The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 4

"The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Volume 4" by Browning is a collection of poetry written in the late 19th century. This volume contains various poems alongside significant works such as "Sonnets from the Portuguese" and "Casa Guidi Windows." The themes of love, loss, and political awareness resonate throughout the collection, reflecting the emotional depth and social consciousness characteristic of Barrett Browning's writing. The beginning of this volume introduces "A Child's Grave at Florence," a poignant poem mourning the loss of a young child, which explores themes of grief and memory. The speaker reflects on the child's beauty and innocence, invoking celestial imagery and a sense of spiritual connection in the face of death. The opening poems demonstrate a deep emotional spectrum, ranging from personal sorrow to broader reflections on love and life, setting the stage for the volume’s exploration of both intimate and universal experiences. As readers delve further, they can expect a rich tapestry of emotional resonance and philosophical inquiry that defines Barrett Browning's poetic legacy. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was an English poet of the Victorian era, popular in Britain and the United States during her lifetime and frequently anthologised after her death. Her work received renewed attention following the feminist scholarship of the 1970s and 1980s, and greater recognition of women writers in English. Born in County Durham, the eldest of 12 children, Elizabeth Barrett wrote poetry from the age of eleven. Her mother's collection of her poems forms one of the largest extant collections of juvenilia by any English writer. At 15, she became ill, suffering intense head and spinal pain for the rest of her life. Later in life, she also developed lung problems, possibly tuberculosis. She took laudanum for the pain from an early age, which is likely to have contributed to her frail health.