Agnes Grey is the debut novel of Anne Bronte (writing under the pen name of Acton Bell). Published in 1847, the novel follows Agnes Grey, a governess, as she works within families of the English gentry. The novel is largely based on Anne Bronte's own experiences as a governess for five years. Like her sister Charlotte's 1847 novel Jane Eyre, it addresses what the precarious position of governess entailed and how it affected a young woman.