Robert Browning

Born in Camberwell, London, on May 7, 1812, Robert Browning became one of the defining poets of the Victorian age. Britannica and other standard references describe him as a master of the dramatic monologue, a form he used to let speakers reveal themselves through their own words, often with striking psychological depth.

Browning wrote poetry and plays, but his strongest reputation grew from poems that combine storytelling, character, and moral complexity. Among his best-known works are My Last Duchess, Porphyria's Lover, Men and Women, and the book-length The Ring and the Book. His style could be energetic, witty, and challenging, which helped make him both admired and debated by readers.

He was married to the poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and the two lived for years in Italy. After her death, Browning returned to London and remained an important literary figure. He died in Venice on December 12, 1889, and was buried in Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey.