NAME Robert Browning
WHAT FAMOUS FOR Robert Browning is famous for being a major English poet of the Victorian era, renowned for his mastery of dramatic monologue and his contributions to the development of the psychological and philosophical complexity in poetry.
BIRTH May 7, 1812 Southampton Way, Camberwell, London, England
FAMILY BACKGROUND Robert's father Robert Browning, a man of fine intellect and character, was a well-off clerk for the Bank of England, earning about £150 per year. Browning's father had been sent to the West Indies to work on a sugar plantation. Revolted by the slavery there, he returned to England and became an abolitionist.
WHAT FAMOUS FOR Robert Browning is famous for being a major English poet of the Victorian era, renowned for his mastery of dramatic monologue and his contributions to the development of the psychological and philosophical complexity in poetry.
BIRTH May 7, 1812 Southampton Way, Camberwell, London, England
FAMILY BACKGROUND Robert's father Robert Browning, a man of fine intellect and character, was a well-off clerk for the Bank of England, earning about £150 per year. Browning's father had been sent to the West Indies to work on a sugar plantation. Revolted by the slavery there, he returned to England and became an abolitionist.
Robert's mother, Sarah Anna Wiedemann, was a devout non conformist Scot. The daughter of a German shipowner who had settled in Dundee, she was a talented musician, to whom Robert was very close.
Robert was bought up with his younger sister Sarianna in Camberwell. Sarianna, also gifted, became her brother's companion in his later years.
CHILDHOOD Robert was an extremely bright child and voracious reader and his father encouraged his interest in literature and the arts. By the age of twelve, Browning had written a book of poetry which he later destroyed when no publisher could be found.
CHILDHOOD Robert was an extremely bright child and voracious reader and his father encouraged his interest in literature and the arts. By the age of twelve, Browning had written a book of poetry which he later destroyed when no publisher could be found.
His childhood hero was the poet, Shelley.
EDUCATION After being at one or two private schools, and showing an insuperable dislike to school life, Robert was educated at home by a tutor via the resources of his father's extensive library. He was a rapid learner and by the age of fourteen he was fluent in French, Greek, Italian and Latin.
At the age of sixteen, Robert studied Greek at University College London but dropped out after his first year to pursue his own reading at his own pace. His mother’s staunch evangelical faith prevented his studying at either Oxford University or Cambridge University, both then open only to members of the Church of England. However, in later years he was awarded an honorary degree by Oxford University.
CAREER RECORD Robert refused a formal career and ignored his parents' remonstrations, dedicating himself to poetry. His earliest poem Pauline (1833) achieved little.
CAREER RECORD Robert refused a formal career and ignored his parents' remonstrations, dedicating himself to poetry. His earliest poem Pauline (1833) achieved little.
Browning's early career was marked by limited success, but he gained considerable acclaim with the publication of Dramatic Lyrics in 1842. His subsequent works, including Men and Women (1855) and the epic poem The Ring and the Book (1868-69), solidified his reputation as a leading poet of his time.
APPEARANCE Robert Browning was described as having a robust build with dark (later grey), curly hair, sharp features, and expressive eyes.
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| Portrait by Herbert Rose Barraud, c. 1888 |
FASHION Browning typically dressed in the respectable and conservative fashion of his era, favoring dark, well-tailored suits.
CHARACTER Browning was known for his intellectual rigor, passionate nature, and optimistic outlook. He was also perceived as being somewhat reserved and introspective.
Elizabeth Browning said of Robert in a letter "Robert's goodness and tenderness are past speaking of.... He reads to me, talks and jests to make me laugh." But then she was biased. (1)
SENSE OF HUMOUR Browning possessed a subtle and sophisticated sense of humor, often reflected in the wit and irony of his poetry.
RELATIONSHIPS The love story of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett reads like something dreamed up by a particularly whimsical spinster. Here you have this vigorous, swarthy poet, six years Elizabeth's junior, showering her with passionate declarations. Now, Elizabeth was no blushing ingenue – she was an invalid, a good chunk older than Browning, and possessed a healthy dose of skepticism. Can you blame her? It reeked of a romantic delusion, the kind that ends with tear-stained sonnets and a lifetime of disappointment.
But Browning wouldn't be deterred (He called Elizabeth "A soul offire in a shell of pearl"). They conducted their courtship in hushed tones and stolen glances, the whole thing as clandestine as a spy mission.
Finally, on September 12, 1846, in a move ripped straight from the playbook of his hero, Percy Bysshe Shelley (another poet with a penchant for the dramatic), they secretly married at St. Marylebone Parish Church then Browning whisked Elizabeth away to Italy.
