissal prevents further perseverance in the post.

• The children jointly resolve to provoke Agnes and use coordinated disruptions to evade her authority.

• Agnes's affection for the elder Mrs. Bloomfield gives way to distrust after overheard criticism; attempts to recover her favor produce only temporary cordiality, apparently dependent on flattery.

• Agnes resolves to exercise greater caution in her dealings with the elder Mrs. Bloomfield.

• Mr. Bloomfield undertakes closer supervision of the children and continually inspects schoolroom order.

• Agnes makes supper conditional on each child clearing a share of the schoolroom litter.

• Betty loses her position for physically punishing the children after a warning, exposing the employment consequences of using disciplinary force.

• Robson's flattery, example and approval reinforce the children's vanity and cruelty and undermine Agnes's moral instruction.

• Robson promises to obtain another brood for Tom; Agnes commits to killing any replacement birds to prevent their torture.

• The Bloomfield parents dismiss Agnes and intend to seek another mode of instruction for their children.

• Agnes longs to redeem her lost honour in her family's eyes through renewed effort, while expecting them to oppose another attempt at governess work.

  • Agnes pursues another appointment despite rejected opportunities, her own diffidence and renewed family objections. She secures permission and an agreement, while her aim of vindicating her competence remains unfulfilled.

• Agnes seeks to increase her savings through another governess post, relieve her father's anxiety and provide future family support.

  • Agnes begins another governess post and sustains her employment for her family, advancing the means of support without evidence yet of increased savings.
  • Agnes commits her accumulated savings and future work to supporting a school with her mother, redirecting her provision for the family after her father's death.

• Agnes resolves to remain calm in her next situation after the physical and emotional strain of her previous employment.

  • Threats to her employment and repeated indignities provoke indignation and shame, making her intended calm difficult to maintain even as she perseveres.

• Agnes agrees to become governess at Horton Lodge on the last day of January, with two months of annual holidays.

  • Agnes keeps her commitment to arrive punctually, reaches Horton Lodge and takes up her teaching duties.

• Agnes intends to economize, save about thirty pounds annually and retain her new situation for family support and personal honour.

  • Despite threatened dismissal and indignation, Agnes accommodates the conditions of employment and perseveres for her family's sake; no savings are established.
  • Agnes supersedes her plan to retain the governess position with an agreed departure once the school is nearly ready, offering her savings toward its establishment.

• Agnes adopts formal titles and strict formality with her new pupils to avoid giving offence through familiarity.

• Mrs. Murray requires Agnes to educate and manage the children while prioritizing their ease and indulgence over Agnes's authority and comfort.

  • Mrs. Murray's changed demands concerning Matilda bring further hurtful reproaches; Agnes's attempt to explain the fallacy of her expectations is cut short.

• Rosalie develops an attachment to Agnes after initial coldness and overbearing treatment, while continuing to impose tedious work on her.

  • Rosalie interrupts Agnes's private reading and seeks to retain her through the ball by having her postpone her holidays, extending her demands on Agnes's time.
  • Rosalie eagerly claims Agnes as the audience for her social triumphs and confides her alleged admirers and marriage expectations.
  • Rosalie continues to demand Agnes's services and confide in her, but resolves to conceal more after correction and resents her lack of sympathy; Agnes responds with pity and disgust.
  • Rosalie continues to confide in Agnes while imposing work that consumes her leisure and prevents visits.
  • Rosalie's farewell includes an intention to remember Agnes; Agnes feels affection and wholeheartedly forgives her injuries.
  • Rosalie maintains correspondence and invites Agnes as a friend. Agnes welcomes the contact and sets out to visit, interpreting the appeal as a possible need for comfort or advice.
  • Rosalie welcomes Agnes kindly and seeks her company; Agnes responds with sincere praise, though Rosalie's condescension still annoys her.

• Rosalie cultivates accomplishments to display herself and pursues attracting and dazzling men as her overriding ambition.

