Goblin Market: A Children's Poem of Fantasy

"Goblin Market" is a children’s poem about goblins who try to sell fruits to two young maidens. In the town, only men are goblins, and they are trying to seduce the girls with their fruit.

In the poem, there are many characteristics of children's poems. Repetition is one of them. In every column, we see repetition and it draws children’s attention. Another characteristic is the use of lists; the poem contains long, detailed lists of fruits, making it very graphic and vivid.

The poem has a simple and nursery rhythmic scheme that makes it fun to read aloud. The poem also presents themes of good and evil. Evils are goblins. The girls should stay away from the goblins, and the poem contains moral messages that children should follow.

"Goblin Market" is a poem of fantasy that it captivates children's imagination. Laura gives up herself to the goblins’ fruit. She gives them the most precious part of her body to buy fruits. She becomes addicted and can think only of the fruit, eventually starving herself to death. Her sister, Lizzie, sacrifices herself to save Laura from death. Unlike Laura, she doesn’t give part of herself. She offers money to them for buying the fruit but goblins don’t want any money, they want Lizzie herself but Lizzie fights them off and wins, emerging as a heroic figure. She can be seen as a feminist figure for her strenght and resistance.

The poem includes a cautionary tale about a girl named Jeanie, who, like Laura, buys the fruit and becomes addicted, ultimately dying from her addiction. This serves as a moral lesson for Laura and the reader.

The poem blends supernatural and natural elements and is rich with oıetic devices. It makes the poem richer and easier to read. Throughout the poem, we see alliteration, metaphor, symbol, repetition, contrast, and simile. These devices enhance the poem's richness and readability, making it enjoyable for readers.

Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti | Poetry Foundation