The Little Governess cover art

The Little Governess

Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Little Governess

By: Katherine Mansfield
Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $6.99

Buy Now for $6.99

About this listen

This is a story from the Bliss & Other Stories collection.

One of Katherine Mansfield's finest short stories, Bliss introduces us to Bertha, who experiences a sense of rapture as she reflects on her life. On her walk home one day, she is overwhelmed by a sense of bliss and contentment.

However, her joy later turns to disappointment as she discovers her husband is having an affair with her new friend Pearl.

Katherine Mansfield became well-known for her focus on psychological conflicts and complex characters; and "Bliss" displays these qualities brilliantly, exploring themes of marriage, adultery and duplicity. This set also contains five other short stories by Katherine Mansfield: "Mr Reginald Peacock's Day", "Pictures", "The Little Governess", "Feuille D'Album", and "A Dill Pickle".

©2008 Naxos Audiobooks (P)2008 Naxos Audiobooks
Anthologies Anthologies & Short Stories Classics Marriage Short Story

Editorial reviews

Narrator Juliet Stevenson's delivery is naturally sympathetic, and it is clear that she has a firm grasp of the thoughts and feelings of the characters in Katherine Mansfield's story. A young and innocent French governess journeys to Munich for a new job and meets an older gentleman on the way. Stevenson's wide-eyed depiction of the governess, whose vulnerability and hopefulness will tug at listeners' hearts, gradually turns dark and somber as the governess learns too late that trust is not something to be freely given.

All stars
Most relevant
The story, the hidden character traits, the beauty of this piece with the poetic writing of Katherine Mansfield and the natural beauty of Juliet Stevenson's voice, has uplifted me incredibly. I loved it.

Katherine Mansfield, 10, Juliet Stevenson, 10.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.