| Elizabeth Barrett Browning was eminent poetess in Victorian era. Her poetry brought her honorable reputation and high place in English literature. Considered as a genius in poetry writing, she completed the long novel poem Aurora Leigh in 1856, which gained immediate success after the publication in 1857. Elizabeth Barrett Browning styled the poem a novel in verse, and took it as the most mature of her works which her highest convictions upon life and art have entered.Critics issued their own viewpoints on Aurora Leigh from various aspects. However, the escape motif, which appeared frequently in the literary works, was not yet explored in Aurora Leigh. Escape was the key point and indispensable part for protagonists'pursuit of self-realization. This thesis holds that the whole process of protagonists'escape corresponds to the development of self-realization in Aurora Leigh. By fleeing away, the process of self-realization was revealed and highlighted. This thesis focuses on the escape motif and tried to form a construction of this motif in Aurora Leigh. It also aims to give a relatively comprehensive analysis of escape and to reveal the protagonists'growth in self in the process of escape.Apart from the introduction and conclusion, this thesis includes three chapters:Chapter one begins with the reasons for escape which reveal the existence of different forms of oppression on self-realization. In the text, class distinction, patriarchy and self-restraint appear to suppress the development of self, which will lead to the act of escape.Chapter two focuses on escape on the way. Once escape has been taken into action, reflection on this journey of escape will generally follow after it. From the aspect of self seeking, protagonists will encounter different situations:to advance, to loss or to be ruined.Chapter three turns to the consequence of escape. After the self adjustment on the way of escape, escapers make progress in self seeking and finally accomplish self-realization.
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