Christina Rossetti was born in London England in 1830. She was sixty-four years old when she died from breast cancer. Rossetti suffered periods of depression throughout her life and this is seen in some of her poems. She became very religious and experienced two failed engagements due to religious differences. It was suggested that she was confused about her sexual orientation and many believe that "Goblin Market" is a depiction of that. Goblin Market is believed to involve "temptation and salvation, ...gender roles and female agency, and erotic desire and social redemption." (Wikipedia) Some also ration that the poem was "inspired by the 'fallen women' she came to know" during volunteering at a church containing ex-prostitutes.
"Goblin Market" was about two very young sisters who encountered goblins selling fruit, while fetching water by a river. One of the sisters, Lizzie, advised Laura not to eat the tempting fruit of the goblin-men because she had a friend who suffered then died after eating their fruit. Lizzie proceeded home, but Laura decided to stay behind and ended up buying fruit, with a strand of her hair, and ate it. The fruit was insanely delicious and satisfying until Laura found herself deaf and blind the following day. Over time, she was no longer willing to perform her duties as before and eventually submitted to her disabilities and depression. Laura began to die and it was at this point that Lizzie decided to buy, with real money, fruit to take home from the goblins. The goblins then beat Lizzie and forced her to eat the fruit because they wanted a piece of her person as payment for the fruit and to see her eat it with their own eyes. When she was released by the goblins, Lizzie still had the juice in her mouth. She went home and had Laura drink the juices from her mouth. The next day, Laura was back to normal again. Eventually, the two sisters married men, made children, and told them about the dangers of eating from the goblins and how grateful they were to be loving, supportive sisters.
Part of the title -
Market - reveals that a valued item will be exchanged for a desired item
.
Evening - mentioned in line 1, tells us that darkness is eminent, light will not be seen for a period of time, and that mystery, evil, and danger await. Also in line 1, -
Morning - expresses that something is new, fresh, untainted, and beautiful.
Line 2 speaks of -
Maids - who are viewed as being submissive, inferior, pure, innocent virgins.
The term -
Fruit - in line 3 reminds us of forbidden temptations, the birth of evil, and healthy, sweet, nutrient-rich foods.
In line 4 -
"Come buy, come buy" - means come to us and pay a price for something that we think you want.
Summer (line 16) - represents brightness, something full of sun, light, warmth, freedom. During the summer months, less clothing is worn, people enjoy swimming, greenery, and all of the flowers are in full bloom.
Brookside in line 33 represents the beginning of life since water was present before the formation of Heaven & Earth. It also reminds us that water is the birth of life, necessary for survival and formation, and that more than 70% of Earth and the body is made of water.
The body parts mentioned in lines 34-41
(arms, cheeks, lips, finger tips, head) - represent parts of the body that can sin or cause one to sin by being the source of transportation of the fruit to the body. Without fingertips, the fruit cannot be held, without the arms, the fruit cannot be brought forth to the mouth, without lips, the fruit cannot be consumed, without cheeks, the fruit cannot be contained, without a head, which holds the brain, the body cannot tell these body parts to move in order for the fruit to end up in the person's possession initially.
The title and line 49 tells us that -
Goblins - defined as
a grotesque sprite or elf that is mischievous or malicious toward people, are a major part of the poem.
Evil gifts - mentioned in line 66, which is only one number short of the complete formation of 666, provides evidence of forbidden and/or unwanted pleasures surfacing.
Lines 71-74 speak of -
Cat/Rat/Snail/Wombat - which are all seen as insignificant animals that like to burrow to hide themselves or are bottom-feeders, which represents the "low class" categorization of the goblins.
In line 82 a -
Swan - is mentioned which expressed something or someone who is beautiful and elegant.
The -
Cry - mentioned in line 89 expresses a sense of mourning, depression, and the loss of water, which is equal to the loss of life.
Line 113 clearly tells us that these men are liars when it was written - Cried "Pretty Goblin"- because goblins are ugly, evil, and mischievous.
The craving that says "give us a piece of your body, a part of your body closest to your mind for us to control and spend however we desire." is expressed in line 125 when the goblins encourage Lizzie to - "Buy from us with a golden curl".
A -
Sister - (line 164) is a feminine supporter, who has unconditional love for her siblings.
The -
Kiss - mentioned in line 168 represents an entry way to the body where the mouth takes in food that nourishes the body; however, food can also be ridden with deadly poison.
Lines 184-190 and 198-198 says-
Golden head by golden head, Like two pigeons in one nest, Folded in each other's wings, They lay down in their curtain'd bed: Like two blossoms on one stem, Like two flakes of new-fall'n snow, Like two wands of ivory...Cheek to cheek and breast to breast, Lock'd together in one nest. Nest represents the comfort and security of a warm home.
Wings expresses a place of angelic peace and something that is graceful and tender. A
Curtain'd bed represents something that is full of secrets and forbidden pleasures.
Two blossoms on one stem tells us that they are of the same root and blood because they share the same parents.
New-fall'n snow tells us that there is something pure, fresh, and untainted that will be brought down.
Cheek to cheek paints a picture of one being on top of another in a tight embrace.
Breast to breast clearly states that they are naked, raw, feminine, and passionate.
Line 259 tells us that Lizzie has gone -
Blind - which represents that her gateway to knowledge closed.
When she also becomes-
Deaf - she becomes stubborn and ignorant to many things.
The words together in line 259
- Gone deaf and blind - tells us that she is shut down to the world, partially unconscious and that she does not want to hear or see what the town's folk are saying or the looks they are giving. It is also know that a lose of a sense increases the others to make up for the lack of lost senses; therefore, her sense of smell, touch, and taste are heightened.
The archetypes that I found in the poem are the market, Lizzie, Laura, the goblins, and the children. I believe that these are archetypes because the market represents a place where buyers are typically persuaded to buy items that they know they should refuse or do not need. In markets, people exchange things of value for things that they desire. Lizzie and Laura represent virgins who represent purity and innocence. Lizzie represents God and Jesus and Laura represents the sinner. Lizzie slightly represents God when she advised Laura not to buy or eat the fruit, to resist temptation. Lizzie represents Jesus because she risked her life in order to save Laura, the sinner, so that she could either live or perish peacefully. As a result of this, Lizzie healed her sister who became deaf and blind, just as Jesus did in the Bible. The goblins represent the biblical serpent who persuaded Laura to buy and eat the fruit that was forbidden. The children at the end of the poem represent eternal life and the result of sexual acts performed between a man and a woman, as intended by God.
I interpreted "Goblin Market" as a poem referencing homosexuality, incest, love, temptation, and depression, but is based on the sin of homosexuality in the Bible and its consequences. I believe Laura wanted to be lovers with her sister, Lizzie. I gathered that Laura was convinced by these men to give in to her temptations and act on her desires. Laura's eating of the fruits symbolizes her giving in to her desires, hormones, and pleasuring her body with her sisters. I do not believe that they actually had sex with each other, but Laura wanted to and her body found pleasure by holding her sister and feeling her breasts against her own. Lizzie was not punished because she was unaware of Laura's thoughts and cravings and did not possess the same temptation. The night that Laura ate the fruit is the only night referenced where Laura wanted to initiate sex. It was the following morning that Laura found herself deaf and blind, apparently punished by God and giving the goblins; the Devil, the satisfaction they craved. It was only until Lizzie (Jesus) risked her life for her sister that Laura was revived so that "whosoever believed in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."(Bible) This is proven to be true by the children that Laura and Lizzie created who will continue to carry on their lives; and therefore, live eternally.
Wikipedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_Rossetti
Dictionary -
http://dictionary.reference.com/
Bible - John 3:16