  • Rosalie's approaching debut gives her ambitions a concrete occasion, which she anticipates with intense impatience and extravagant expectations.
  • Rosalie reports attracting several admirers, delights in female comparison and Lady F's supposed jealousy, and explicitly prefers continued flirtation before marriage; the admirers' feelings remain her claims.
  • Rosalie explicitly values attracting devotion, humiliating Hatfield and retaining command of her own feelings.
  • Rosalie misses Hatfield's attentions, seeks replacement admirers and takes over the conversation with Weston before claiming to have won his adoration.
  • Rosalie actively seeks Weston's attention, is vexed when he fails to look at her, and declares her determination to establish her power over him.

• Agnes seeks to correct Matilda's unreasonable conduct and swearing despite maternal indulgence and her father's contrary example.

  • Matilda offers to stop swearing as a condition of Agnes hearing her first and silencing Rosalie; this is a bargaining promise, with no demonstrated reform.
  • Matilda's hurtful treatment of the cottagers persists, and Agnes's attempts to correct her beliefs have little apparent effect.
  • Agnes encourages better conduct, but Matilda's pleasure in the leveret's death shows continuing moral resistance; Weston also expresses disapproval.

• Charles's exaggerated or fabricated complaints turn Mrs. Murray against Agnes and repeatedly threaten her employment until he leaves for school.

• The pupils' control over journeys, lessons and meals subjects Agnes to sickness, wasted effort, hunger and exposure, while she suppresses objections to spare or accommodate them.

  • Agnes returns from visiting Nancy to find Matilda angry because the interrupted ride left her preparing and drinking tea alone, continuing the pressure of the pupil's demands on Agnes's time.
  • Rosalie directs Agnes's work and movements, using a charitable commission to remove her from a prospective meeting with Hatfield.

• The Murray servants adopt the family's low estimation of Agnes and disregard her requests and directions.

• Agnes feels degraded by accepting indignities but questions whether her resentment reflects deficient Christian humility and charity.

  • Agnes again suffers resentment under criticism and struggles to reconcile her moral disgust with trust in divine judgment.

• Mrs. Murray plans a magnificent ball on 3 January to mark Rosalie's entrance into fashionable society.

  • Rosalie recounts the debut ball and subsequent parties, establishing that the planned ball has taken place.

• Rosalie seeks to have Agnes postpone her holidays until after the debut ball.

• Mary is to marry Mr. Richardson, a neighbouring parish's vicar, next month.

• Matilda seeks greater freedom and distinction as a rider, anticipating hunting arrangements and paternal permission that are not yet secured.

• Agnes challenges Rosalie's motives for marriage, but Rosalie gives no shown commitment to abandon them and defers becoming good to an indefinite future.

  • Agnes's objections increase Rosalie's determination to conceal her intentions; further challenges to her dishonesty and vanity produce irritation rather than reform.
  • Rosalie's declared intention to exploit Weston's attachment intensifies Agnes's moral indignation, although Agnes makes no spoken reply.
  • Agnes's warnings fail to induce reconsideration of the marriage, and her advice to disclose the engagement does not end Rosalie's concealment.
  • The marriage takes place despite Agnes's attempts to dissuade Rosalie, which Agnes now discloses to Weston.

• Rosalie intends to prolong her flirtations before making an advantageous marriage, expecting Ashby to become her husband.

  • Rosalie reaffirms her pursuit of Ashby Park and a marriage preserving her rank, while treating Hatfield's courtship as amusement and refusing him.
  • Rosalie continues seeking and cultivating admirers, extending her flirtations; these events do not establish progress toward marriage with Ashby.
  • Rosalie pursues another conquest while anticipating a possible proposal from Sir Thomas at Tuesday's ball.
  • Rosalie secures the anticipated advantageous engagement but continues seeking other men's attention before the wedding.
  • Rosalie marries Thomas, gains her title and begins the anticipated fashionable married life and travel.

• Agnes resents Hatfield's disregard for her and comes to distrust his religious sincerity, concluding that he imposes burdens he does not bear himself.

