Flush: A Biography

Flush: A Biography is Virginia Woolf’s innovative attempt to write a biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning from the perspective of her dog, Flush. Elizabeth (1806-1861) was one of the most celebrated English poets of the 19th century. She was born Elizabeth Barrett Moulton-Barrett and was the eldest of 12 children. The Barrett family wealth came from sugar plantations in Jamaica, though this colonial connection was a source of guilt for Elizabeth, especially as she became more attuned to the social injustices of slavery later in life. By the age of eight, she had begun reading William Shakespeare and John Milton. At 10, she wrote her first epic poem. Her father, recognizing her intelligence, provided her with a classical education, which was rare for girls of her time. From an early age, Elizabeth’s health was fragile. At 15, she developed a chronic illness—possibly tuberculosis or a related condition—and she was prescribed laudanum, an opium derivative, for pain management. This medication contributed to her lifelong battle with both physical illness and its psychological effects.