文档介绍：BIOGRAPHY Elizabeth Barrett Browning was an English poet who was born in 1806. She had 11 siblings and she was the oldest out of them. Her father, Edward Barrett Moulton Barrett, was a slave plantation owner in Jamaica. Her father home schooled her for her childhood. She had read numerous great pieces of literature before the age of 10 that includes literature by Shakespeare among others. BIOGRAPHY CONT. She wrote her first poem at the age of 12, which consisted of four books of rhyming couplets. At the age of 14, she had developed a lung ailment that would be with her until she died. At the age of 15, she also had a spinal injury while riding a pony. Her injuries, however, did not set her back. She continued her education and she achieved several plishments such as learning Hebrew and studying Greek culture. She was also a reader of the Bible. BIOGRAPHY CONT. She met her husband, Robert Browning, when he wrote her a letter after she had wrote about him in one of her poems. Robert was very influential to Elizabeth ’ s work. Her father has despised the marriage and never spoke to her again. The two moved to Florence, Italy where they had 1 son. She died on June 29, 1861 in Florence at the age of 55. HISTORICAL/SOCIAL BACKGROUND Elizabeth Barrett Browning grew up during the time of slavery. She always opposed slavery and she wrote The Seraphim and other poems in 1838 that included some of her views. Also, she expressed sympathy for Italy ’ s struggle for unification and the Austrian oppression of the Italians. She was an enthusiastic Christian. Her views are expressed in some of her poems. Some of her views, such as opposition to slavery, lowered her popularity among people. POEM: LIFE AND LOVE FAST this Life of mine was dying, Blind already and calm as death, Snowflakes on her bosom lying Scarcely heaving with her breath. Love came by, and having known her In a dream of fabled lands, Gently stooped, and laid upon her