II. The Victorian Era

The Victorian era of Great Britain is considered the height of the British industrial revolution and the apex of the British Empire. It is often defined as the years from 1837 to 1901, when Queen Victoria (often referred to as the greatest and most beloved of all the British monarchs) reigned, though many historians believe that the passage of the Reform Act 1832 marks the true inception of a new cultural era. The Victorian era was preceded by the Regency era and came before the Edwardian period. Victoria also had one of the longest, if not the longest, reigns in British history.

The Victorian era of Great Britain is an era that people are highly divided by sex. Females are mostly fastened on family. But the fair sex begins to break the durance as the romanticism processed. The rouse of novels of Victorian era allowed the fair sex to approach certain style. So women writing rose at that time, and, to a certain degree, corrected the falsehood which the male writers have bestowed to women.

Agnes Grey is said to be based on Anne Bronte's own experiences as a governess. So we can get something from her own experience to understand Agnes Grey better.