Chapter III — A Few More Lessons
byChapter III – A Few More Lessons follows Agnes Grey through one of her most taxing early days as governess to the Bloomfield children. Her optimism quickly dims as she realizes that her role demands more patience, strength, and skill than she anticipated. The process of preparing Mary Ann for the day proves exhausting. The child’s impatience and fussiness clash with Agnes’s inexperience, turning simple tasks into hour-long battles. Mealtimes bring little reprieve. A brief moment of civility at breakfast is undone by the return to the classroom, where both children resist instruction with remarkable energy. Agnes attempts to bring structure and encouragement, but her authority is neither recognized nor respected. Her kind tone is mistaken for weakness, and her pupils respond with indifference and defiance.
During lessons, Agnes observes that Tom, while clever, avoids effort and scoffs at learning. Mary Ann is slower and prone to distraction, showing little interest in reading or writing. Despite this, Agnes presses on, hoping that consistent discipline and encouragement might foster improvement. Yet every small gain feels immediately erased. When she takes the children outside for fresh air and recreation, the situation worsens. Rather than follow guidance, they demand control, dragging her into muddy areas and disregarding every instruction. At the well, their disobedience becomes dangerous. Agnes’s efforts to redirect them fail, drawing the ire of Mr. Bloomfield, who suddenly appears and scolds her with cold authority. His tone is harsh, and his disappointment is clear—not at the children’s defiance, but at Agnes’s inability to prevent it.
This encounter marks Agnes’s first true impression of Mr. Bloomfield, and it leaves a deep imprint. He does not offer support or understanding, but delivers sharp criticism wrapped in a tone of superiority. His expectations are absolute, yet no guidance is offered on how to meet them. Later at luncheon, his rigid demeanor continues. Complaints about the meat and his wife’s hosting turn the meal into another arena of dissatisfaction. Agnes watches quietly as Mrs. Bloomfield accepts his harsh words with downcast eyes, reinforcing the dynamics of control in the household. Agnes realizes that her position, already tenuous, offers little room for error and no safety net should she falter. The household values order over understanding and control over cooperation.
The afternoon lessons drag on with resistance from both pupils. Agnes corrects mistakes, sets boundaries, and attempts to teach with clarity and purpose, but the children’s unwillingness remains constant. Every method she tries is met with ridicule or stubbornness. By the end of the day, she is drained but determined. She writes a letter home, not filled with complaints, but with calm reflection and cautious hope. Her family remains her only source of emotional relief—a reminder of who she is beyond this oppressive role. Though she acknowledges her hardships, she still believes that kindness and steadiness might yield results in time.
However, doubt begins to creep in. The children’s disregard for learning and the Bloomfields’ unwillingness to support or even acknowledge her efforts cast a shadow over her early expectations. Agnes starts to question whether her influence can make any real difference here. She came into the role hoping to teach and guide, but now sees how little authority she actually holds. The structure of the household offers her no tools, only responsibilities. Her gentleness is misinterpreted as weakness, and firmness is unwelcome. Still, she refuses to adopt cruelty or indifference, believing that losing her values would be a deeper failure than losing the children’s favor.
As the chapter closes, Agnes is left with a difficult truth: her role may not be enough to reshape the environment she’s entered. The Bloomfield home is built on hierarchy and image, not on cooperation or learning. Yet she clings to her moral code, convinced that integrity is worth holding onto, even in a place where it may go unseen. In this, Agnes Grey becomes more than just a governess—she represents the quiet persistence of those who seek to do good in a world that rewards appearance over substance. Her struggles, though deeply personal, reflect the wider challenges faced by those working within rigid, indifferent systems, and her resolve offers a glimmer of strength for anyone navigating a similarly thankless path.