Italy, thankfully, proved to be a good fit. Elizabeth, with a bit of sunshine and a supportive husband, actually started to feel better. Their life there was comfortable, even idyllic. They were well-respected, even famous – quite the turnaround from their cloak-and-dagger London existence. Elizabeth even defied the odds and produced a son at the ripe old age of 43 (whom they, rather adorably, nicknamed "Pen"). Sadly, the artistic lineage ended there – Pen became an artist himself, got married, but the whole "having-children" thing just wasn't in the cards.
After Elizabeth's death, in 1861 Robert had many flirtatious relationships. He was fond of writing tender, nonsensical verses to his many lady friends.
In 1869 he proposed marriage to Lady Ashburton only to be rejected. This proposal, an example of his propensity towards social climbing, embarrassed Browning in society and shamed him over his infidelity over his dead wife.
MONEY AND FAME Robert stayed at home until the age of 34, financially dependant on his family until his marriage. His father sponsored the publication of his son's poems.
Robert's wife was the better known poet during their life time, but he kept going in the rat race and gradually acquired a considerable and enthusiastic public fan base. Published separately in four volumes from November 1868 through to February 1869, The Ring and the Book was a huge success both commercially and critically, and finally brought Browning the renown he had sought and deserved for nearly thirty years of work. By the time of his death he was ranked as the leading poet of his time along with Tennyson.
FOOD AND DRINK Robert became a vegetarian aged 14 like his hero Shelley, which he gave up later. He then enjoyed the typical Victorian diet, which included a variety of meats, vegetables, and the occasional indulgence in desserts.
MUSIC AND ARTS Browning had a deep appreciation for music and the arts, which often influenced his poetry. His wife, Elizabeth, was also a significant influence on his artistic development.
In 1830 Robert met the actor William Macready and tried several times to write verse drama for the stage - not very successfully. His most successful play was the 1837 Strafford.
Robert inherited substantial musical ability through his mother, and composed arrangements of various songs.
LITERATURE Robert's father was a literary collector, and he amassed a library of around 6,000 books, many of them rare. As a result, he was raised in a household of significant literary resources.
Robert inherited substantial musical ability through his mother, and composed arrangements of various songs.
LITERATURE Robert's father was a literary collector, and he amassed a library of around 6,000 books, many of them rare. As a result, he was raised in a household of significant literary resources.
Some of Robert's early work was very heavy going. When members of the London Poetic Society asked Browning for an interpretation of a particularly obscure passage, he read it, twice shrugged his soldiers and said "When I wrote that, God and I knew what it meant, but now God alone knows."
Here's a list of some of Browning's major works:
1833 Pauline Browning's career began with the publication of this anonymous poem. The piece, which disappeared without notice, would embarrass him for the rest of his life.
1835 Paracelsus The critics adored it but the public ignored it.
1841 Pippa Passes A beautiful collection of dramatic scenes.
1842 The Pied Piper of Hamelin This update of the medieval legend was one of Browning's most popular poems. It is probably the most famous verse written about rats until Michael Jackson sang about a rat called Ben.
1855 Men and Women This collection of fifty-one poems is now generally considered to contain some of the best of Browning's poetry. However, at the time it was not received well and sold poorly.
1868-69 The Ring and The Book This long blank-verse poem is considered by many to be Browning's greatest work. Based on a convoluted murder case from 1690s Rome, it tells the story of the murder in long dramatic monologues from 12 points of view.
1871 Balaustion's Adventure An adaptation of a play by Euripides about Ademtus and his devoted wife, Alcestis.
When challenged to find rhymes for orange, Browning came up with "From the Ganges to the Blorenge comes the Rajah once a month. Sometimes chewing on an orange. Sometimes reading from his Grunth. " (Blorenge is a small mountain in Wales. Grunth is a Sikh Holy Book.)
NATURE While not primarily known for nature poetry, Browning’s works do include vivid descriptions of natural scenes, reflecting his appreciation for the natural world.
A couple of quotes: "And the muttering grew to a mumbling. And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling. And out of the houses the rats came tumbling." (The Pied Piper of Hamelin)
"That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you think he ever could recapture
The first fine careless rapture." (Home Thoughts From Abroad)
The Pied Piper of Hamelin is the tale of a magical musician who was hired to eradicate the nasty rats running all over the place, but lured away the town's children with his enchanting tunes. While it's just a story, it's spooky to think that Hamelin's town records actually show a bunch of kids vanishing around the same time this legend popped up. Creepy, right?
The Brothers Grimm put the date of the kid-napping at June 26, 1284, while the poem by Robert Browning has the Pied Piper piping his way out of town with the children on July 22, 1376.
