According to Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s biography, her poem “The Cry of The Children” was written in 1843, to bring attention to the plight of the child laborers; a subject which had been brought to her attention by the findings of “government investigations” (Greenblatt 1,123). A footnote to her poem stated that Barrett Browning used an official account of children who worked “in mines and factories” to gather facts (Greenblatt 1,124). In her poem, Barrett Browning highlighted hazards and disadvantages that plagued the children; she wrote of the children’s acceptance of the possibility of an early death, for the children stated "we die before our time" (Barrett Browning 38). Another concern that Barrett Browning brought awareness to included…show more content… In Barrett Browning’s poem “The Cry of The Children,” she spoke primarily about the children who were working “in coal mines and factories” (Greenblatt 1,123); however, there were many other professions available to children, such as: taking in laundry, street vendors and “domestic servants” (“Victorian Child Labor”). Not all of children performed legal jobs, some made their money picking pockets or working as prostitutes (“Victorian Child Labor”). Possibly one of the most dangerous jobs in the nineteenth century was the chimney sweep; hazards included severe abrasions, becoming undernourished, lung ailments, and death (“Victorian Child Labor”). In order to insure the children did not outgrow the job, the amount of food they received was often limited (“Victorian Child Labor”). Many of the children developed permanent lung diseases from repeated exposure to soot (“Victorian Child Labor”). Falls or becoming wedged inside the chimneys resulted in the death of many young chimney sweeps (“Victorian Child Labor”). Other jobs that were treacherous for the child labors included working in mines or factories (“Victorian Child Labor”). The children who worked in the mines often developed permanent disabilities as a result of eye strain, constantly working in hunched positions, and being exposed to coal dust (“Victorian Child Labor”). They were continuously put at risk of dying; including, but not limited to, the detonation of explosives or by falling into the mine shafts (“Victorian Child
