“Come buy, come buy!”
— The goblin men calling out their wares.
Archivist's Choice
Goblin Market
Christina Rossetti (2018)
Genre
Fantasy
Reading Time
30 min
Key Themes
See below
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Two sisters navigate a perilous market of alluring goblin fruit, confronting temptation, sacrifice, and the power of sisterly love in a Victorian fantasy.
Synopsis
Laura and Lizzie are two innocent sisters living by a brook where, every evening, mysterious goblin men appear, hawking their luscious, exotic fruits. Lizzie warns her sister to ignore their calls, remembering their friend Jeanie who wasted away after tasting the goblins' wares. Laura, however, is captivated by the men and their beautiful, forbidden fruits. One evening, unable to resist, Laura trades a lock of her golden hair for a taste of their magical produce. She enjoys a moment of intense pleasure, but when she returns home, she finds she can no longer hear the goblins' calls or see their market, and the fruit she saved turns to ash. Laura begins to waste away, consumed by a desperate longing for the fruit she can no longer obtain.
Seeing her sister's decline, Lizzie resolves to save Laura. She goes to the market, determined to buy fruit from the goblins, but she refuses to eat it. The goblins, enraged by her resistance, assault her, trying to force the fruit upon her. Lizzie endures their abuse, her face and body smeared with the fruit's juices. She returns home, calling for Laura to 'kiss me, kiss me, kiss me' and taste the 'nectar' on her skin. Laura, in a desperate embrace, drinks the juices from Lizzie's body. This act, initially painful, purges the poison from Laura's system, restoring her health and innocence. The sisters live to tell their children of the dangers and the strength of sisterly love.
Reading time
30 min
Difficulty
Medium
Pacing
Moderate
Mood
Mysterious, Ethereal, Dark, Redemptive
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy classic Victorian poetry, allegorical tales, and stories exploring temptation, sacrifice, and sisterly love.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer modern, straightforward narratives and dislike poetic language or symbolic storytelling.
Plot Summary
The Allure of the Goblin Men
Every evening, sisters Laura and Lizzie hear the calls of the goblin men hawking their exotic fruits by a nearby brook. The goblins, described as animalistic and grotesque, display an array of luscious, ripe fruits – 'pine-apples, and pomegranates, / Dates and mulberries, / Wild free-born cranberries.' Lizzie, the more cautious sister, reminds Laura of Jeanie, a friend who 'pined away' after eating the goblins' fruit and died, never to be found again. Lizzie urges Laura to resist, warning her not to even look at the tempting market, but Laura, drawn by curiosity and the intoxicating sounds, lingers and gazes at the display.
Laura Succumbs to Temptation
Despite Lizzie's warnings, Laura cannot resist the goblin market. She approaches the goblin men, who are initially wary. When she realizes she has no money, the goblins, with 'sly' and 'evil' eyes, suggest she pay with a lock of her golden hair. Without hesitation, Laura cuts off a 'golden curl' and offers it to them. The goblins accept her payment, and Laura gorges herself on the sweet, intoxicating fruits until she is satisfied, experiencing intense pleasure. She then returns home, leaving the market behind.
The Aftermath and Laura's Decline
After her feast, Laura feels an intense craving for the goblin fruit the next morning. However, when she goes to the brookside, she can no longer hear the goblins' calls or see their market. Lizzie, who was always able to see and hear them, still can, but Laura is now blind and deaf to their presence. Laura's health quickly declines; her 'golden hair grew grey,' her 'fair curled up,' and her 'eyes grew dim,' mirroring Jeanie's fate. She stops eating, cries constantly, and becomes a shadow of her former self, slowly wasting away from her longing for the forbidden fruit.
Lizzie's Desperate Plan
Seeing Laura's rapid decline and fearing for her sister's life, Lizzie resolves to help. She understands that Laura is dying from the absence of the fruit and believes the only cure is to obtain more of it. Despite her deep fear and knowledge of the goblins' treachery, Lizzie gathers a 'silver penny' and prepares to go to the market herself. She is determined to face the goblin men, not to taste their fruit, but to bring some back for Laura, hoping to break the curse that is slowly killing her sister.
Lizzie Faces the Goblins
Lizzie approaches the goblin market, and unlike Laura, the goblins immediately surround her, recognizing her as Jeanie's sister. They aggressively offer her their most tempting fruits, trying to entice her to eat. Lizzie, however, stands firm, refusing to taste their wares. She offers her silver penny and asks to buy some fruit to take home. The goblins, enraged by her resistance and their inability to ensnare her as they did Laura, grow increasingly hostile, seeing her refusal as an insult and a challenge.
