Christina Rossetti’s poem, Goblin Market, was written in the Victorian era during a time of vast social change across Europe. Though the Victorian period was a time of female suppression and order, Rossetti exposed many social stigmas and ideologies through the journey of the two sisters Laura and Lizzie. Despite initial impressions of a childhood fairytale, the suggestive and multi-dimensional use of language signifies an underlying message of an erotic sexual commentary. Furthermore, the inconsistent rhyme scheme and meter could also represent the myriad of interpretations. Rossetti conveys the power of sisterhood represented through the sister’s journey, while subsequently conveying moral lessons of a secular nature. Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market serves as a catalyst for feminist literature by exploring the theme of feminism through the concepts of seduction, sex, and sisterhood.
The notion of seduction is a result from the Goblin’s overwhelming yearning for mortal flesh. The first instance of seduction by the Goblins is exemplified in the first stanza. The Goblins use the concept of temptation when persuading the sisters to, “Come buy: Apples and quinces, Lemons and oranges, Plump unpecked cherries, Melons and raspberries, etc” (ll. 4-8). By use of vivid descriptions, a vast variety of luscious fruits, and additional tales of temptation, Laura ultimately succumbed to the Goblins ploy. Similar to evident parallels with the original sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the forbidden fruit also represents the binary between lust and morality. In addition, this same notion is apparent at the poem’s turning point when Laura’s curse becomes inevitable and she sought the fruit:
Like a lily from the beck,
Like a moon...
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...he troubled woman, Lizzie acts as a female heroin to liberate her sister from the malicious male goblins. After the curse sets upon Laura and death becomes apparent, Lizzie heroically seeks the goblin men in hopes of saving her sister, despite their obvious seductive nature. When she declined their enticement of the fruit, they "Held her hands and squeezed their fruits, Against her mouth to make her eat" (ll. 406-07). Upon Lizzie’s homecoming after being attacked by the Goblins, she is beaten, bruised, and covered in the fruit. However, she eagerly requests Laura’s embrace: "Come and kiss me. Never mind my bruises, Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices . . . Eat me, drink me, love me; Laura, make much of me" (ll. 466-68; 471-72). Though a sexual nature is obvious from the above passages, they also signify the bonds of sisterhood and sacrifices made on the others behalf.
Seduction and Lust in Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market A seemingly innocent poem about two sisters’ encounters with goblin men, Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market” is a tale of seduction and lust. Behind the lattice of the classic mortal entrapment and escapement from fairyland, “Goblin Market” explores Laura’s desire for heterosexual knowledge, the goblin men’s desire for mortal flesh, and Laura and Lizzie’s desire for homosexual eroticism. Goblin men fascinate the sisters Laura and
Christina Rossetti’s poem, Goblin Market, was written in the Victorian era during a time of vast social change across Europe. Though the Victorian period was a time of female suppression and order, Rossetti exposed social stigmas and ideologies that are displayed through the journey of two sisters, Laura and Lizzie. Despite initial impressions of a childhood fairytale, the suggestive and multi-interpretive use of language signifies an underlying message of erotic sexual commentary and feminist views
of the links in the Goblin Market with the trauma suffered by these women. Goblin Market may well be read as a story of temptation, unrequited love, loss of innocence, and ultimately spiritual and social redemption aided love for his
The Treatment of Women in John Milton's Paradise Lost And Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market" In literary history, the theme of the apparent female inability to curb curiosity has been a reoccurring one. In Greek mythology, Psyche's curiosity proved her undoing, when she fetched a lamp to see her husband's features that had been proscribed to behold. In Perrault's "Bluebeard", the fatal effects of curiosity are again depicted, with his new bride succumbing to the temptation to open the one
In Goblin Market Christina Rossetti demonstrates a religious allegory in which the fallen must be redeemed by sacrifice. She begins in the first stanza by explaining the goblin’s cry. She describes it in such a way that makes the fruit seem so desirable. The comparison to religion is the story of Adam and Eve. Eve’s desire to taste the “forbidden fruit” gets the best of her, resulting in consequences. In the second stanza, Rossetti starts to show each sister's role in this allegory. By having Laura
Two of Christina Rossetti's narrative poems, Goblin Market and The Prince's Progress, feature themes of women in love who appear betrayed — at a number of levels and with varying effects — by false ideals, false lovers, or what is in the background of betrayal by false ideals and false lovers: innocence; specifically, innocence as a deceptive ignorance to flexibility. The results of shortened expectations and heightened consciousness among Rossetti's victims of love vary greatly. Some become malicious
"Goblin Market," one among Christina's most sexual poems, contains various analogies to sexual appetites, however it's unclear whether or not she was aware of these sexual innuendos. As her need for esthetical fulfillment becomes a lot more intense, Laura takes on the characteristics of a beast, recalling the fate of many lustful figures. Rossetti permits herself the total freedom of her poetic gifts: her musicality, her visual sense, and her ability in each narrative and lyric modes. The sisters
Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market One of the strongest emotions inherent in us as humans is desire. The majority of the time, we are unable to control what we crave; however, with practice, we learn not all things we want are necessary. As a result of this mature understanding, we are able to ease our feelings and sometimes even suppress our desires. Something even more mature is understanding that when we give in to our desires, we become vulnerable. In a harsh, brutal world, vulnerability
Jacqueline Rose defines children’s literature as a “seduction” or a “colonization” of the child in an imposition of the adult ideal of childhood (qtd. in Redcay). Criticism of children’s literature and all research about children is developed by adults who speak of the children on the basis of the assumption that children are inherently weaker and cannot speak for themselves, much like how colonizers speak for the colonized. There is a distortion in the way childhood is perceived and represented