Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Mystery Illness: Theories and Conjectures
By Taylor Jasmine | On February 28, 2025 | Updated March 28, 2025 | Comments (0)
Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) was one of the great romantic poets of the Victorian era. “Sonnet 43” breathed her famous words to life: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”
Her early texts, flavored with feminism, paved the way for others to follow. Immensely popular in her lifetime, her work was somewhat forgotten until rediscovered with new appreciation starting in the second-wave feminist era of the 1970s. Her life was one of contrasts: she was remarkably prolific, enjoyed a happy marriage with fellow poet Robert Browning, yet her lifelong chronic illness shadowed her for all time.
Browning kept a diary of her ailments, yet many questions remain unanswered about the source of her maladies. A Penn State anthropologist may have found the answer more than a century later.
Deciphering Browning’s Illness
Research associate in anthropology Anne Buchanan wanted to separate theory from plausible facts. The poet suffered from debilitating physical pain from age 13. Unable to diagnose or treat her symptoms, doctors drew up all sorts of hypotheses. From heart palpitations to anorexia and tuberculosis; some theorized the lifetime effects of injuries to her spine from falling from a horse.
Buchanan mentions some attributing Browning’s illness to defense against the inferior status and treatment of Victorian women. Interestingly, Buchanan’s daughter Ellen experienced similar symptoms to Browning. Diagnosed with hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HKPP), the disease is a muscle disorder that lowers blood potassium levels by trapping potassium in muscle cells.
There is no cure for the rare disorder. However, HKPP is genetic. Buchanan found slight evidence that an uncle in Browning’s family may have had similar symptoms.
While many experts have poured through Browning’s journals and diaries, none have come close to a definitive answer. An HKPP diagnosis could be the most likely prognosis.
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The Poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning:
A 19th-Century Analysis
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The Opium Theory
It’s no secret that Browning took laudanum, an opiate, to treat her chronic ailments. Historians believe its prolonged use led to opium addiction, eventually resulting in her spending her entire fortune on the drug.
In the 19th century, laudanum was the drug of choice. The alcohol-based medicine containing opium was frequently used until the early 1900s.
Dr Joseph Crawford, a senior lecturer at Exeter University, wrote extensively about its misuse among the great romantic poets and writers. Female writers, including Browning, referenced opium and other opiate type drugs in their works. She called it her “elixir” because of its “tranquilizing power.”
Unfortunately, her “elixir” may have contributed to her premature death. Theories abound for the cause — some cite heart failure; others an overdose.
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Opioid addiction treatment today
As we know, opioid addiction crisis has continued unabated. Whereas opium was previously painted as the villain, modern medicine is applying it to the greater good. Today, opium tincture-assisted treatment is used to treat opioid-use disorder.
Another effective treatment method is prescription medicine Suboxone. However, this option could soon be off the table in light of the Suboxone tooth decay lawsuit.
At the center of the lawsuit is the global pharmaceutical company Indivior. Thousands of plaintiffs claim Indivior failed to warn patients and healthcare providers about Suboxone’s oral health risks.
Patients who used Suboxone film suffered dental injuries, including severe tooth decay, erosion, and tooth loss, allegedly due to its acidic formulation. TruLaw says Suboxone lawyers are investigating claims that film testing was inadequate, and its dental risk warnings insufficient.
Opioid addiction remains a pressing issue today. Like Browning, other writers and artists used various forms of the drug to elicit euphoric emotions, inspiring some of their best works. Now that we know the detrimental effects, people are seeking effective opioid addiction treatment.
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Keeping Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Legacy Alive
Elizabeth Barrett Browning inspired Emily Dickinson and Virginia Woolf and is considered one of the 19th century’s greatest poets. Long before the 20th-century feminist movements, Browning condemned barriers to women’s achievement in her seminal work, the book-length poem Aurora Leigh.
The British Library also recently acquired a series of letters written by Browning. The collection includes 131 letters dated after her “1844 Poems,” which brought her fame. Most are addressed to her sister, Henrietta Surtees Cook.
Browning was steadfast in her romantic outlook on life despite the trials and tribulations she faced. Despite her lifelong ill health, she prevailed and is remembered as one of the greatest poets that ever lived, especially as a paragon of Victorian poetry.
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