# Elizabeth Browning

## Biography

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, born Elizabeth Moulton-Barrett on March 6, 1806, was a prominent English poet of the Victorian era. The eldest of twelve children, she displayed extraordinary literary talent from a young age, writing poetry by age eleven and privately publishing an epic poem at fourteen. Her family's wealth stemmed from Jamaican sugar plantations, a fact that later influenced her strong anti-slavery stance.

Despite chronic health issues that confined her for much of her life, Elizabeth pursued extensive studies in classics and literature. Her collection "Poems" in 1844 garnered significant acclaim and caught the attention of fellow poet Robert Browning. Their subsequent courtship, conducted largely through letters and against her domineering father's wishes, led to their secret marriage in 1846 and elopement to Italy.

In Florence, her health improved, and she continued to write prolifically. Her most famous work, "Sonnets from the Portuguese," was dedicated to her husband. She also explored social and political themes, advocating for Italian unification and critiquing child labor and slavery in works like "Casa Guidi Windows" and "Aurora Leigh." Elizabeth Barrett Browning died in Florence on June 29, 1861, leaving a lasting legacy as a powerful and influential voice in English poetry.

## Books

- [Sonnets from the Portuguese](https://samolit.com/books/96341)