  • Accounts of Hatfield's harsh and perfunctory treatment of poor parishioners reinforce Agnes's existing distrust and sharpen the contrast with Weston.
  • Agnes witnesses Hatfield strike Snap and hears Rosalie's account of his retaliatory threats, adding grounds for her distrust of his character.

• Agnes develops a favorable impression of Weston through his preaching, finding his doctrine and manner commendable and his sermon refreshing.

  • Nancy's and Jem's accounts substantiate Weston's kindness and practical charity. Agnes's esteem becomes a sustaining personal attachment, and she especially anticipates Sundays because she can see and hear him.
  • Agnes discovers Weston's pleasant smile and learns that his practical kindness extends to rescuing Nancy's cat despite opposition from the Murray household.
  • Weston's kindness and their personal conversation deepen Agnes's attachment; learning of his bereavement arouses intense sympathy, private hopes and lasting attachment to his gift.
  • Agnes has another personal conversation with Weston, discussing her reading material and learning about another sufferer he has visited.
  • Weston approaches Agnes and learns about her isolation, home attachments and reading tastes. His interest in her inner life gives her hopeful excitement and deepens their acquaintance.
  • Weston's considerate insistence on sheltering Agnes and his glance and smile deepen her attachment; she tentatively reads his manner as personal encouragement.
  • Renewed conversation and Weston's remembered attention to Agnes's favourite flowers strengthen her attachment and romantic hope.
  • Their conversation permits personal disclosures and correction of misunderstandings. Agnes delights in Weston's apparent respect for her understanding, tells him she would welcome another meeting, and is moved by his farewell and hand pressure.
  • Their reunion brings renewed personal intimacy: Agnes learns that Weston repeatedly searched for her, accepts his visits, and recognizes his wish to prolong their companionship.

• Agnes forms friendships among the cottagers and visits them independently, gaining companionship beyond the Murray household.

  • Agnes's friendship with Nancy continues through a visit, an offer of practical help, and Nancy's concern that she wait out the shower.
  • Agnes extends her practical companionship among the cottagers by reading to the dying Mark Wood and delivering money to his wife.
  • Assigned work prevents Agnes's visits, while the sisters give Nancy a misleading explanation for her absence.
  • Agnes resumes visiting Nancy, whose pleasure in her company renews their friendship after the enforced absence.
  • Agnes resumes visiting Nancy Brown.

• Agnes tries to correct the sisters' contemptuous misconceptions about the cottagers, but their ridicule causes hurt and her instruction has little apparent effect.

  • The sisters recast Agnes's visit to Nancy as an attempt to flirt with Weston, extending their ridicule of her dealings with the cottagers; her distress subsides when their attention shifts.

• Agnes undertakes to visit Nancy and read to her when she has spare time because Nancy's impaired sight prevents her reading.

  • Agnes fulfils her undertaking to read to Nancy and extends her assistance to sewing Bill's shirt.
  • Agnes's intended visits to Nancy are prevented, although Nancy continues to ask after her.

• Nancy's fear that she cannot attain salvation is intensified by Hatfield's counsel, refusal of further help and contemptuous treatment.

• Weston wins Nancy's confidence through patient pastoral care and sustains her through repeated visits and reading.

  • Weston reinforces Nancy's trust and gratitude by rescuing her cat and returning it to her.

• Nancy puts Weston's teaching into practice through kindness to neighbours, including making stockings for Thomas Jackson despite their quarrels.

• Agnes takes over the sisters' abandoned promise to read to Jem and visits him to fulfil it.

• Weston supports Jem through comforting visits and practical charity, supplying coal when the household cannot readily obtain it.

• Agnes fears that her companions are diminishing her intellect and affections; contemplating Weston's character gives her hope and relief.

• Weston saves Nancy's cat from the Murray gamekeeper, but the gamekeeper threatens to shoot it if it returns to the rabbit-warren.

