Love Story

When I read their love story, I was frankly amazed. The heroine was not sweet sixteen but 39 year-old reclusive. She was semi-invalid too due to a childhood accident and had symptoms of tuberculosis. Her hero was six years her junior, handsome and healthy.

What brought this couple together? Their love for poetry. The hero had read the two volumes of recently published work of the lady. He was totally overwhelmed by her poetic talent. He wrote to her and expressed his love to her, though they had not met yet. The poetess answered him immediately. This letter gave birth to a dramatic, touching and cinema like courtship of all times.

The poetess was a prisoner in her father’s house. Her father had lost not only his wife and eldest son, but his fortune too. Naturally he was bitter and took out his frustration on his remaining surviving children. He even forbade any of them to marry.

The poetess devoted her time to study Greek, Latin, French and German literature and writing poems.

The hero himself was a poet. His powerful personality had penetrated her solitude. She wrote to him, but somehow didn’t want to meet him. This world’s obsession with good looks plagued her mind too. She was fearful of losing him, and reverting back to the solitary and lonely experience. She was not a beauty. But the poet was persistent. Finally they met. Poetess’ fear was groundless. The poet was not looking for a ravishing beauty. He was interested in finding a soul-mate. Gradually the poetess found herself enfolded into a divine love of a handsome blue eyed poet. Due to her father, they kept their courtship a secret.

Do miracles take place in real life or in Harry Potter books only? Here in this love story, along with love, the poetess’ health blossomed too. For years, she didn’t leave her room. But now, first she ventured downstairs and then outside. Finally she started walking in parks too.

After more than one year of courtship Elizabeth Barrett got married to Robert Browning secretly. Later on the coupled eloped to Paris. Finally they settled in Italy. Of course, Elizabeth’s father never forgave her and returned all her letters unopened. AT the age of 43 (who said the biological clock starts ticking at late thirties?) Elizabeth gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Robert Browning and Elizabeth, both wrote poetry and both were celebrities.

But Elizabeth’s health caught up with her. At the age of 55, she died in her beloved’s arms. Her last word was,â€?beautifulâ€?.