Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning After reading her poems for the first time, Robert wrote to her: I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett- I do, as I say, love these verses with all my heart. With that first meeting of hearts and minds, a love affair would blossom between the two. Elizabeth told Mrs. Martin that she was getting deeper and deeper into correspondence with Robert Browning, poet, and mystic; and we are growing to be the truest of friends. During the 20 months of their courtship, the couple exchanged nearly 600 letters. But what is love without obstacles and hardships? As Frederic Kenyon writes, Mr. Browning knew that he was asking to be allowed to take charge of an invalids life- believed indeed that she was even worse than was really the case, and that she was hopelessly incapacitated from ever standing on her feet- -but was sure enough of his love to regard that as no obstacle. The Bonds of Marriage Their subsequent marriage was a secret matter, taking place on September 12, 1846, at Marylebone Church. Most of her family members eventually accepted the match, but her father disowned her, would not open her letters, and refused to see her. Elizabeth stood by her husband, and she credited him with  saving her life. She wrote to Mrs. Martin: I admire such qualities as he has- fortitude, integrity. I loved him for his courage in adverse circumstances which were yet felt by him more literally than I could feel them. Always he has had the greatest power over my heart because I am of those weak women who reverence strong men. Out of their courtship and those early days of marriage came an outpouring of poetic expression. Elizabeth finally gave her little packet of sonnets to her husband, who could not keep them to himself. I dared not, he said, reserve to myself the finest sonnets written in any language since Shakespeares. The collection finally appeared in 1850 as Sonnets from the Portuguese. Kenyon writes, With the single exception of Rossetti, no modern English poet has written of love with such genius, such beauty, and such sincerity, as the two who gave the most beautiful example of it in their own lives. The Brownings lived in Italy for the next 15 years of their lives, until Elizabeth died in Roberts arms on June 29, 1861. It was while they were living there in Italy that they both wrote some of their most memorable poems. Love Letters The romance between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett is legendary. Heres the first letter that Robert Browning sent to Elizabeth, who would eventually become his wife.   January 10th, 1845New Cross, Hatcham, SurreyI love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,and this is no off-hand complimentary letter that I shall write,whatever else, no prompt matter-of-course recognition of your genius and there a graceful and natural end of the thing: since the day last week when I first read your poems, I quite laugh to remember how I have been turning again in my mind what I should be able to tell you of their effect upon mefor in the first flush of delight I  thought  I would this once get out of my habit of purely passive enjoyment, when I do really enjoy, and thoroughly justify my admirationperhaps even, as a loyal fellow-craftsman should, try and find fault and do you some little good to be proud of herafter!but nothing comes of it allso into me has it gone, and part of me has it become, this great living poetry of yours, not a flower of which but took root and grew... oh, how different that is from lying to be dried and pressed flat and priz ed highly and put in a book with a proper account at bottom, and shut up and put away... and the book called a Flora, besides! After all, I need not give up the thought of doing that, too, in time; because even now, talking with whoever is worthy, I can give reason for my faith in one and another excellence, the fresh strange music, the affluent language, the exquisite pathos and true new brave thoughtbut in this addressing myself to you, your own self, and for the first time, my feeling rises  altogether. I do, as I say, love these Books with all my heart and I love you too: do you know I was once seeing you? Mr. Kenyon said to me one morning would you like to see Miss Barrett?then he went to announce me,then he returned... you were too unwell and now it is years agoand I feel as at some  untoward  passage in my travelsas if I had been close, so close, to some  worlds wonder  in chapel on crypt,... only a screen to push and I might have entered but there was some slight ... so it now seems... slight and just-sufficient bar to  admission and the half-opened door shut, and I went home my thousands of miles, and the sight was never to be!Well, these Poems were to beand this true thankful joy and pride with which I feel myself. Yours ever faithfully Robert Browning

Whats the Difference Subsidized vs Unsubsidized Loans

