Lizzie observes in very late autumn that Laura seems to be on the verge of death, and resolves to visit the goblin men to buy some of their fruits, which she believes will help soothe some of Laura’s pain. Having brought money with her, she is greeted by the goblins at the stream. However, their arguably friendly attitudes turn malicious, when she informs them that she wishes to pay with coin, and to take their fruits with her. They then physically assault her in an unsuccessful attempt to make her consume the fruits, in the process coating her with fruit juice and pulp. Lizzie afterwards runs home and directs Laura to eat/drink these substances off of her body, who having done so undergoes a transformation which initially seems to foretell her death. In the morning, however, Laura has returned to her old self, both physically and mentally. The last stanza indicates that both Laura and Lizzie live to tell their children of the evils of the goblin fruits and the overwhelming powers of sisterly love.
Ultimately, the tone of the poem is depressing and bitter even though it is simultaneously vivid and meaningful. For instance, the literary devices used in “Goblin Market” such as similies and metaphors illustrate sexual imagery. Another form of literary device employed is Enjambment, which is seen in several stanzas. In addition, Rossetti uses dichotomy where a poem combines contradictory parts or concepts into one.
Essentially, there are many possible themes to “Goblin Market”. Rossetti incorporates a bipartition of elements into Goblin Market involving sin and redemption. The basic example is when Laura, possibly the younger sister, disobeys Lizzie, seeks the goblins and chooses to eat their fruit. Thus Laura further lusts for the fruit after the goblins lose interest in her as she has been tainted and they seek other victims. Lizzie manages to visit the goblins where she refuses the fruits and thus they “coaxed and fought her, bullied and besought her, scratched her, pinched her black as ink.” In this scene, she gets juice “syruped” on her face, which she utilizes to cure Laura of her lust. This points out that while the goblins can attack the body, Lizzie will not permit the contamination of Laura’s soul or conscience.
Furthermore, women’s rights are brought into the poem as well. At the beginning of the poem, Laura is able to receive fruit after cutting off locks of her hair, which can possibly symbolize her virginity. “She clipped a precious golden lock, she dropped a tear more rare than pearl, then sucked their fruit globes fair or red.” The poem's tone toward this temptation and lust seems ambiguous, since the happy ending offers the possibility of redemption for Laura, while typical Victorian portrayals of the "fallen woman" ended in the fallen woman's death.
Moreover, sisterly love is addressed when Lizzie first warns Laura to stay away from the goblin men because she wishes to protect her. She then saves Laura from suffering by sacrificing herself ultimately choosing to endure the pain and misery. Moreover, there is a contrast between morning and evening, one content and one sick in part; one in day’s delight and one longing for night.
Fundamentally, sacrifice occurs when Lizzie goes to get fruit at the Goblin Marketplace for her dearly loved sister. Laura is deprived of everything else and only wants the taste of her luscious fruit in her mouth. Lizzie, being the “good” sister sacrifices herself just like Christ did for his people under Christianity. She underwent the torment of the goblins, the beatings, and the pain in order to please her sister, Laura.
Rossetti was a strong follower of the fundamentals of Christianity and so when she mentions staying away from the fruit the poem alludes to the story of Adam and Eve. It is important to note that in that story eating a fruit from the tree of knowledge and of good and evil caused the two to die as punishment. When Lizzie, goes to buy fruit from the goblins, she considers her dead friend Jeanie, “Who should have been a bride; but who for joys brides hope to have; fell sick and died.” Jeanie was a girl, whom similar to Laura, was swayed by the goblin men who went after virgins with the intention of making them perish at a very young age. Laura is slyly enticed to eat the forbidden fruit, which predictably results in great pain and ultimately her loss off innocence.
Overall, “Goblin Market” is a very compelling poem that was indubitably significant to Christina Rossetti. Throughout her lifetime, Rossetti claimed that the poem, despite featuring remarkable sexual imagery, is a children's poem. It has various allusions such as Adam and Eve, the forbidden fruit, and temptation among many other that touch upon overtly sexual concepts.
Goblin Market Outline
Structure:
-Narrative poem; a poem that tells a story
-Speaker is in third person perspective
-Rudimentary Framework
- 28 Stanzas
Characters:
- Laura is portrayed as an innocent girl in the beginning of the poem. But as she was intertwined by the goblin Men and their malicious acts, she changed and transformed into a ‘grey’ girl with a meaningless soul.
- Lizzie is depicted as a loving sister who sacrifices herself in order to see her sibling happy even if it torments her to watch Laura’s reaction to the fruits.
- The Goblin Men are seen as conniving and foul who take pride in selling their fruits and watching the girls who take the fruits, want more and more slowly withering down.
Mood:
-Depressing
-Bitter
-Vivid
-Colorful
Literary Devices:
-Metaphors (sexual imagery) and Similes
-Vivid Imagery
-Enjambment (second into third, 22 into 23)
-Dichotomy (its two opposites or contradictory parts together)
Possible Themes:
1) Lust/Sin + Redemption
2) Women’s Rights
3) Sisterly Love
4) Psychological / involving a balance
5) Sacrifice for loved ones
6) Day + Night?
1) Rossetti incorporates a dichotomy or a bipartition of elements, into Goblin’s Market involving Sin and Redemption. The basic example is when Laura (possibly the younger sister) disobeys Lizzie and sees the Goblins and eating their fruit. She then lusts for the fruit but the Goblins no longer exist in Laura’s eyes and ears because she already tasted their fruit. Lizzie Manages to go to the Goblins, refuse the fruits but get juices on her face which she uses to cure Laura of her Lust.
2) Women’s Rights are brought into the poem as well. Laura pays with a lock of her hair which possible symbolizes her virginity (I think). The Goblins are all men and they mistreat Lizzie when she refuses showing treatment of women. (I think).
3) Sisterly Love is addressed when Lizzie first warns Laura because she wishes to protect her and when she saves her from her Lust by putting herself through pain and dangers just to help her sister.
4) Psychological / Balance is addressed in different parts. (Morning and evening) (One content and one sick in part) (One in day’s delight and one longing for night)
5) Sacrifice occurs when Lizzie went to get fruit at the Goblin Market for Lizzie because of Laura’s desire for it. Laura was deprived of everything else and only wanted the taste of the luscious fruit in her mouth. Lizzie sacrifices herself just like Christ did for his people in Catholicism. She went through the torment of the goblins, the beatings and the pain in order to please her sister, Laura.
Side note:
Rossetti was a strong follower of the fundamentals of religion, so when she mentions staying away from the fruit, she reiterates the story of Adam and Eve and how eating a fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil caused the two to die as punishment. The same relates to Jeanie, she ate the Goblin’s fruit and in the end perished. Laura is slyly enticed to eat forbidden fruit, which predictably results in great pain and her lose of innocence.