Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s father violently disapproved of her marriage to Robert Browning and ultimately disowned her when he found out about it, refusing ever to see her or read her letters again.

Quick Scoop: His reaction in a nutshell

  • He never approved of the idea of her marrying Robert Browning (or, really, of his children marrying at all).
  • Because Elizabeth knew how hostile he would be, she and Robert married in secret in 1846.
  • When he eventually learned of the marriage, he cut her off completely , disowning her and refusing to open her letters.
  • Elizabeth had anticipated this rejection; accounts note that “her father had reacted as she had expected.”

Why he reacted so harshly

  • Mr. Barrett was known as a despotic, controlling father who wanted to keep his adult children at home and under his authority.
  • Elizabeth feared his “extreme disappointment and subsequent anger” if he discovered her involvement with Robert.
  • He had already refused to let her travel to Italy for her health, even when doctors urged it, which showed how much he prioritized control over her well‑being.

What this meant for Elizabeth and Robert

  • The couple eloped to Italy —first to Pisa, then to Florence—where they lived and wrote, beginning the independent life her father tried to prevent.
  • Most of her family eventually came around and accepted the marriage, but her father never relented and remained estranged.
  • For Elizabeth, the marriage felt like a kind of liberation from his “overbearing masculine pride,” even though it cost her his affection and, for a time, the support of some brothers.

TL;DR:
In modern terms, if you’re searching “what did Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s father think of her marriage to Robert Browning? latest news / forum discussion / trending topic,” the historical consensus is clear: he was fiercely opposed, saw it as a betrayal of his authority, and responded by disowning her and cutting off contact.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.