Sonnets from the Portuguese and Other Selections

Elizabeth Barrett had already established her reputation as one of England's leading poets when she came to know Robert Browning. In poor health and living in seclusion, under the influence of a dominant father, she wrote her love sonnets to her future husband. Now "Elizabeth Barrett Browning," she, encouraged by Robert, published her poems-but as translations, rather than originals. Her husband's affectionate nickname for her had been "my little Portuguese," and he suggested that reflection in the title (she had considered "Bosnian"). And so her series was published, to great success, and became the most notable series since the sonnets of Shakespeare.