On September 12, 1846, Elizabeth Barrett eloped with Robert
Browning. By this time, Barrett was already a respected poet who had published
literary criticism and Greek translations in addition to poetry. Her first
volume of poetry, The Seraphim and Other Poems, appeared in 1838,
followed by Poems by Elizabeth Barrett Barrett (1844). Born in 1806 near
Durham, England, at her father's mansion, she enjoyed wealth and position, but
suffered from numerous health problems and tended to be reclusive in her youth.
She became even more withdrawn after the death of her beloved brother in 1840.
However, her poetry was well received.
Meanwhile, Robert Browning, the son of a bank clerk, who had
studied at the University of London was harshly criticized for his poetry.
While trying his hand at drama, he discovered the dramatic monologue, which he
adapted to his own poetry in Dramatic Lyrics (1842). While most critics
rejected the work, Elizabeth Barrett defended it. Browning wrote to thank her
for her praise and asked to meet her. She hesitated at first but finally
relented, and the couple quickly fell in love. Barrett's father disliked
Browning, whom he viewed as an unreliable fortune hunter, so most of their
courtship was conducted in secret. On September 12, 1846, while her family was
away, Barrett snuck out of the family home and met Browning at St. Marylebone
Parish Church, where they were married. She returned home for a week, keeping
the marriage a secret, then fled with Browning to Italy. She never saw her
father again. The Browning’s lived happily in Italy for 15 years. Elizabeth
Barrett Browning's weak health improved dramatically, and the couple had a son
in 1849. She published her best-known work, Sonnets from the Portuguese,
in 1850. The sonnets chronicled the couple's courtship and marriage. In 1857,
her blank-verse novel Aurora Leigh became a bestseller, despite being
rejected by critics. During her lifetime, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's
reputation as a poet overshadowed that of her spouse, who was sometimes
referred to as "Mrs. Browning's husband," but his work later gained
recognition by critics. Elizabeth died in her husband's arms in 1861. He
returned to England with their son, where he became an avid socialite. In 1868,
he published The Ring and the Book, a 12-volume poem about a real
17th-century murder trial in Rome. Browning died in 1889.
Michael Thomas Barry
is the author of Literary Legends of the British Isles. The book can be
purchased from Amazon through the following links:
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