• Weston's rescue of Nancy's cat brings him into an angry dispute with Mr. Murray; his request for Agnes to reconcile them encounters her admission that she never speaks to Murray.

• Agnes wishes and prays for Weston's happiness and privately desires an unspecified future involving him.

  • Weston's personal interest raises Agnes's hopes, but Rosalie's intervention and claim of his adoration blight them. Agnes prays that his supposed infatuation will be averted for his own sake.
  • Agnes sometimes quiets her religious guilt about loving Weston, and his attentiveness and Rosalie's vexation give her stronger hope of reciprocation without confirming his feelings.
  • Misrepresentations and restricted contact distress Agnes, and news of Weston's intended departure destroys her hope that Rosalie's marriage will improve her prospects.
  • Weston's attention gives Agnes renewed hope for a future involving him, although doubts remain and reciprocity is unconfirmed.
  • Agnes renews her hope of happiness with Weston, explicitly welcomes the possibility of meeting again, and finds fresh encouragement in their farewell.
  • Agnes hopes Weston will visit or write, suffers repeated disappointments and eventually abandons that expectation; the visit to Rosalie nevertheless revives hope of seeing or hearing about him.
  • Weston's improved circumstances and demonstrated interest renew Agnes's hope for a future involving him, though she remains fearful.
  • Weston reciprocates Agnes's love, and their engagement and marriage fulfil her privately desired future with him.

• Agnes withholds an intimate wish involving Weston from her narrative, qualifying her original intention to conceal nothing.

  • Agnes explicitly declares her love, making the romantic desire previously withheld from the narrative manifest.

• Rosalie and Matilda insinuate that Agnes pursues Weston romantically, provoking her defensive explanation and distress.

  • Agnes wishes to avoid Rosalie seeing her with Weston; Rosalie nevertheless joins them and displaces her in the conversation, intensifying her distress.

• Agnes resolves to preserve the pressed petals of one of the primroses Weston gave her.

• Matilda intends to sell Snap after tiring of his care, while Agnes's nursing has won the dog's affection.

  • Snap is taken from Agnes and delivered to the village rat-catcher; the event establishes the transfer but not whether a sale occurred.
  • Snap has passed out of Matilda's possession and is now owned by Weston, who reportedly bought him from a rat-catcher.

• Mrs. Murray assigns Agnes to accompany Rosalie and discourage solitary meetings and familiarity with Hatfield; Rosalie evades this supervision by sending Agnes on a charitable errand.

• Rosalie encourages Hatfield's courtship for amusement and humiliation, then decisively rejects his marriage proposal, turning his hope into resentment.

  • Hatfield attempts to conceal his mortification after rejection. His apparent composure disappoints Rosalie, who regrets losing his attentions.
  • Rosalie attempts to renew Hatfield's attachment, but his indifference provokes her scorn and detestation.

• Hatfield's rejected proposal is subject to Rosalie's promise of secrecy, which she breaks by telling Agnes and plans to break further with Matilda and her mother; Agnes commits to silence, and Rosalie excludes Brown.

• Hatfield threatens gossip damaging to Rosalie's marriage prospects unless she keeps his rejected proposal secret, provoking her fear and anger and securing a promise of silence.

• Matilda hopes Rosalie will marry Hatfield so that Harry remains available to her.

• Rosalie interrupts Agnes's growing intimacy with Weston and claims his adoration, arousing Agnes's jealousy, grief and fear for him; Weston's supposed infatuation remains unconfirmed.

  • Weston's failure to attend to Rosalie encourages Agnes, but Rosalie explicitly undertakes to win his attachment and successfully arranges another encounter. The sisters' favorable report of their conversation does not establish that Weston is romantically interested.
  • Rosalie persistently pursues Weston and excludes Agnes. Weston's repeated inquiries show concern for Agnes, while the sisters' reports intensify her distress without confirming his supposed infatuation with Rosalie.
  • Agnes tests the supposed effect of Rosalie's marriage on Weston, observes no change, and gains hope from his attention to herself; his alleged infatuation remains unconfirmed.
  • Weston's acceptance of Rosalie's artfulness and his attentive conversation with Agnes weaken the discouraging effect of Rosalie's interference and renew Agnes's hopes, without establishing his romantic intentions.

