Browning

• English poet and playwright

• Dramatic monologues

• Victorian poet

• Fan of Romanticism

• Raised by parents staunchly devoted to evangelical faith

• By 12, Browning wrote a book of poetry which he later destroyed when no publisher could be found.

• Wrote aa book of poetry by age 12; destroyed it when he couldn't get it published.

• Hated school 🙄

• Homeschooled (by a tutor); read his dad's books in their personal extensive library

• Fluent in French, Greek, Italian, and Latin by age 14

• Frequently read from the Romantic poets, especially Shelley

• Became an atheist and vegetarian by age 16

• Studied Greek at a university in London

• Inherited musical ability through his mother, and composed arrangements of various songs

• Refused a formal career and dedicated himself to poetry

• Lived at home until age 34, financially dependent on his family until his marriage.

• Married poet Elizabeth Barrett and moved to Italy (1846)

• Noted for irony, characterization, dark humor, social commentary, historical settings and challenging vocabulary and syntax

Writings

• Writings

  • "Pauline" (1833)

  • "Paracelsus" (1835)

  • "Sordello" (1840)

  • Men and Women (1855)

  • "The Ring and the Book" (1868–1869)

• KNOWN FOR:

  • seen as a sage and philosopher-poet

  • fed into Victorian social and political discourse