Robert Browning, a renowned English poet and playwright, was born on May 7, 1812, and passed away on December 12, 1889. His dramatic monologues elevated him to a prestigious position among the Victorian poets, distinguished by his use of irony, characterization, dark humor, social commentary, historical settings, and challenging vocabulary and syntax.
Browning's early long poems, Pauline (1833) and Paracelsus (1835),received widespread acclaim. However, his reputation suffered a decline, particularly following the publication of his 1840 poem Sordello, which was criticized for its obscurity. It took over a decade for his reputation to recover, during which time he transitioned from Shelleyan forms to a more personal style.
In 1846, Browning married fellow poet Elizabeth Barrett, and the couple moved to Italy. By the time of Barrett's death in 1861, Browning had published the collection Men and Women (1855). His subsequent works, Dramatis Personae (1864) and the book-length epic poem The Ring and the Book (1868-1869),solidified his position as a leading poet.
By the time of his death in 1889, Browning was regarded as a sage and philosopher-poet who had significantly contributed to Victorian social and political discourse. His work continued to be studied and celebrated well into the 20th century, with societies dedicated to his study existing in both Britain and the US.