What's the Difference Subsidized vs Unsubsidized Loans SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If there's a gap between what you actuallyhave to pay for college and your school's price tag, you might be considering taking out student loans. What you might not know is that there are different types of student loans, with different terms and restrictions. First, we'll cover the basics of what it means to take on student debt. Then, we'll walk you through the differences between two major federal loan types: Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized. If you want a quick overview, just jump to the end of the article for a side-by-side comparison! First of All, What Does It Mean to Take Out a Loan? It's not uncommon for there to be a gap between what students can afford, and what college actually costs. This is where student loans come in: you can borrow money to pay for school, with the understanding that you'll pay it back (in addition to a bit extra) after you graduate. The amount of money that you actually borrow is called the principal, whereas the "extra" amount is called interest. A Little More About Interest Interest rates are always set as a percentage, so when you pay back your loan (principal + interest), you're paying back what you borrowed plus a percentage of what you borrowed. Lower interest rates = better loans, because the percentage of "extra" money you have to pay back is smaller. Here's a very simple example to demonstrate what I mean: If I borrow $100 with an annual interest rate of 10%, and I want to pay off the principal + interest in full one year later, I would owe $110 ($100 principal + 10% of $100 = $110). If I had an interest rate of 1%, though, I would only owe $101. Student loans work in the same way, although students usually borrow a bit more than $100. The amount of money you actually end up paying back depends of course on your loan principal and interest rate, but also on how often your interest capitalizes. Capitalization is when accrued (accumulated) interest is added to your principal, so you would pay interest on your original principal + capitalized interest. Bigger principal = more interest, so the less often your interest capitalizes, the better. The amount of money you end up paying back in interest also depends on how long it takes you to pay off your loan. You usually don't pay off your loan at once; you make monthly payments on interest + part of your principle. Many student loans set monthly payments that assume you will pay off your loan in 120 months, but you are free to make more than the minimum payments.The longer it takes you to pay your loan, the more interest accrues. All loans charge interest, but some lenders offer better interest rates than others. The federal government tends to offer comparatively low interest rates to student borrowers; in the rest of this post, I'll be discussing the two major types of federal student loans. The lower your interest rates, the less you'll owe in the long run. Direct Subsidized Loans Direct Subsidized loans are meant to help eligible students pay for the cost of highereducation. The thing that's most unique about Direct Subsidized loans is that the U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on your student loans during certain periods. When your interest is being paid, it can't accrue or capitalize, so your principal doesn't grow (this is a good thing)! If you have a Direct Subsidized loan, you won't accrue any interest during the following periods: when you're in school at least half-time for the first 6 months after you leave school (this is called agrace period) during a period of deferment (a postponing of loan payments) You can apply for a Direct Unsubsidized loan by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Eligibility Limits First, because Direct Unsubsidized loans are forms of federal student aid, you must meet all federal student aid requirements to be considered eligible. You can get more information about these requirements here. Direct Subsidized loans are only available to undergraduate students with financial need. Your school ultimately decides how much you can borrow; the amount cannot exceed what they determine to be your financial need. There is a maximum eligibility window for you to receive Direct Subsidized loans, equivalent to 150% of your program length. For example, if you're enrolled in a 4-year college, you can only receive subsidized loans for 4*150% = 6 years. If you're enrolled in a 2-year college, your limit would be 2*150% = 3 years. Finally, there's a limit to how much you can borrow in Direct Subsidized loans - this amount depends on your year in school. The following chart outlines the annual limits and the lifetime max for Direct Subsidized loans. Year Subsidized Loan Limit 1st Year Undergrad Annual Limit $3,500 2nd Year Undergrad Annual Limit $4,500 3rd Year Undergrad Beyond Annual Limit $5,500 Subsidized Total Loan Lifetime Max $23,000 Direct Unsubsidized Loans Direct Unsubsidized loans are similar to Direct Subsidized loans in that they're meant to help students pay for the cost of higher education. Unlike Direct Subsidized loans, interest starts accruing as soon as the loan is disbursed (paid out). You do not have to make payments while you're in school, or during a grace or deferment period. You can apply for a Direct Unsubsidized loan by submitting a FAFSA. Eligibility Limits Direct Unsubsidized loans are a bit more flexible than Direct Subsidized loans. You still must meet all federal student aid requirements to be eligible, but these loans are available to both undergraduates and graduates. Additionally, you're not required to demonstrate financial need in order to get an unsubsidized loan. Ultimately, your school will determine how much you can borrow depending on your cost of attendance and the rest of your financial aid package. For example, if your cost of attendance is covered by grants, scholarships, and Direct Subsidized loans, you may not be able to take out a Direct Unsubsidized loan. Unlike Direct Subsidized loans, there is no maximum eligibility window