The Goblins' Assault
Furious at Lizzie's refusal to eat their fruit, the goblin men turn violent. They surround her, pulling at her dress, scratching her, and 'tore her gown and soil'd her stocking,' attempting to force the fruit upon her. They 'claw'd her, pinch'd her, kick'd her, cuff'd her, / Mauled and mock'd her.' They smear her face and body with the pulpy juice of their fruits, hoping to force her to consume it indirectly or to at least mark her with its intoxicating essence. Despite the physical assault, Lizzie remains resolute, keeping her lips tightly closed, refusing to open her mouth.
Lizzie's Triumphant Return
After their futile attempts to make her eat, the goblins, exhausted and defeated by Lizzie's resistance, eventually give up their attack. They leave her bruised and battered, but triumphant. Lizzie, covered in the sticky, sweet, and potent juices of the goblin fruit, rushes home with urgency. She does not carry any actual fruit, but her entire being is drenched in its essence, making her a living conduit for the cure Laura needs. She runs through the 'glimmering moonlit path' to reach her dying sister.
Laura's Redemption
Lizzie bursts into their home, calling to Laura, 'Come and kiss me. / Never mind my bruises.' She urges Laura to 'Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices,' offering her body as the vessel for the healing fruit. Laura, in her weakened state, embraces Lizzie and eagerly drinks the potent, sweet-and-sour juices from her sister's face and neck. The taste is initially 'wormwood to her tongue,' a bitter poison, but then it transforms into a 'fire' that courses through her veins. This intense experience purges the goblin's spell, and Laura's health is instantly restored. Her 'eyes grew bright,' her 'hair grew gold again,' and she is 'sweeter than ever.'
The Sisters' Future
With Laura fully recovered and the goblin spell broken, the sisters live out their lives in peace and happiness. The goblin men are never heard or seen again, their market seemingly vanished. Laura and Lizzie grow old, marry, and have children of their own. They frequently recount the tale of the goblin market to their children, emphasizing the moral lesson of sisterly love and the dangers of temptation. They teach their children that 'There is no friend like a sister / In calm or stormy weather,' solidifying the poem's message of familial bond and mutual protection.
Principal Figures
Laura
The Protagonist
Laura falls from a state of innocence into a cursed illness due to her impulsive desires, but is ultimately saved and restored by her sister's sacrifice.
Lizzie
The Protagonist
Lizzie maintains her purity and moral strength in the face of temptation and violence, ultimately becoming the savior who redeems her fallen sister.
The Goblin Men
The Antagonists
The goblins remain static in their malevolent nature, attempting to ensnare and destroy, but are ultimately defeated by Lizzie's purity and sisterly love.
Jeanie
The Mentioned
Jeanie's story is a completed tragic arc that serves as a static warning, rather than an active character arc.
Themes & Insights
Temptation and Forbidden Pleasure
The poem explores the allure of forbidden pleasure, personified by the goblins' exotic and delicious fruits. Laura's initial fascination and eventual surrender to temptation highlight the powerful nature of desires that are deemed dangerous or illicit. The immediate gratification Laura experiences is contrasted with the severe, lasting consequences, showing how fleeting pleasure can lead to suffering. This theme is clear when Laura 'sucked their fruit globes dry' and then experienced 'longing, deep longing' for what was no longer accessible, leading to her physical and mental decay.
“She suck'd their fruit globes dry; she suck'd them dry as thirsty lips can do. / Then suck'd again a finer pleasure, touch'd with a new wild feeling.”
Sisterly Love and Sacrifice
The bond between Laura and Lizzie is the emotional core of the poem, representing an unconditional and redemptive love. Lizzie's willingness to risk her own life and purity to save her sister, enduring the goblins' abuse, is the ultimate act of self-sacrifice. This theme emphasizes the strength in family ties and the power of love to overcome evil and restore what is lost. Lizzie's actions directly contrast with Laura's initial self-indulgence, showing how true love prioritizes another's well-being over personal safety or desire. The poem concludes by celebrating this enduring bond as the greatest protection.
“For there is no friend like a sister / In calm or stormy weather; / To cheer one on the tedious way, / To fetch one if one goes astray, / To lift one if one totters down, / To strengthen whilst one stands.”
Redemption and Restoration
Laura's journey from a fallen state to full recovery illustrates the theme of redemption. After her indulgence in the forbidden fruit leads to a life-threatening illness, she is offered a path to restoration through Lizzie's intervention. Lizzie's act of bringing the antidote (the fruit juices from her own body) allows Laura to purge the poison and return to her former health and purity. This redemption is both physical and spiritual, signifying a triumph over the corrupting influence of the goblins and a return to a state of grace, emphasizing hope and second chances.
“Her gleaming locks showed not one thread of grey, / Her cheek to rosy health return'd, her eyes / Grew bright again to hear and see.”
