Few poets ever get to cross over into the popular cultural consciousness. Of those who do, only a fraction are ever actually known for their work. More often it is because they were larger-than-life figures or because they were tied to other media. William Shakespeare made his name with crowd-pleasing plays, then composed sonnets in his free time. It took platinum rap albums and a high-profile death to get people engaged with Tupak Shakur's poetry. Ask anyone about Emily Dickinson and they will tell you the story of a depressed recluse, but be hard-pressed to identify even one line of her written work. The immediate recognizability of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's work is thus one of the many reasons why she was and is remarkable.

"Sonnet 43" contains one of the most widely known lines in all English-language poetry: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways". Few know any lines beyond that, or any of Barrett Browning's other work for that matter. Still, the ubiquity of that one line indicates at least two things. First, that its sentiment resonates with countless people and that the literate public has nursed a soft spot for this poet for several generations. This affords educators and lovers of poetry a special opportunity, itself also twofold. The line invites us to read further and discover this poet in her fullness, while the simplicity and romanticism of the line might inspire readers to make lists of their own and thereby inadvertently become poets.

Those who go beyond those few words from "Sonnet 43" will find a poet rich with passion, devoted to her faith and possessed of an uncommon strength. Elizabeth Barrett Browning is every bit the model of a Victorian feminist. She questions her culture's beliefs about the inherent qualities of women and she decries the limits placed on her. All the while, Barrett Browning's work demonstrates her thorough education and her rapacious appetite for classical influences. She was a polyglot and a self-guided learner, continuing her education throughout her life.

One cannot talk about Elizabeth Barrett Browning without mentioning the importance of her relationship with the poet Robert Browning. The record of their romance is part epistolary and part poetic. Robert professed a deep love, yet Elizabeth's sonnets from the period before their marriage indicate doubts concerning Robert's passion. Elizabeth was older than Robert and in every sense a more accomplished poet. Her struggle with the intensity of their mutual affections is apparent in her work. Without a doubt, this is why Elizabeth Barrett Browning is the quintessential love poet. Her verse captures not only the elation of having love, but the pain of sustaining it.

Elizabeth and Robert spent much of their marriage in Italy. It was there that Elizabeth died, but not before giving birth to her son, Pen. She was easily one of the most famous and widely-read poets of her day and a strong contender for the position of Poet Laureate of England. The sustained appeal of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's work is likely different than the reason it was loved in her own time. Few modern readers, even enthusiasts of poetry, swoon over her references to Greek myth. Instead, it is her layered approach to the expression of emotion that keeps people reading Barrett Browning's poetry. In essence, she is an accessible genius, a legendary figure who never seems entirely out of reach.