or period. There is a maximum borrowing amount, which depends on your year in school. All the maximums below also include any federal subsidized loan amounts (for example, if you're a dependent student who receives $1,000 in Direct Subsidized loans your freshman year, you could take out a max of $4,500 in Direct Unsubsidized loans): Year Dependent Students Independent Students 1st Year Undergrad Annual Limit $5,500 $9,500 2nd Year Undergrad Annual Limit $6,500 $10,500 3rd Year Undergrad Beyond Annual Limit $7,500 $12,500 Graduate/Professional Student Annual Limit Not applicable $20,500 Subsidized Total Loan Lifetime Max $31,000 $57,500 for undergrads $138,500 for grad/professional students (includes any federal loans received for undergrad study) Loan Interest Rates Fees I've discussed how important interest rates are when you're considering taking out student loans. When you take out loans from a private lender (from a bank, from example), interest rates may vary based on credit history. Federal student loan rates for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans are standardized, and are typically pretty low; this means that interest rates are the same for all students, regardless of personal or parental credit history. This chart shows interest rates based on loan type and borrower type for loans disbursed (paid out) before 7/1/2016: Loan Type Borrower Type Interest Rate Direct Subsidized Undergraduate 4.29% Direct Unsubsidized Undergraduate 4.29% Direct Unsubsidized Graduate/Professional 5.84% We've already talked a bit about how interest is sort of like a charge that you pay in return for being able to borrow a principle. Unfortunately, there's another fee that you're charged when you take out a subsudized or unsubsidized loan. This fee isn't interest, so it doesn't accumulate; instead, a percentage is deducted from the amount you borrowed automatically when the loan is disbursed. You're responsible for paying back the entire amount that you borrowed, and not just the amount you received after the fee is deducted. The following chart outlines loan fee percentages by disbursement date - the fees are the same for subsidized and unsubsidized loans: First Disbursement Date Loan Fee On or after 10/1/14 and before 10/1/15 1.073% On or after 10/1/15 and before 10/1/16 1.068% A Real You've just been presented with a lot of information about the differences and similarities between subsidized and unsubsidized loans. I've come up with an example based on typical student debt amounts so that you can see different financial outcomes based on subsidized vs. unsubsidized loans. The average student has about $26,000-$29,000 in federal student debt at graduation from a 4-year college (students who have graduated from private schools tend to be at the higher end of that range, whereas students from public schools tend to be at the lower end). That comes out to about $7,000 in loans per year. For the sake of this example, let's say I take out the maximum amount in subsidized loans my freshman year ($3,500), and take out another $3,500 in unsubsidized loans for a total of $7,000.Interest will accrue while I'm in school on my unsubsidized loan, so my balance due at graduation will differ significantly based on loan type, even though the original principals were the same. I would end up paying about $900 more on my unsubsidized loan than on my subsidized loan. UNSUBSIDIZED SUBSIDIZED Amount Borrowed $3,500 $3,500 Interest Rate 4.29% 4.29% Interest Accrued During School (4 years) $640 $0 Balance Owed at Graduation $4,140 $3,500 Time to Payoff at $50/month (Interest accrues for both subsidized and unsubsidized loans during this period) 99 months 81 months Total Amount Paid $4,950 $4,050 Usually, standard loan repayment happens over 120 months, not 99 or 81. Minimum monthly payments for these loans are $50, though, which is why the repayment periods are a bit shorter here. Most students who take out federal loans have some combination of subsidized and unsubsidized. The average 4-year college graduate will have monthly student loan payments of about $275 on the standard 10-year repayment plan, and will ultimately pay back $32,600 in principal + interest. Side-by-Side Comparison We've gotten into all the nitty-gritty details, but here I've put everything together in an at-a-glance reference. If you're looking for distilled information on the differences between Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized loans, this is the section for you. For any points of clarification, just refer back to the corresponding sections earlier in the post. DIRECT SUBSIDIZED LOAN DIRECT UNSUBSIDIZEDLOAN Lender Federal government Federal government Interest accrual during school, grace period, deferment period NO YES Eligibility Undergraduate only Undergraduate graduate/professional Must demonstrate financial need? YES NO Maximum eligibility window YES (150% length of program) NO Maximum award amount YES (see chart above) YES (see chart above) Interest Rate (7/1/15-7/1/16) 4.29% 4.29% undergraduate 5.84% graduate/professional Loan Fee 1.073% 10/1/14-9/30/15 1.068% 10/1/15-9/30/16 1.073% 10/1/14-9/30/15 1.068% 10/1/15-9/30/16 Application FAFSA FAFSA What's Next? Loans aren't the only type of federal financial aid. Want to learn about money that you don't have to pay back? Check out our guide on how to get a Pell Grant. Before you apply, learn more about Pell Grant eligibility requirements, limits, and application instructions. 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