Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote the poem, Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point in 1850 when abolition of slavery had taken place in Britain, but had yet to be ablolished in America. EBB's poem uses a woman's story to describe the struggles involved with slavery and colonialism. It is interesting that EBB portrays a woman slave rather than a man, as it is rare to find victorian poetry or literature that does. The following documents further examine 19th century slavery in Britain and America, the working class and EBB. These will assist in the understanding of EBB's choice to use a woman slave in her poem and why it may be more important to use a woman figure instead of a man.

Hidden Hands by Patricia E. Johonson disscusses the non-exixstence of working-class women in victorian/industrial literature. Johnnson states although "working-class women fueled the Industrial Revolution, making up as much as 60 percent to 80 percent of the workforce in light industries such as cotton manufacturing," these women were not recognized.

Johnson E., Patricia. Hidden Hands: working-class women and Victorian social problem fiction. Athens : Ohio University Press, c2001.

In this essay, Laura Fish discusses the basis for her upcoming novel, Strange Music. Fish explains Runaway Slave at Pilgrim's Point as being one of the main motivators for writing this novel which is based on EBB's perspective of the Barrett plantation farm in Jamaica. She examines the lack of female presence in literature about slavery and goes on further to say that it is mainly "black women writers who have retrieved the African American experience."  

Rev D. Wilson gives his opinion of British colonial slavery in 1828. Wilson uses religion as a measurement for right and wrong. He sees slavery as an ignorant and unchristian act that Britain should be guilty for, but does not put colonialism at fault outright.  

This article analyzes Ralph Waldo Emerson's first public address on the question of slavery in America 1837. This gives us insight into the American perspective of slavery and how to go about abolition. The abolitionist movement seemed to be more political and less religious in America and a sense that the politicians are not as far removed from the slave and slave owners. There is an understanding of the ugliness of slavery and an effort being made by politicians to get around the real problem.  

Becoming a Woman Poet discusses the barriers a female artist must overcome in order to gain credit in their respective genre of work. Even though EBB was a very talented poet, she was turned away at first because she was a woman.