Robert Browning

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Robert Browning

Robert Browning was born on May 7, 1812 in a house on Southampton Street in Camberwell England. This was located in the new Suburbs of London. He was born to the parents of Sarah Anna Widerman and Robert Browning Senior. On the night of his birth a comet blazed over England. Browning had one younger sister born in 1814 named Sarina.

Browning was born to very liberal art parents. His father loved painting and wanted to be an artist. He also loved to read and had a library of 6000 books. Some of these books were original editions. He turned down a sugar plantation that was left to him by his mother in India because they used slaves. Browning Senior became a clerk at the Bank of England.

Sarah Browning was a typical Victorian wife and mother. She took excellent care of her kids and house. She loved gardening, was a good pianist, and would read to her kids when they were small.

Browning had a very close relationship with his family and always had the deepest respect for his parents and family. His childhood is often described as very uneventful, his family lived in a country neighborhood and although they were not rich they were considered upper middle class. So they could indulge in giving their kid whatever education they desired. Browning’s parents were very supportive to the type of education their children received.

No one knows when he started writing poetry his earliest attempts at writing mimic Byron or Wild Ossianic. But at about nine years old he wrote a poem on Napoleon Bonaparte, Browning’s father thought it to be a good poem for a nine-year-old to write. Browning was sent to school before he was five years old. He was eventually was removed from the school because he had learned all that...

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...oems. Browning had been staying in Venice at his son’s house; he died the same day he received a copy of this work. He died from bronchitis and was buried in the Poets’ Comer of Westminster Abbey.

Browning never received the acclaim that he wanted till he wrote his most popular poem, The Ring and the Book. As popular as the poem was it is not read often today. Now looking back on Browning’s work it is seen that the public and the critics misunderstood his poetry.

Works Cited

Cohen, J.M. Robert Browning. London: Longmans, Greenland Co. Ltd., 1952

Gridley, Roy E. Browning. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd, 1972.

Roberts, Adam. Robert Browning Revisited. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1996.

Sharp, William. Life of Robert Browning. London: Walter Scott, 24 Warwick Lane, 1890.

Sprague, Rosemary. Forever In Joy. Philadelphia: Chilton Company, 1965.

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