Summary
Introduction
Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market," one of her most famous and discussed works, stands out as a rare narrative poem among her writings. At 567 lines, it tells the story of two sisters, Laura and Lizzie, who confront the allure and danger of a group of sinister goblin merchants. Beneath its fairytale-like surface, the poem explores deep themes of temptation, desire, consequences, and self-sacrificial love.
The poem is fast-paced, with shifting rhythms and compelling rhymes that pull the reader through its 29 stanzas. Rossetti's vivid imagery and intricate language guide readers through Laura and Lizzie's harrowing encounter with the goblin market, where forbidden fruit promises satisfaction but delivers only peril.
Poem Summary
The poem opens with the cry of goblin men offering a wide array of luscious orchard fruits to young maidens, urging them to "Come buy, come buy." Laura and Lizzie, two golden-haired sisters, often hear the goblins' call as they sit by the brook. Lizzie warns Laura not to look at or buy from the goblins, but Laura cannot resist. Laura watches the goblins as Lizzie covers her eyes, intrigued by their animal-like forms and cooing voices.
Driven by temptation, Laura approaches the goblins despite having no money to pay. The goblins accept one of her golden curls in exchange for the fruit. She indulges in a frenzied feast, overwhelmed by the sweetness of the fruit, until she loses track of time. Later, with a single seed in her hand, she returns home to her waiting sister.
Lizzie, cautious and concerned, reminds Laura of Jeanie, a girl who once ate the goblins' fruit and wasted away. Laura dismisses the warning, relishing her experience. But the next evening, when they return to the brook, Laura can no longer hear the goblins' call, even though Lizzie can. Despair sets in as Laura realizes she can no longer satisfy her desire for the fruit. She gradually begins to wither, her hair graying and her vitality draining away.
Seeing her sister's decline, Lizzie resolves to save her. She bravely approaches the goblins, offering them a silver penny for their fruit. But they refuse her money, demanding that she join them in eating. Lizzie resists, even as they try to force the fruit upon her. The goblins lash out, but Lizzie stands firm, refusing to taste the fruit. The goblins, feeling defeated, return her money, and Lizzie hurries home, covered in their fruit juices.
Back home, Lizzie urges Laura to kiss the juices from her face, saying, "Eat me, drink me, love me." As Laura does, the taste of the juice burns her, breaking the spell. In agony, she finally overcomes her longing, and by morning, she is restored to her former self, her hair golden again, and her health returned.
Years later, Laura and Lizzie, now mothers, tell their children the story of the goblin men, warning them of the dangers of temptation and the power of sisterly love.
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