Goblin Market

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The Cruel Reality of the Marriage Market
The harsh reality of the marriage market is explored in Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market”. The Goblins are symbolic for the parents involved in the marriage market who use their possessions to attract young ladies. The ladies are ultimately treated as objects throughout the poem in which their well-being is disregarded. The dangers women face and the negative impact show why it's important to educate today's youth on the marriage market. Throughout Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market” the reader is able to see the negative impacts of the marriage market, especially in terms of the symbolism, objectification of women and overall dangers that women face.
The goblin merchants are directly related to the parents involved in the marriage market. This is apparent by the constant haggling done over their fruit. Lizzie, however, sees right through the goblins and says,“Their offers should not charm us, / Their evil gifts would harm us.” (65-66). Day in and day out, these goblins are crying to Laura and Lizzie to come and buy their fruit. The goblins try and persuade the girls by listing off the available fruits ranging from “apples and quinces” (5) to “pine-apples, blackberries, / apricots, strawberries;” (12-13). Looking at this from an approach in which goblins are mere representatives of the …show more content…

Educating today's youth on the topic is a great start to combating the issue. During the early 1900’s women had no little to no rights. They were unable to vote, unable to own property and most jobs were unavailable as they were expected to be a stay at home wife. With that being said, getting married into a family provided financial stability to the daughters family as compensation for their daughter was often hefty. However, that doesn’t make up for the fact that their daughter is unable to live her life. Her parents pick her future and it can lead to a very dark place.

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