Biographical Events
- Elizabeth Barrett Moulton Barrett was born on 6 March 1806 at Coxhoe Hall, County Durham, England, to Mary Graham Clarke and Edward Moulton Barrett.
- Elizabeth was the eldest of 12 and her love for writing came from her father, who was also a quite wealthy poet himself.
- Yet at 15, she became ill with tuberculosis leaving her trapped in her room with nothing to do but write.
- Another event that forced her into isolation and depression was the death of her brother when she was 29. She moved to London with her family and depression caused her to trap herself in her room.
- Elizabeth eventually became a famous poet by the time she was 32.
- The couple poets secretly married and moved to Italy and had a son.
- In 1849 Robert Wiedeman “Pen” Barrett Browning was born.
- In 1857 Elizabeth's father died, and never forgave her for marrying Robert. That same year, Aurora Leigh was published.
- For the last 15 years of her life, Elizabeth lived blissfully until 29 June, 1861, when she died in her husband’s arms.
- "Last Poems" was published in 1892.
Fun Facts
- She learned Latin and was great writer and avid reader growing up.
- A big inspiration of most of her poems were to her husband and fellow poet, Robert Browning. She had written "The Sonnets from the Portuguese" about Robert. "The Portuguese was Robert Browning's nickname for Elizabeth because of her dark-hair.