Robert Browning (1812–1889) grew up in a remarkable household with parents who loved literature and music. Tutored at home, he became one of the most learned men in Europe. While still quite young, he published two volumes of poetry, but neither met with success. He also failed in his first attempt at writing for the stage. His play Strafford, produced in 1837, closed after running for only five nights. In subsequent years, he gained some reputation as a writer of verse in which characters speak in their own voices without narrative commentary. In 1846, Robert married Elizabeth Barrett, a poet six years older than he with a far greater reputation than his own. Elizabeth and Robert moved to Italy, partially because of Elizabeth's poor health, but primarily to escape her domineering father. Theirs was one of the great love stories of all time. They had an exceedingly happy marriage and lived in Italy for thirteen years, until Elizabeth's death. Robert then returned to England to teach and write. In his own day, many people considered Browning's poetry to be too unpoetic and obscure. However, in the twentieth century, Browning's reputation has grown enormously. His poetry is modern in its use of realistic speech and its portrayal of the psychological states of characters.