{"id":4431,"date":"2025-05-07T06:27:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.tavbooks.com\/?p=4431"},"modified":"2025-05-05T18:33:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T02:33:12","slug":"the-beauty-of-browning-apropos-even-in-modern-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.tavbooks.com\/?p=4431","title":{"rendered":"The Beauty of Browning – Apropos Even in Modern Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cGrow old with me! The best is yet to come.\u201d 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\u2019s 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!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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\u2019s 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\u2019s collection at every opportunity (\u2026what a hardship!) A brief foray into a more formal environment (the University of London) proved to not<\/em> be to Robert\u2019s liking, and he returned to his home after his , and his world of books and music, until his \u201clater\u201d marriage in 1846. He managed to publish several works during his time at home – his \u201cParacelsus\u201d, published in 1835, drew the attention of literary greats Charles Dickens, William Wordsworth and Alfred Tennyson. \u201cParacelsus\u201d became Browning\u2019s introduction to London\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s 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\u2019s marriage to Elizabeth was tantamount to them both for not only their happiness, but also their exposure. Due to Elizabeth\u2019s father\u2019s disinheritance upon her marrying (not because he disapproved of Robert, but because he disapproved of his children marrying in general), the Browning\u2019s 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 \u201cdeserters\u201d of England in literary circles. That being said, in today\u2019s 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\u2019s success in her work). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Upon Elizabeth\u2019s death in 1861, Browning finally returned to England with their son Robert Barrett (nicknamed \u201cPen\u201d). Browning continued to publish works and was considered one of the most in-demand London literary figures. Browning\u2019s poetry ranges from dramatic monologue (with works like \u201cMy Last Duchess\u201d and \u201cFar Lippo Lipa\u201d coming to mind), to serious themes (like \u201cPorphyria\u2019s Lover\u201d – a work centering on an obsession that borders between passion and madness) to a much lighter lyrical voice – \u201cThe Pied Piper of Hamlin\u201d remains, to this day, a cherished and popular addition to children\u2019s literature.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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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\u2019s strength of characterization and his ahead-of-his-time beliefs – so many of which we today take for granted! Happy Birthday to Robert Browning!<\/p>\n

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