Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Aurora Leigh

Hannah Martinez

Kristen Hague

English Literature

23 October 2012

Blog: Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Aurora Leigh

            Was anyone else fascinated by the life of Elizabeth Barrett Browning as I was?! In reading her short biography starting on page 1151, right before Book I of Aurora Leigh, I was intrigued by her and her life story, as well as her writing. I have never read any of her works before but I thoroughly enjoyed reading Aurora Leigh. Since I was in middle school I have had this love for reading stories, books, novels and anything written in poetic structure. So to read one that was written so many years ago was very fun. Browning’s life story caught my attention on a personal level in the fact that she, at one point, became almost a complete recluse from the rest of the world but then after years of experiencing it she miraculously came out of hiding, only to gain fame for her writings. Needless to say, because that scenario grabs at personal emotions it lent some hope that a person can come out of such a state of being depressed and still accomplish success.

The woman had every reason to be this way, let’s be honest. She got extremely ill at the age of fifteen and it strongly affected her, then chronic lung disease ailed her again and then in later life she had a father who completely disowned her; with no family left to turn to but her husband. Maybe I am stretching this a bit far but her troubles in life and the bounce-back she conquered later in life really stood out and spoke to me. I have read about many different authors going through their fair share of trials and tribulations throughout their lifetime but not any that have struck me with awe like Browning’s. In learning about her personal story and then reading Aurora Leigh, book I and II, it seems as though maybe there is some reflection of herself in the character of Aurora Leigh; especially when we see the characteristics of a controlling father, or a lonely girl who believes in the freedom of writing. The feelings and emotions that are seen in this story make me think that much of herself was very readily placed in the context of Aurora’s character. Although this was written after she was reintroduced into the world, it makes me wonder if maybe the first happenings and thoughts of Aurora Leigh were produced in those years of seclusion that she experienced. I would be interested how much more of Browning may have shown through in the remainder of this story and look forward to reading the rest of it someday.

Maybe, I took a topic that was skimmed by others or minuscule in importance but for some reason it was the author herself that I found so interesting. She seemed to live a very troubled life but yet sought fame and succeeded in doing so. Her story seemed simple, somewhat tragic but overall an admiration of her is present because she shows hope to others through her own life and it is also reflected in her writing. It makes me have hope that anyone can write and be successful at it; that it does not necessarily need to be taught and that for myself, if my time, money and energy somehow fails in getting a teaching degree I could always wallow in my sorrows for a few years and then become a published writer! Right?!

Just a thought…… J

Response to the Moonstone

Hannah Martinez

Kristen Hague

English Literature

12 October 2012

Bog #3-Moonstone

            As English majors we are used to being assigned many different types of reading. Sometimes they are fun and interesting and then there are ones that just aren’t our cup of tea. With the majority of all my English and literature classes behind me, I have completed my fair share of reading assignments at CMU, however I must say that our reading assignment of the Moonstone written by Wilkie Collins is by far, one of my favorites! This was one of those novels you could not put down and you can’t wait to see what the outcome of the ending is going to be (at least for me J).

            In the event of this not completely sounding like a book report, I truly enjoyed and appreciated this novel. Collins writes in a fashion that is effective, interesting and in a way that creates a relationship between the reader and her characters. The entire time in reading this book I felt as if I was right there, involved with what the characters were experiencing, as well as felt emotions with them when they themselves, where feeling the emotions. The ending was exactly what I had expected and completely surprising all in the same manner. Throughout the second half of the book I felt as if Godfrey Ablewhite had been pinned as having a large hand in the disappearance of the Moonstone but what I did not expect was the way in which it was laid into his hands and for the reasons he proceeded to take it. It was a fascinating way to end this story that was told from some many different perspectives. I loved the conclusion of this novel! While I had never read mystery novels before, I feel as if Collins goes beyond the expectations in concluding this story.

            Collins does not just allude to a person who committed the crime. She does that, and then takes not just one step further, but several, to the point that no one would’ve seen the entire extent of it coming. How interesting is it that Franklin had truly been the one to steal the diamond and then hand it off to Godfrey, when Godfrey could then use it to his benefit?! I believe the many twists that are tied to Godfrey’s character really make this story so great. He needed money, but he had not predetermined to take or steal anything, and yet an extremely valuable but stolen diamond is placed in his hands when he wasn’t the one that truly “stole” it. There are so many significant details to every event and every character in this book that it would take pages and pages to revisit each one, but they all contribute to the brilliance of Collins writing. I would love to have been a fly on the wall through the process of her writing the Moonstone because as a consumer you know that every aspect of this story had thorough and processed thought that went into it.

            To say the least, I really loved this novel. It introduced me to many new ideas, from the genre to the time period and even to the themes, this book brings you through several entities to enjoy. As I said, I appreciated this book I did not just like it. The way Collins writes and tells her story through the use of her many characters makes the reader appreciate her contribution to literature through her novel the Moonstone.