Barrett Browning, Elizabeth 1806-1861.
English poet. In 1844 she published Poems
(including `The Cry of the Children'), which
led to her friendship with and secret
marriage to Robert Browning in 1846. The
Sonnets from the Portuguese 1847 were written
during their courtship. Later works include
Casa Guidi Windows 1851 and the poetic novel
Aurora Leigh 1857. Barrett Browning was born
near Durham. As a child she fell from her
pony and injured her spine and was
subsequently treated by her father as a
confirmed invalid. Freed from her father's
oppressive influence, her health improved.
She wrote strong verse about social injustice
and oppression in Victorian England.