In his poem about the unfortunate Pheidippides, the first marathon runner, who ran 26 miles to announce the Greek's glorious victory over the Persians before dropping dead, Browning wrote sympathetically, "Bursting his veins, he died, The bliss!"
SCIENCE AND MATHS Browning had a broad intellectual curiosity, though his interests in science and mathematics were not as pronounced as his passion for literature and the arts.
PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY Browning’s work often delves into philosophical and theological themes, exploring complex questions of faith, morality, and the human condition.
When he was a teenager, Browning shocked his evangelical mother when he declared himself like his hero Shelley, an atheist. In later life he looked back on this as a passing phase and he became a knowledgeable Bible reader but always denied any Christian faith.
"God's in his Heaven. Alls right with the world." (Pippa Passes")
SCANDAL Browning largely avoided scandal throughout his life, maintaining a reputation for personal integrity and professionalism.
"God's in his Heaven. Alls right with the world." (Pippa Passes")
SCANDAL Browning largely avoided scandal throughout his life, maintaining a reputation for personal integrity and professionalism.
Elizabeth Barratt Browning's father didn't smell a rat about Robert's intention to his daughter until they eloped to Italy. He disinherited Elizabeth, and she repeatedly sought a reconciliation with her dad but he returned her letters unopened.
HOMES Browning was brought up at Southampton Way, Camberwell.
HOMES Browning was brought up at Southampton Way, Camberwell.
After he eloped to Italy with Elizabeth, they lived in an apartment at Casa Guidi, Florence, which is now a home available to be rented.
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| Casa Guidi By Sailko - Own work, Wikipedia |
After the death of Elizabeth in 1861 he spent the "season" in London and rest of time in the country or abroad. Between 1861 and 1887, his London address was 19 Warwick Crescent in Little Venice, Maida Vale. It is thought it was Browning who coined the name 'Little Venice.'
TRAVEL Browning travelled widely, joining a British diplomatic mission to St Petersburg, Russia in 1834, later journeying to Italy 1838 and 1844.
When the Brownings eloped from Wimpole Street, Robert was unable to work out the train and ferry timetables for their journey to Le Havre on their way to Italy. Elizabeth had to return to Wimpole Street for several days to take charge of organising the details of their elopement herself.
In 1878, he returned to Italy for the first time since Elizabeth's death, and returned there on several occasions
"Oh to be in England. Now that April's here." (Home Thoughts From Abroad 1845).
DEATH Browning died on December 12, 1889 at his son's apartment in the Ca' Rezzonico, Venice of bronchitis. He was brought back to London for burial in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey; his grave now lies immediately adjacent to that of Alfred Tennyson.
APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Robert Browning's brush with immortality extends beyond his poetry.
1. The Pioneering Phonograph Recording: In a dinner party twist of fate on April 7, 1889, at his friend Rudolf Lehmann's home, Browning became part of history. An Edison cylinder phonograph captured him reciting part of "How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix" (though with a touch of poetic license – he forgot the words!). This recording, played a year later on the anniversary of his death, sent shivers down the spines of admirers. They claimed it was the first time "anyone's voice had been heard from beyond the grave."
2. Hollywood Romance: The passionate love story of Robert and Elizabeth Browning wasn't lost on Hollywood. The 1936 classic film The Barretts of Wimpole Street (based on a 1930 play) brought their whirlwind romance to life. Norma Shearer and Fredric March earned accolades for their portrayals of Elizabeth and Robert, respectively. The story was revisited in 1957 with Jennifer Jones and Bill Travers taking the reins.
3. Beatles and the Brownings: John Lennon and Yoko Ono, it turns out, were secret Browning fans! They playfully claimed to be the reincarnated spirits of "Bob and Liz," even drawing inspiration from their poetry for their Milk and Honey album. Tracks like "Let Me Count The Ways" and "Grow Old with Me" echo the Brownings' romantic verses.
4. A Poetic Tribute: Clifford T Ward's 1973 song "Home Thoughts From Abroad" is a tribute to Robert Browning.
"You know, Home Thoughts From Abroad is such a beautiful poem."
And I know how Robert Browning must have felt. 'Cause I'm feeling the same way about you."
ACHIEVEMENTS (1) Browning's innovative works incorporated psychological analysis and obscure historical characters and perfected the dramatic monologue. They have influenced many 20th century poet's such as Ezra Pound.
ACHIEVEMENTS (1) Browning's innovative works incorporated psychological analysis and obscure historical characters and perfected the dramatic monologue. They have influenced many 20th century poet's such as Ezra Pound.
(2) His literary status was recognised by the award of an honorary fellowship at Balliol College, Oxford in 1867
Source 1.800 years of Women's Letters Olga Kenyon
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