“Grow old with me! The best is yet to come.” Somehow we wonder how Robert Browning might be perceived today with what some consider his dark humor and wicked social commentary. His knowledge of several Romance languages, plus a musical background seem to have been important influences on his life as a poet. As his May 7th birthday dawns, we take his interesting life (and the fact that, in much the spirit of today’s generations, he chose to stay at home until his mid-thirties marriage) and examine the lasting influence he has had on the literary world in honor of his 213th birthday!

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Robert Browning was born in Surrey, on the 7th of May in 1812. Browning grew up with a rather literary father, and a talented musician for a mother (and we wonder how he became the writer he was!). During his most formative years, Browning had a solid learning foundation, as his father was rather firm in his expectations for his gifted son. Browning’s father housed a library of over 6,000 titles – rather remarkable for that day and age. And what a collector after our own hearts! The young Robert Browning was expected to make use of his father’s collection at every opportunity (…what a hardship!) A brief foray into a more formal environment (the University of London) proved to not be to Robert’s liking, and he returned to his home after his , and his world of books and music, until his “later” marriage in 1846. He managed to publish several works during his time at home – his “Paracelsus”, published in 1835, drew the attention of literary greats Charles Dickens, William Wordsworth and Alfred Tennyson. “Paracelsus” became Browning’s introduction to London’s literary world. From there on, his works managed to bring both praise and criticism. Browning seemed to care little for either side of the coin, however, and he turned down almost all public speaking appearances, never wavering in his wish to remain true to himself, rather than be swept up into the grand life of the London literary scene.

In 1845, Robert met poet Elizabeth Barrett (whose name may ring a bell to some of you bibliophiles), and they began a correspondence that turned into love. They secretly married in September of 1846, and it was the beginning of an entirely new chapter in Robert Browning’s work and life. It was during his marriage to Elizabeth that he wrote the bulk of his literary output – a fountain of poetry and a few plays.  Browning’s marriage to Elizabeth was tantamount to them both for not only their happiness, but also their exposure. Due to Elizabeth’s father’s disinheritance upon her marrying (not because he disapproved of Robert, but because he disapproved of his children marrying in general), the Browning’s spent much of their married life living in Italy. Nevertheless, their life in Italy managed to bring its own round of criticism to the couple as they were originally branded “deserters” of England in literary circles. That being said, in today’s society Browning would be heralded for his opposition to slavery of the time and his avid support of women (as is seen by his own excitement for his wife’s success in her work). 

Upon Elizabeth’s death in 1861, Browning finally returned to England with their son Robert Barrett (nicknamed “Pen”). Browning continued to publish works and was considered one of the most in-demand London literary figures. Browning’s poetry ranges from dramatic monologue (with works like “My Last Duchess” and “Far Lippo Lipa” coming to mind), to serious themes (like “Porphyria’s Lover” – a work centering on an obsession that borders between passion and madness) to a much lighter lyrical voice – “The Pied Piper of Hamlin” remains, to this day, a cherished and popular addition to children’s literature. 

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Although Browning is often identified side-by-side with his wife, he is worth examining on his own! A writer who never wavered in his beliefs, and who showed more than adequate representation of his views in his writings – declaring them both lyrically and socially – deserves to have a second look. We remember him as his birthday passes for reasons we perhaps were not originally exposed to, especially in our school classes of yesteryear. We cheers to Browning’s strength of characterization and his ahead-of-his-time beliefs – so many of which we today take for granted! Happy Birthday to Robert Browning!

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William Makepeace Thackeray was quite a well-known name in 19th-century literature, as he was known for his sharp wit and satirical social observations. Despite being a famed author, he interestingly also used pseudonyms for various reasons throughout his life. Whereas nowadays authors may use pseudonyms for anonymity and privacy reasons, I believe Thackeray’s usage were for rather different reasons!

Several of Thackeray’s pseudonymous works were published early on in his writing career. Writing under a different name gave Thackeray the freedom to try new styles and genres without worrying about his reputation. Early on, he used names like “Michael Angelo Titmarsh” and “George Savage Fitz-Boodle”, especially for some of the satirical sketches and essays he published. These silly aliases let him get creative without the pressure of a failure staining his reputation.

Thackeray also most likely used pseudonyms to avoid harsh criticism. Critics could be brutal, and using an alias allowed him to publish riskier or more experimental work (like “Catherine” which glamorized criminal life, or “The Yellowplush Papers”, which featured a footman as the narrator) without putting his name on the line. This way, he could distance himself from any work that might not be well-received, protecting his growing reputation. And as I mentioned earlier, his novels often had sincerely sharp social commentary, and hiding behind a pseudonym let him critique a society and its people more freely without immediate backlash.

In the 19th century, writers had to produce quite a lot of work to make a living (I suppose some things never change). Thackeray often wrote for various magazines and periodicals and made extra money, and using pseudonyms for these definitely helped him diversify his work. He could write for multiple, very different publications simultaneously without people realizing it was all him. This not only expanded his reach and voice, but boosted his income to boot.

Thackeray was well-known for his playful nature, and using pseudonyms seemed to be part of his fun. It was a more common practice among writers of the time, and Thackeray probably enjoyed creating different personas. This added mystery and amusement to his work, keeping readers and critics alike guessing about the real author.

William Makepeace Thackeray’s use of pseudonyms was a clever strategy for the author. It gave him creative freedom, shielded him from harsh criticism, helped him navigate the literary world privately, all while showing his playful side. Entertaining thoughts of why Thackeray used aliases gives us deeper insight into the man behind a few of the most enduring works of English literature.