The Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti

Born in 1830 London, Christina came from a family of renown artists and poets.  Her brother, Dante was a prominent artist of the Pre-Raphaelite movement and although she was not an official member of the brotherhood, she was a crucial member of the circle.  In fact, her most famous poem “Goblin Market” marked the first major literary success of the group.  Exposed to nature and the wilderness in the British countryside, Christina often refers to these themes of freedom in her works.  Philanthropic, feminist, and political messages were also present in her writing, as she did much charity work for single mothers and addressed starvation and inequality in Britain.  As a prominent Victorian poet of her time, her personable style made her writing both enjoyable and engaging, though deeper meanings have often been interpreted from her works.

Goblin’s Market

This narrative poem is about two sisters, Laura and Lizzie who live by themselves by a stream.  One evening, the sisters hear goblin merchants calling, selling their fantastic fruit- not for money, but for a lock of Laura’s hair and a teardrop as well.  Laura devours the delicious fruit and returns home, while Lizzie remains sober from the goblins’ fruit.  By the next evening, Laura finds that she is addicted to the fruit, but can no longer hear the calling of the goblin merchants.  Lizzie however can, but vows not to buy the fruit.  Months path, and Laura’s health begins to diminish, a sort of withdrawal effect of the fruit.  Her sister goes to the market in the middle of winter and attempts to buy via a silver penny.  The goblins are enraged by her method of payment and assault her with fruit, drenching her in juice and pulp.  Lizzie runs home and is able to feed her sister juices from the mess covering her.  Laura violently recovers, and returns to her old self.  The two sisters live to tell their children of the evil of the goblins’ fruits and the powers of sisterly love.

Theme:  the importance of family and the strength of sisterhood.

Symbolism: Allusion to the biblical account of “The Fall” and the forbidden fruit of Eden

This challenges the patriarchal hierarchy of Victorian culture, as the Christian story is reconstructed with a different outcome- the redemption of the female!  Rossetti was a strong advocate for feminist ideals and the overarching significance of the story capitalizes on this fact.

Purpose and Controversy: Rossetti was diagnosed with “religious mania” as a young lady and her promotion of virginity was parallel to the Catholic belief of Mary’s eternal virginity.  Moreover, when Laura defiles herself and offers up her hair to the Goblins, terrible things happen.  Though she is initially satisfied, her appetite becomes insatiable over time- not unlike the effects of lust and adulterous sin that went on in British brothels and prostitution rings.  This promotion of abstinence was very much conveyed in Rossetti’s story and because of its sexual implications, came the banning of such a story claiming to be a “children’s story”.