Life of Robert and Elizabeth Browning

Robert and ElizabethBrowning

ROBERT BROWNING

May 7, 1812

Camberwell, England

Sarah Anna

Wiedemann

•Pianist•Evangelical Christian

Robert Browning

• Bank clerk• Artist• Scholar• Antiquarian• Collector of books and pictures

First child of…

Much of Browning’s education came from his well-read father

At the age of five, he was already proficient in reading and writing

When he was fourteen, bright and anxious Browning learned Latin, Greek and French

Home-schooled for music, drawing, dancing and horsemanship

At the age of 12…

Incondita

By Robert Browning

a volume of Byronic verse which his parents attempted, unsuccessfully, to have published

1825 13-year-old Browning was charmed with Percy Shelley’s works

1828

Enrolled himself in the university and soon left because of his anxiousness to write and read

1833 Pauline -First major published work

1840 Sordello - regarded as a failure

DRAMA

1837 Strafford

Bells and Pomegranates

Elizabeth Barrett

March 6, 1806

Coxhoe Hall, Durham, England

Parents: Edward Moulton Barrett and Mary Graham Clarke

Oldest of the 12 children

Barrett Family

Home-schooled Fond of Shakespeare’s plays had written her first epic poem by the age of 12

Two years later… Suffered a lung ailment

Had a spinal injury when saddling a pony

A year after…

taught herself Hebrew to read the Old Testament of the Bible

became active in the Bible and Missionary Societies of her church

She never lost hope…

1826

published An Essay on Mind and Other Poems

1833

published her translation of Prometheus Bound

1838

wrote The Seraphim and Other Poems which expresses Christian sentiments in the form of Classical Greek tragedy

Due to her weakening disposition…

Barrett was forced to spend a year at the sea of Torquay with his brother, Edward

Barrett returned home emotionally broken after her brother’s death

Became an invalid and a recluse

1844 Barrett produced a collection entitled simply Poems

This work of Elizabeth Barrett gained the attention of Robert

Browning.

First Letter Of

Robert Browning

To Elizabeth Barrett

January 10th, 1845

New Cross, Hatcham, Surrey

I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,--and this is no off-hand complimentary letter

that I shall write,--whatever else, no prompt matter-of-course recognition of your genius and there

a graceful and natural end of the thing: since the day last week when I first read your poems, I quite

laugh to remember how I have been turning again in my mind what I should be able to tell you of

their effect upon me--for in the first flush of delight I though I would this once get out of my habit

of purely passive enjoyment, when I do really enjoy, and thoroughly justify my admiration--perhaps

even, as a loyal fellow-craftsman should, try and find fault and do you some little good to be proud

of hereafter!--but nothing comes of it all--so into me has it gone, and part of me has it become, this

great living poetry of yours…

Well, these Poems were to be--and this true thankful joy and pride with which I feel myself.

Yours ever faithfully, Robert Browning

The couple quickly fell in love

Barrett’s father disliked Browning so most of the courtship happened in secret

SEPT. 12, 1846

Elizabeth Barrett eloped with Robert Browning

Brownings lived happily in Italy for 15 years

The couple had a son in 1849 named Robert “Pen” Browning

Elizabeth Browning published her best-known work, Sonnets from the Portuguese (1850)

published a novel, Aurora Leigh which became a bestseller (1857)

Robert Browning

his reputation as a poet was overshadowed with that of his wife

sometimes referred to as “Mrs. Browning’s Husband”

Elizabeth Browning died in her husband’s arms in 1861

Robert Browning returned to England with their son

Became an avid socialite

published The Ring and the Book (1868)

Robert Browning died in 1889

Robert and ElizabethBrowning

THE END

Literary Works