• Agnes conceals her grief over Rosalie's claimed conquest of Weston and must appear cheerful despite wanting to weep in private.

  • Agnes suppresses objections and questions to conceal her interest in Weston, expressing grief privately in verse while remaining attached to him.
  • Questions about her reluctance to leave embarrass Agnes, and she resolves to mourn the anticipated loss of Weston privately before relinquishing her hopes.
  • Her mother notices her unhappiness but attributes it to inactivity and school cares; Agnes reassures her without revealing its connection to Weston.
  • Agnes continues concealing her attachment, attempting to hide her confusion and deflect the personal implication of Weston's wish for a companion.

• Rosalie intends to make Weston acknowledge her romantic power without marrying him and recruits Matilda for a walk timed to encounter him during his pastoral visit.

  • Rosalie expands her pursuit into repeated excursions timed through information from the cottagers, with Matilda participating.

• Rosalie and Thomas become engaged, with their marriage fixed for June 1; Rosalie anticipates wealth and fashionable life and presents his letters as evidence of his devotion.

  • Rosalie and Thomas marry, fulfilling the engagement; Rosalie subsequently reports happiness in Paris.

• Rosalie conceals her engagement to preserve opportunities for further courtship, and Agnes promises silence.

• Green persists in courting Rosalie despite rejection, while she withholds her engagement and disregards Agnes's advice to disclose it.

  • Green reportedly remains heartbroken over his romantic disappointment; no renewed courtship is recorded.

• Rosalie and Matilda obstruct Agnes's contact with Weston and the cottagers, then explain her absence as voluntary absorption in books and drawing.

  • Agnes resumes contact with Nancy and Weston and learns that Weston received the misleading account attributing her absence to study.
  • Weston's prior understanding of Agnes's isolation and dislike of the place becomes explicit. Her corrections and account of Rosalie's artfulness explain conduct he had found puzzling.

• Weston reportedly intends to leave for another place amid disagreement with the Rector.

  • Weston has left Horton, fulfilling the reported intention to leave; his destination remains unknown to Agnes.

• Agnes cannot sufficiently overcome her attachment to Weston and turns to poetry for consolation.

  • Agnes's attachment persists through disappointment, anxiety and renewed romantic hope, before news of her father's condition displaces her cheer.
  • Agnes repeatedly resolves to abandon romantic hopes, but pleasure in Weston's company, grief at their anticipated separation, and his affectionate farewell sustain her attachment.
  • Agnes questions Weston's interest but deliberately cherishes his memory, becoming despondent and physically weakened. Redirecting her attention to duty and restricting those thoughts brings tranquillity and gradual recovery.
  • Learning that Weston has departed leaves Agnes expecting scarcely any chance of seeing or hearing of him again and weary of her thoughts.
  • Evidence of Weston's interest changes Agnes's emotional circumstances from frustrated attachment toward bliss and renewed hope, although uncertainty persists.
  • Renewed intimacy initially sustains Agnes's anxious attachment, but Weston's proposal and their marriage end its uncertainty and frustration.

• Mrs. Murray seeks to reform Matilda's rough manners by restricting her customary amusements; Agnes encourages alternative occupations and compliance.

  • Matilda is reported to have improved her social manners under a fashionable governess and is approaching her introduction to society.

• Agnes seeks to reach home before her father dies; she obtains leave and makes an urgent journey, but arrives too late.

  • Her father's burial closes the already unsuccessful effort to reach him before his death.

• Her father's death confronts Agnes with bereavement and tremendous shock despite her advance warning.

  • Burial makes the loss final, and Agnes and her mother begin arranging their livelihood together after his death.
  • Agnes leaves her childhood home permanently after her father's burial and finds comfort in her mother's occupation with work.

