After her family falls into poverty due to a disastrous financial venture, Agnes Grey resolves to work as a governess to supplement their scant income and claim her independence. Resolute and clear-eyed, she ventures into the world, only to face the tumultuous challenges of managing unruly children and confronting the haughty indifference of their parents. Her solace comes in the form of Mr. Weston, a curate who offers kindness in a world where it is scarce.