2.1 Goblin Market

Christina Rossetti was a London born poet in the 1800's who's works varied from childrens to romance poems. She is best known for her works Goblin Market , Remember and In the Bleak Midwinter.

Christina Rossetti had 2 brothers and Sister who each became accomplished artist and writers themselves.

Christina died of Breast Cancer in December 29

      The poem Goblin Market begins with a description of a world where Goblins tempt maidens with forbidden fruit. These fruits seem to have a symbolic connection with Christianity. The apple and pomegranate for example ,usually represent  the fruits Adam and Eve plucked from the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.   Fruits can also implicate  sexual undertones in the poem, They are described luscious,ripe,full and fine. Plump unchecked cherries can also symbolize the maidens virginity.     
      So in the poem two sisters Lizzie and Lauren seem to be walking by this Goblin market. Lauren is said to be ‘bowing her head’ to hear the goblins better while Lizzie is covering her blushes illustrating the . To blush is to indicate shame or modesty. Lauren although listening to the goblins cry, tells her sister to ‘lie close’ warning her not to look at the goblin men or buy their fruits. Later its Lauren herself that stops her restraint and is tempted into having a taste with the price being her hair. cutting  women's hair is symbolically taking her virginity and femininity. The passage following where she is eating the fruits seems to be used to indicate her doing a sexual act

                  "she sucked and sucked and sucked some more
fruits which that unknown orchard bore,she sucked until her lips were sore"

After having her fill Lauren returns home not aware of the time,not even if it is night or day.Lizzie reprimands her telling her isn't save for maidens to be out so late,reminding her sister about a girl names Jeanie who gave into the Goblins temptation and died pining away. The next day Lauren becomes obsessed with the fruits she tasted the day before and goes to the goblins market where she finds,unlike her sister that she no longer can hear them. Lauren goes home where she is filled with "passionate desire" waking up full of desire and weeping for what she can no longer have. Lauren spends her days like this trying to hear the goblins,eating nothing and finally beginning to wither away.

Lizzie could not bear her sister that way and goes to the Goblins and demands they give her many fruits offering compensation. The goblins become angry when Lizzie makes it clear she will not stay and eat the fruits,that they are for another.The Goblins turn violent and in trying to force her into eating the fruits they drench her in the fluids and she offers herself like a sacrifice to her sister. Lauren alarmed asks her sister if she ruined herself aswell by eating the fruits but Lizzie just tells her to

"eat me,drink me,love

Laura,make much of me"

Laura kisses her sister and in tasting the fruits juices reacts rather violently,beating her chest,tearing her gown, finally regreting having ever tasted the fruits and then passing out. When she finally wakes up she is back to her old self innocent self and in the end the sisters share this story to their children.


I think that lizzie fits the Altruist achetype.An Altruist is said to be free of ego,passioin and desire and is sacrificing.




http://www.three-musketeers.net/mike/eyes.html
http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/communication/meta-elements/pdf/thesis06.fazekas.pdf