Introduction
Goblin Market is a poem composed in April 1859 and published by Christina Rossetti in 1862. The poem narrates how Laura is enticed by the goblins and eats the fruits they sell to get money. It has 567 lines rhyming with the main themes and expressing various characters. Lizzie, Laura’s sister, is against the “fruit call” since it has many consequences. Laura grows sick from negligence, making Lizzie visit the goblin’s glen to get more fruits. Christina Rossetti, in her poem, uses the art of language, imagery, and form to demonstrate a world of mystery and temptations and how it affects individuals.
Biography of the Author
Christina Rossetti was born on December 5, 1830, in London. She was known for her poetry dedication and focus on fantasy, religion, and children’s poems (Goodman 182). Christina was the sister to Dante Gabriel and the youngest child in her family. When her family was experiencing a financial crisis in 1853, she supported her mother in maintaining a school in Rome.
She attended an Anglican church where she utilized religious poems to illustrate the lifestyle of Christians. Grave’s disease attacked her in 1871, and a thyroid complication put her life in danger. Despite the condition, she continued with her literal work without giving up. Later, she died on December 29, 1984, having attained many achievements in poetry.
Summary of the Story
The poem presents a narration of two sisters and their encounter with goblin merchants. The first line of the story describes the effort made by goblin men to attract fruit customers. The term fruits have a hidden meaning, and Lizzie is aware of it. She warns his sister, but due to negligence, she tastes the fruit and becomes addicted to it. This makes her desire more, but globin does not give her. Her wiser sister looks for ways to return her to beauty and youth. The poem ends by indicating that both sisters got married and gave birth. They make their children aware of society’s evils caused by the goblin fruits and the need to love each other as siblings.
Theme Analysis
The primary themes illustrated in the poem are love and sisterhood. She explains the disappointments associated with love, especially betrayal “Day after Day, night after night, Laura kept watch in vain, in sullen silence of exceeding pain. She never caught again the goblin cry: “Come buy, come buy (Rossetti 7)”.
Further, the temptation faced by young women makes them disobey traditional beliefs. Sisterhood is demonstrated when Lizzie makes efforts to warn her sister of men and their efforts to attract women for sex “Till Lizzie urged, “O Laura, come, I hear the fruit-call, but I dare not look: You should not loiter longer at this brook: Come with me home (Rossetti 6).” Lizzie has love for her sister and would not like to see her fall into temptations.
Character Analysis
Lizzie is caring as she guides her sister from falling into the goblin men’s. She gives her advice by emphasizing on the need to be more cautious with life “Dear, you should not stay so late; Twilight is not good for maidens; should not loiter in the glen in the haunts of goblin men (Rossetti 4)”.
Laura, on the other hand, is foolish since she despises the advice and later regrets “Then sat up in a passionate yearning, and gnashed her teeth for balked desire, and wept as if her heart would break (Rosseti 5). The goblin men are evil since they attract ladies intending to have sex with them without taking responsibility “Day after Day, night after night, Laura kept watch in vain, in sullen silence of exceeding pain (Rossetti 7)”. This indicates their irresponsible nature since they are after sex only.
Conclusion
In summary, the poem illustrates themes of love and sisterhood. Lizzie is concerned about Laura’s welfare and ensures that nothing affects her emotionally or physically. Love is accompanied by betrayal, whereby the goblin men no longer focus on women’s needs after engaging with them sexually. A specific comparative story that can be compared with this poem illustrates the love of Jesus. He warns individuals from sin and temptation; despite this, they ignore and engage in destructive activities. The poem points out the moral of respect, obedience, and care.
Works Cited
Goodman. “‘No, Thank You’: Polite Anger from Christina Rossetti to Christine Blasey Ford.” Victorian Studies, vol. 62, no. 2, 2020, p. 182. Web.
Rossetti, Christina. “Goblin Market.” Penguin Books UK. Web.