First, I say that men are coming into shame.

I try to conclude that male shame is less to be regretted than one might at first think, There are four stages to this article. Writing might also be a way of meeting with shame, a coming into male shamefulness. Here, I say that to write is not to free oneself from the shame of being a man. 'The shame of being a man-is there any better reason to write?' wonders Gilles Deleuze, and so do I. While the novel offers a scathing critique of the abuse of class privilege by the Bloomfields and Murrays, Anne Brontë's analysis of class also has a troubling blind spot, for ultimately Agnes Grey is elevated not only above her employers and middle-class tradesmen but also above and at the expense of “the poorer classes,” figured by servants, the cottager Miss Nancy, and the even less educated governesses. Agnes’ boldness is, in part, grounded in what her mother taught her about her superior education and lineage. This essay reads against the epithet of “dear, gentle Anne” and instead invites us to reconsider Agnes Grey through the lens of May Sinclair's description of Anne's “terrifying audacity.” Anne Brontë endows Agnes with this audacity, which allows her to defy even the imposing Mr. While recently an erratum plaque was erected at Anne's grave, as we approach the bicentenary of Anne Brontë's birth, it is an apt time to reassess Anne's literary legacy, still marred by the overly scripted legacy of “dear, gentle Anne,” immortalized by Charlotte Brontë, Ellen Nussey, and Elizabeth Gaskell. More free fiction ebooksĬontent produced by or for Standard Ebooks L 3C is dedicated to the public domain via the CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.Ĭontent not produced by or for Standard Ebooks L 3C but displayed on this website may be subject to copyright.Anne Brontë's legacy has been fraught with neglect, oversights, and errors, uncannily mirroring the physical neglect, erosion, errors, and even vandalism that has marred her tombstone and grave site for over a hundred and fifty years. You can also donate to Standard Ebooks to help fund continuing improvement of this and other ebooks. If youâre comfortable with technology and want to contribute directly, check out this ebookâs GitHub repository and our contributors section. To report typos, typography errors, or other corrections, see how to report errors. More detailsĪnyone can contribute to make a Standard Ebook better for everyone! Read about which file to download and how to transfer them to your ereader. You may also be interested in our Kobo FAQ.Īdvanced epub â An advanced format that uses the latest technology not yet fully supported by most ereaders. Also download the Kindle cover thumbnail to see the cover in your Kindleâs library. Compatible epub â All devices and apps except Kindles and Kobos.Īzw3 â Kindle devices and apps.

Anne bronte novel grey