Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market

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On the surface, Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market seems to be what she always claimed it was: a poem for children. Indeed, if one was to merely read over the poem and take everything at face value, it would seem nothing more than a cautionary tale meant to warn children of the dangers of giving into temptation; however, it only takes a bit of awareness to pull back the thin veneer of a children's tale to reveal that Goblin Market deals with themes and topics that are best left unheard by the small ears that are supposedly meant to enjoy the poem. In fact, there is an argument to be made that Goblin Market should not be considered a poem for children at all, but rather it should be enjoyed by the discerning eyes of a much older and seasoned audience. This …show more content…

(Goblin Market, 402-407)
If Rossetti’s aim was to disguise this tale as one for children, she made very poor word choices, especially in this section. It is hard to fathom what else could be portrayed by these actions other than a violent rape of a young girl by a group of goblin men. The connotation here seems to be nothing short of wildly erotic and violently sensual, and therefore entirely unsuitable for children. Finally, another indisputable theme embedded within Goblin Market is that of addiction. The addictions dealt with in this text are those of drugs and sex, although many of the examples can be understood as addictions to either one, depending on the reader’s understanding and interpretation. One example is the destruction of Laura’s deteriorating state as she longs for the fruit of the goblin men she can no longer hear or see:
While with sunk eyes and faded mouth
She dreamed of melons, as a traveller sees
False waves in desert drouth
With shade of leaf-crowned

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