Elizabeth Barrett Browning Robert Browning
Robert Browning was born on May 7, 1812, in Camberwell, England just a suburb of London. The first born of Robert and Sarah Anna Browning. His father was a clerk at the Bank of England forgoing the fortune of his own father by refusing to work at a sugar plantation which was a farmed by means of slavery. Even on his modest salary he was able to marry, raise a family, and to acquire a library of 6000 volumes. He was an exceedingly well-read and self-educated man. And it though this vast library of books that the young poet would receive his education. Robert was an extremely bright child and an avid reader and took it upon himself to learn Latin, Greek, French and Italian by the time he was fourteen. He attended the University of London in 1828, but left in discontent to pursue his studies by reading at his own pace. His extensive education has led to difficulties for his reader’s; he did not always realize how obscure his references and allusions were.
