Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market"

The narrative poem of Christina Rossetti called "Goblin Market," similar to a scary version of a fairytale, creates a feeling of disturbance and uses great symbolism for the idea of a fallen woman within the Victorian period.

Young women in this story hear the cries of goblin men who seductively describe the fruits they are offering. Laura and Lizzie, sisters, hear the goblins cry while drawing water from a brook. Laura is intrigued and directs her attention to the goblins, but Lizzie asks her not to. Laura stays and observes the goblins, who have animal-like physical qualities and charming sounds. Laura wishes to purchase their fruit but needs more money to do so. The goblins accept a lock of Laura's hair in exchange for the fruit, which she devours.

Laura arrives home to find her sister waiting for her. Lizzie criticizes Laura for staying out late and reminds her of Jeanie, a young woman who died after accepting fruit from goblins. Laura tries to comfort her sister by promising to bring back goblin fruit for Lizzie to try.

Laura yearns for the fruit but never hears them again. Laura's hair turns gray, and she ages prematurely as the years pass. Lizzie resolves to track down the goblins and buy some fruit for Laura, fearing she will pass away. The goblins are overjoyed to find Lizzie searching for them, and they attempt to entice her to eat their fruit. Lizzie, on the other hand, refuses, and the goblins assault her.

Throughout the night, Lizzie keeps an eye on Laura, checking her pulse, breathing, and supplying water. Laura regains her youth and embraces her sister. Years later, Laura and Lizzie tell their children about the predatory goblin men and their hazardous fruit, telling how her sister braved them to save her.

The fruits in the poem represent the temptations and passions that men are offering to women, and when a woman continues eating fruit, she becomes a "fallen woman" in society. While Laura is tempted by the fruit that goblin men are selling, her sister Lizzie is aware and afraid of the outcomes of this temptation. Also, offering a man the lock of your hair means offering yourself.

The fruit is turned from a sign of forbidden and fatal sexual impulses to a symbol of sacrifice and sisterly love as a result of Lizzie's deed of sacrifice. Laura can only be saved by her sister's bravery, and she tells her children, "There's no one like your own sister."

This makes sense when we consider that Christina Rossetti also helps the fallen women of society, so in a way, it can be considered as sisterly love and women supporting each other against "goblin men" and their dangerous fruits.

Resources Cited:

• Pouliot, Amber. "Goblin Market Symbols: The Goblin Men’s Fruit." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 7 Jun 2019. Web. 30 Dec 2023.
• Pouliot, Amber. "Goblin Market Plot Summary." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 7 Jun 2019. Web. 30 Dec 2023.
• Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti | Poetry Foundation