Robert Browning was born in London in 1812. After showing a dislike of the private schools he attended ,he was educated at home. The initial reaction to Browning’s poetry and plays were negative, however he did meet and mix with the London literary elite meeting Thomas Carlyle and Charles Dickens amongst others. In 1845 Browning met poet Elizabeth Barrett , after a period of courtship they eloped in 1846. They went to live in Italy and had a child born in 1849. Elizabeth’s poetry was widely acclaimed ,whilst Robert Browning poetry was still derided by critics. After a happy marriage Elizabeth Barrett Browning died in 1861.His next few collections were received favourably until his death in 1889. Robert Browning’s later reputation was tied up with that of his wife, however although his longer poems have became less popular , his short poems have gained in popularity. His best known poems are Love among the Ruins and the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
