III. The Hope of Love

 

Perhaps it is a literature durance in Victorian era. Most books would touch the topic of LOVE and end with a happy ending. Agnes Grey was also written this way. And nearly half of the book was describing the hope of being loved and her experiences and feelings of this certain topic. Let’s talk it in details:

This hope is quite different from the former two. We can see that she has narrated the former two hopes before their end, or even before the start of the certain experience. But Anne expressed this LOVE hope only by hint until the end of the story. Her encountering with Weston in the old lady’s residence was a happenchance. From then on, she often heard of him and saw him at the church. She became longing to see him, hear him and enjoy it. Anne expressed this by the thoughts of Agnes. There was a Sunday in April, which was a day of thick, dark clouds, and heavy showers. None of the Murrays were disposed to attend church in the afternoon, excepting Rosalie, for she wanted to see a certain person in the church. She took Agnes with her. To Agnes, this was nothing loth, for she also wanted to see a certain person in the church. Agnes considered that at church she might look without fear of scorn or censure upon the form and face more of Weston, which was a pleasing to her than the most beautiful of God's creations. She might listen without disturbance to the voice of Weston, which was more charming than the sweetest music to her ears. She might seem to hold communion with that soul in which she felt so deeply interested, and imbibe its purest thoughts and holiest aspirations, with no alloy to such felicity except the secret reproaches of her conscience, which would too often whisper that she was deceiving her own self, and mocking God with the service of a heart more bent upon the creature than the Creator. By psychoanalysis, though Agnes not touched the word of LOVE directly, we can feel her love for Weston, and the strong hope of being loved. This was only a start of this hope.

Before they left the church, there was a heavy rain. Weston offered her with an umbrella, but Agnes was taken by surprise, and she refused the offer hastily. This was a certain action a woman who fell in love with a man would act when the man was trying to approach. A man of worse temper or less penetration than Weston would have been offended at such a refusal of his aid. But Weston showed that he was not offended by this by replying with a smile. Agnes could not deny the truth of his assertion, so went with him to the carriage. He even offered Agnes his hand on getting in. In that era, this behaviour was considered to be unnecessary piece of civility. But Agnes accepted this too for fear of offence. The moment at parting, Agnes started a brighter flame of hope. This hope was the violent LOVE that she had for Weston, and the longing for being loved.

There’s a half time break for both Agnes and Weston, after Rosalie broke Mr. Hatfield’s heart. For Rosalie set her next aim on Mr. Weston, and she knew that Agnes was in love with him. Hence, she prevented her from seeing him by keeping her in Horton Lodge. But thing did not go too worse. After Rosalie married, that is not a long time after, Agnes became Free again. She ran out to see Nancy Brown in the hope of obtaining a little information respecting Mr. Weston's expected departure. Agnes sat a long time talking to her about many things - but Mr. Weston did not come. Matilda and Agnes came across Mr. Weston by chance when they were taking a walk. Matilda and Mr. Weston talked to each other and left no chance for Agnes to talk to him. They parted not long after the encounter. But when they were coming home, Mr. Weston also went back from his mission, and carried in his hand a cluster of beautiful bluebells, which he offered to Agnes. Agnes was so delighted for more than two months passed, he had not forgotten that blue-bells were numbered among Agnes’ favourite flowers. Agnes recorded this very well. Why? Because it was important enough to give her a cheerful evening, a night of pleasing dreams, and a morning of felicitous hopes.

But that very morning, her flickering flame of hope was dismally quenched by a letter from her mother, which spoke so seriously of her father's increasing illness that there was little or no chance of his recovery. She flied home and did not see her father for the last time. She stayed at home for several weeks. With sorrow, she came back to Horton Lodge, preparing for setting out with her mother to start the school, they have been discussing for their living. Agnes stayed a short time at Horton Lodge.

She desperately hoped to meet Weston again. But except at church, she never saw him for a fortnight after her return. She and Matilda got out for walk frequently. Agnes' hopes would keep rising, and disappointments would ensue. She was even cheerful herself with thinking If he only thought HALF as much about herself as she did about him, he would have contrived to meet her many times ere this. She had no ground for hope.  She should dismiss, at once, these hurtful thoughts and foolish wishes from mind, and turn to her own duty, and the dull blank life that lay before her. She might have known such happiness was not for her.' She was so hoped, but she saw Mr. Weston at last. He came suddenly upon Agnes as Agnes was crossing a field in returning from a visit to Nancy Brown. They talked to each other, informing and getting each other's information. Agnes expressed her plan to leave. But her Mister Right had not breathed a word of love, or dropped one hint of tenderness or affection, as Agnes thought he would, and yet she had been supremely happy. To be near him, to hear him talk as he did talk, and to feel that he thought her worthy to be so spoken to - capable of understanding and duly appreciating such discourse - was enough. Was it really enough? Absolutely not! The more Agnes seemed to be contented, the more Agnes was in wanting of his love.

Afterwards, she came to A- to care for the school with her mother. The following summer, being invited by Rosalie, she went to Ashby Park. She went there in hope of getting some information about Mr. Weston, for Ashby Park was not far from Horton Lodge. But she got nothing.

The end of Agnes Grey was rather dramatic. Perhaps this was the main stream of the Victorian era in literature writings. But what we are discussing is not this, but the result of the love hope.

After a long time of Weston's absence, he suddenly appeared when Agnes was taking a walk at the sea side. Weston has become the parish rector. He became rich and lived comfortably. After this, Weston dropped into Agnes frequently, and we all know the end: They married, and had several children, and lived happily afterwards. So Agnes reached her Hope of LOVE. Without self-confidence, she would not believe Mr. Weston would love her. Without Patience, Firmness, and Perseverance, she would never keep the LOVE in heart until it was realized.