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Why did Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett leave England for Italy after their wedding?

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Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett eloped and left England for Italy primarily to escape the control of Elizabeth’s father, Edward Moulton Barrett. Elizabeth’s father was a despotic figure who strongly opposed her marriage, and she lived in fear of his reaction.1

Because of his intense disapproval, the couple kept their courtship a secret and married in private on September 12, 1846. Following their secret wedding, they departed for Italy to build a life together away from her father’s influence. Elizabeth remained estranged from her father for the rest of his life, as he never forgave her for the marriage.12