About
Elizabeth Barrett Browning, born March 6, 1806, in County Durham, was an English poet of the Victorian era. A child prodigy, she taught herself several languages and read the classics from a young age. Afflicted with chronic illness, she led a reclusive life until meeting poet Robert Browning, whom she secretly married in 1846. The couple settled in Florence, where she wrote her major works, including Sonnets from the Portuguese and the verse novel Aurora Leigh. Her socially engaged poetry addressed issues such as child labor and slavery. She died in Florence in 1861.
* 1806-03-06 — † 1861-06-28
Major works
- Poems (1844)poetry collection
- Sonnets from the Portuguese (1850)sonnet sequence
- Casa Guidi Windows (1851)poem
- Aurora Leigh (1857)verse novel
Key milestones
- 1846Marries Robert Browning in secret and settles in Florence, Italy.
- 1850Considered for the position of Poet Laureate after Wordsworth's death.
- 1861Dies in Florence at the age of 55.
Themes
Love and relationshipsSocial justiceWomen's roleSpiritualityArt and creativity
Sources: poetryfoundation.org · britannica.com · library.web.baylor.edu
