goblins’ wares.

Frequently Rossetti will employ rhetorical parallelism, with syntax extended for several lines to suggest comparison and contrast between the two sisters through repetition of prepositional phrasing:

Like two blossoms on one stem,Like two flakes of new-fall’n snow,Like two wands of ivory (lines 188190).

She also employs repetition of absolutes, as in “One content, one sick in part” (line 212). In other stages of the poem, Rossetti further spellbinds readers with extensive couplet rhyming. In mood, the reader is in a “once upon a time” world, belying the seriousness of its theme. In short, through technique, Rossetti captures the outer allure of the temptation experience.

There also exists an ingenuous symmetry of plot, conforming to the symmetry found within lines as means to establishing comparison and contrast. In the story, both sisters confront the goblins, though with different results. One indulges and loses part of herself in the yielding of the lock of hair; the other pays nothing and returns with her money. The one is overcome; the other overcomes.

In its imagery, the poem exhibits resemblances to the aims of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a movement with which both Rossetti and her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti were associated, along with William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, and John Millais. For the Pre-Raphaelites, every detail mattered in the securing of ultimate moral ends. In art, they practiced a narrative painting—sincere, unsentimental, and unadorned. For Pre-Raphelites, color was significant in suggesting spiritual truths. In “Goblin Market,” Rossetti employs white, gold and blue in association with Lizzie (lines 408421), suggesting virginity and saintliness. Orange, which she also employs, had a traditional emblem of purity and fecundity.

Despite the Pre-Raphaelite themes and coloring, Rossetti’s poetry never manifests the ornateness of her brother’s later style. As befits the religious poet generally, hers is a style reflective of humility and of interest in the afterworld as a reality worth seeking. Ironically, it was her “Goblin Market,” with its combination of fantasy and religious moralism, that first won an audience for the brotherhood.

There can be no question but that this deeply pious poet was influenced in her fondness for parataxis (the repetitive use of phrases and clauses without connectors), rhetorical parallelism, and plain diction by the King James Bible. In the dictional element, Rossetti seems to be drawing directly on New Testament themes in association with the sacrificial Jesus, as in the use of the term “wormwood.”

Laura and Lizzie, who are sisters, reside in the countryside, though the exact time and location are irrelevant to the narrative. The fantastical events could unfold in any setting. Every morning and evening, a band of goblin men traverse the glen, chanting, "Come buy, come buy." They attempt to peddle extraordinarily tempting fruit, which seemingly originates from a distant, warm, and enchanting land.

Goblin Market attracts a diverse audience. Many readers are drawn to its unusual setting, eerie atmosphere, captivating characters, or the grotesque goblin men. Goblin Market has often been published separately for children, sometimes featuring elaborate illustrations. Those with an interest in religious studies find the poem offers a rich depiction of Christian themes such as sin, suffering, sacrifice, and redemption. Feminists and gender studies scholars value the poem's female perspective on male/female and female/female dynamics. Furthermore, almost everyone can relate to a character who makes a poor decision but is ultimately rescued by a devoted, selfless friend.

Goblin Market also serves as a fascinating exploration of language and poetic techniques. Rossetti’s language appears simple but is carefully crafted. She skillfully uses various forms of rhyme and meter. Her similes and metaphors frequently enchant the attentive reader. For instance, to describe seeing the goblin men: "Laura stretched her gleaming neck/ Like a rush-imbedded swan,/ Like a lily from the beck,/ Like a moonlit poplar branch,/ Like a vessel at the launch/ When its last restraint is gone." Throughout the poem, Rossetti effectively employs symbols to convey deeper meanings and relationships.

Readers or parents might worry about Goblin Market's potential for religious and sexual interpretations. However, such worries are likely unwarranted. The poem can be highly rewarding without delving into these themes, although many readers find it beneficial to explore the poem from multiple viewpoints. The religious interpretation, while older and more prevalent, is less overt. The poem primarily serves as a broad commentary on earthly redemption through love. In fact, only a few subtle biblical references directly mention Jesus, and these can be seen as poetic comparisons that elevate Lizzie's actions by association.

The sexual and feminist elements may seem apparent to those actively searching for them, but for over a century, they went largely unnoticed. If anything, Goblin Market advocates for sexual abstinence before marriage and provides a message of hope and redemption for those in need.

Charles, Edna Kotin. Christina Rossetti: Critical Perspectives, 1862-1982. Selinsgrove, PA: Susquehanna University Press, 1985. This study explores various critical interpretations of Rossetti's works.

Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1979. This sophisticated work provides what is perhaps the definitive feminist analysis of Goblin Market.

Lang, Cecil B., ed. The Pre-Raphaelites and Their Circle. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1975. This book offers a concise explanation of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, led by Rossetti's brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and includes poetry from all the poets in this group, including Christina Rossetti.

Weathers, Winston. "Christina Rossetti: The Sisterhood of Self." Victorian Poetry 3 (1965): 81-89. This article provides an insightful analysis of the concept of the divided self in Goblin Market.