"By her life and work, she triumphantly proved that a woman could be a serious poet (as distinguished from a versifying "lady" amateur) without sacrificing love, marriage, and motherhood. Indeed, the Brownings' courtship attained the status of a modern legend."
"For throughout her career, Barrett Browning's poetry is often centered on the image and problematic of the cry. We hear this "ai! ai!" crying out in many different forms and contexts from The Seraphim to Casa Guidi Windows to Aurora Leigh. The melancholy, elegiac nature of Barrett Browning's poetry has been well noted." "There was but one thing wanting to Elizabeth Barrett which should bring her to perfection, both as woman and artist. Late in life she found that love which she had missed in her earlier years through her devotion to study and Art, yet which she was too thoroughly womanly not to need—that love which acted upon her nature as spring-time acts upon the earth, causing a marvellous budding and a glory of bloom. Weary of her crippled and painful existence, she lay drooping in her solitude, drifting slowly away from life and looking for death as a glorious release." |
I strongly agree with this comment. Elizabeth clearly displayed elements of being a very deep, talented writer, and she still stayed close to her family throughout her life. Her husband, parents, siblings, and son were always her top priority and she stayed true to them always, never letting her beautiful poetry get in the way of their relationships. She had her life and priorities very well balanced out.
The critic is basically saying that Elizabeth focused on the grief and cries of pain in her sorrowful poems. This is true. I believe that it really brings out her true emotions and helps the reader to fully understand what she is feeling. I feel that her sorrowful poems, while depressing, are very beautiful and well written. This comment points out the flaw in Elizabeth that she dwelled on her sorrows and had a negative outlook on life, bringing her down and making her weak. I, however, feel that Elizabeth stayed strong and determined to make beautiful poetry throughout her life. She suffered illnesses and still managed to write many famous poems. Her works are greatly appreciated and she came very far in life. I would not say that she was brought down by sadness, for someone who got so far and accomplished in their art. |