• Mary seeks to have Agnes return to Horton Lodge and their mother live with her at the vicarage, but her mother refuses.

• Agnes's mother resolves to support herself while able and refuses dependence on Mary or a loan from her savings.

  • The school acquires premises and promises of pupils, advancing her mother's means of supporting herself; its preparations also occupy her during bereavement.
  • Her mother puts her intention of supporting herself into practice through their school and works toward increasing its enrollment.
  • Mrs. Grey declines residence with the couple, plans continued work and an eventual annuity, and engages a school assistant.

• Agnes and her mother plan to establish a school, seek support from her father's connections, and use Agnes's savings for furnishing once a house and preliminaries are settled; Agnes will return to Horton Lodge temporarily and give notice when the school is nearly ready.

  • A house is rented and initial pupils are promised. Agnes returns temporarily to Horton Lodge, tells Weston she will leave in a month, and later confirms her departure that week.
  • Agnes leaves Horton Lodge, joins her mother in their new home and begins teaching in their established school.

• Agnes's maternal grandfather offers restored status and possible legacies on terms her mother rejects as dishonouring her marriage; both daughters support her refusal despite the financial cost.

• Agnes and her mother seek to increase their school's enrollment through diligent teaching.

  • The school's enrollment has increased considerably.

• Agnes resolves to devote herself to her mother, pupils and others' welfare while limiting sustained thoughts of Weston.

  • Weston's visits make him central to Agnes's hopes again; their acknowledged love and marriage supersede her effort to restrict thoughts of him.

• Agnes accepts Rosalie's invitation for a short visit, hoping to comfort or advise her and possibly hear of Weston.

  • Agnes makes the visit and seeks to understand Rosalie's unhappiness. She obtains news of Weston's departure but no destination, and grows eager to return home.
  • Agnes completes her promised visit and leaves despite Rosalie's attempts to prolong it; her sympathy and advice provide little effective help.

• Thomas resents Rosalie because their child is a daughter.

• Rosalie determines not to nurse her baby herself.

• Rosalie conditionally offers Agnes future employment as her daughter's governess once the child can speak.

• Agnes seeks to discover whether Rosalie is unhappy without questioning her intrusively.

  • Rosalie's disclosures establish her unhappiness, bitter marital regret and resentment of her lost freedom.

• Agnes and Rosalie agree that Agnes will take all her meals in her private sitting-room, an arrangement that relieves Rosalie.

• Rosalie's marriage involves resentment and estrangement: Thomas removes her from London after taking offence, while she avoids his company and refuses to amuse him or attempt to reform his habits.

  • Rosalie declares her hatred and contempt for Thomas and describes how her expectation of indulgence gave way to accusations of coquetry and extravagance and enforced removal to the country.

• Rosalie resents her mother-in-law's control of the household after asking her to stay and manage it; she fears her criticism and wishes for her death.

• Agnes seeks to improve Rosalie's married life by encouraging her to reform her husband, fulfil her duties, embrace motherhood and reconcile with her mother-in-law, but finds she can offer little effective help.

• Weston seeks renewed contact with Agnes through occasional visits and an introduction to her mother; Agnes agrees, and he conditionally promises to visit tomorrow.

  • Weston meets Mrs. Grey, wins her approval and becomes a frequent, intimate guest.

• Weston undertakes reforms in his new independent parish.

  • His parish reforms produce substantial benefits and earn the inhabitants' esteem and love, though their particular aims and completion are unspecified.

• Agnes and Weston develop an acknowledged mutual love, become engaged with Mrs. Grey's consent, and marry.

• Mrs. Grey plans to maintain her independence through continued school work with an assistant until she can afford an annuity, alternating vacation visits with Agnes.

• Agnes undertakes her children's early education and economizes to accumulate savings for them while the household supports people in need.

Places

Wellwood, Wellwood House, Horton Lodge, London, Moss Lane, Ashby Park, Naples, Paris, Rome, Switzerland