Journal

Charlotte’s poor sight
prevented her from taking
up a musical instrument. Her
devotion to music is not in
doubt, though; while in
Brussels she is known to have
attended at least one concert.
Anne’s Agnes Grey
andThe Tenant of Wildfell
Hall
In Agnes Grey, before her
A quartet - at home
departure to be a governess,
Agnes bade farewell to her pet fantails and kittens and ‘had played my last
tune on the old familiar piano, and sung my last song to papa’. There was no
music requested of her at Wellwood house. After her dismissal for
incompetence, she enjoyed family life at home and amused her father ‘with
singing his favourite songs.’ She put an advertisement in a newspaper and
stated her qualifications as ‘Music, singing, drawing, French, Latin and
German’. She then went to Horton Lodge to teach Rosalie, Matilda, John and
Charles. Matilda had the best master and ‘devoted much time to music and
singing’. She did not learn any lessons satisfactorily, but ‘strummed through the
piano for only 30 minutes’ practice’…or ‘vengefully thumped the piano for an
hour’.
Agnes taught music to Matilda and Rosalie, who liked to learn. Learning the
piano was regarded as an accomplishment by their parents. For Agnes it was a
means to earn a living as well as providing her with comfort and pleasure.
In The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, music is used for amusement, diversion and
pastime. ‘Fergus sat opposite, … now whistling sotto voce to himself a snatch
of a favourite air…’. ‘Mr Boarham … was walking up and down the
drawing room, humming snatches of tunes…’. Lowborough and Arthur’s
cronies tormented Helen with their ‘mad toast, and … wild songs’.
Since the piano was a sign of social status for the upper middle class families,
it was installed in almost all the households of the main characters of the
novel. Helen had secured one even in her secluded life. ‘..I have a second hand
piano, and a tolerably well-stocked book-case in my parlour.’
- 46 -