The Dangers of the Patriarchy and Sexual Temptation
While often interpreted through a religious lens, 'Goblin Market' can also be read as a cautionary tale about the dangers women face in a patriarchal society, especially concerning sexual temptation and its consequences. The goblin men, with their animalistic features and aggressive sales tactics, represent predatory male figures who exploit female vulnerability. The 'forbidden fruit' can be a metaphor for illicit sexual experience, leading to a 'fall' (like Jeanie and Laura's illness) that results in social isolation or ruin. Lizzie's resistance and subsequent 'rescue' of Laura can symbolize female solidarity and resistance against such predatory forces, reclaiming agency and purity.
“We must not look at goblin men, / We must not buy their fruits: / Who knows upon what soil they fed / Their hungry thirsty roots?”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
The Goblin Fruit
A magical, addictive fruit that causes illness and longing.
The goblin fruit serves as the central magical element and a powerful symbol of temptation. Its deliciousness is intoxicating and addictive, yet it brings a curse to those who consume it from the goblins directly. It causes a profound, insatiable craving that leads to physical and mental deterioration, as seen in Laura and Jeanie. The fruit's dual nature—initially pleasurable, then poisonous—is key to the plot, driving Laura's fall and Lizzie's heroic quest. It functions as both the source of the problem and, indirectly, the source of the cure when Lizzie's body becomes infused with its essence.
The Sisterly Bond
An unbreakable bond of love and loyalty that provides redemption.
The deep, unconditional love between Laura and Lizzie acts as a powerful plot device for redemption. It is Lizzie's profound affection and unwavering loyalty that motivates her to undertake the dangerous mission to save Laura. This bond is explicitly presented as the ultimate antidote to the goblins' evil, demonstrating that love can overcome the most insidious forms of corruption. The sisters' relationship is not just a thematic element but a driving force that enables the plot's resolution, providing the strength and purity necessary to break the goblin's spell and restore Laura.
The Cautionary Tale of Jeanie
A previous victim whose tragic fate foreshadows Laura's experience.
Jeanie's story, recounted by Lizzie early in the poem, serves as a significant plot device. It foreshadows Laura's eventual decline and emphasizes the grave dangers of interacting with the goblin men. Jeanie's fate—'pined away' and died after tasting the fruit—establishes the high stakes of the sisters' encounter with the goblins. Her memory acts as a constant reminder of the peril, intensifying the dramatic tension and highlighting Lizzie's prudence while underscoring Laura's impulsive nature. It also provides a benchmark for the severity of Laura's illness.
The Goblins' Transformation/Disappearance
The goblins' change in behavior and eventual vanishing after Lizzie's defiance.
The goblins' shift from cunning merchants to aggressive attackers when Lizzie refuses their fruit, and their subsequent disappearance after she triumphs, is a crucial plot device. Their violence underscores the true malice behind their temptations. Their ultimate vanishing signifies the defeat of their corrupting power, implying that pure, unyielding goodness (Lizzie's) can effectively banish evil. This resolution provides a sense of closure and reinforces the poem's moral message about the triumph of virtue over vice, ensuring the sisters' future peace and safety.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“We must not look at goblin men, We must not buy their fruits:”
— Laura reminding Lizzie of their mother's warning.
“She sucked their fruit globes dry: She sucked until her lips were sore;”
— Laura indulging in the goblins' fruit.
“Her hair grew thin and grey; She dwindled, as the fair full moon doth turn To swift decay and burn Her fire out, and die.”
— Laura's decline after consuming the goblin fruit.
“For there is no friend like a sister In calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, To fetch one if one goes astray, To lift one if one totters down, To strengthen whilst one stands.”
— Lizzie reflecting on sisterly love and support.
“Pushed them off and trod them down, Held her lips and held her hands:”
— Lizzie resisting the goblin men's advances.
“She cried 'Laura,' up the garden, 'Did you miss me? Come and kiss me. Never mind my hair, look, here all round my mouth the juice will make you whole again.'”
— Lizzie returning to Laura, covered in goblin fruit juice.
“But sweet-tooth Laura spoke in haste: 'Good folk, I have no coin; To-day's a holiday, to-morrow you may feast, But I to-day must buy.'”
— Laura's eagerness to buy the fruit despite having no money.
“She thought of Jeanie in her grave, Who should have been a bride;”
— Lizzie remembering another girl who fell victim to the goblins.
“For there is no friend like a sister, In calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, To fetch one if one goes astray, To lift one if one totters down, To strengthen whilst one stands.”
— A general reflection on the bond between sisters.
“She flung the goblins back with scorn, She loathed them from the first.”
— Lizzie's initial reaction to the goblin men's attempts to entice her.
“Then sat up in a passionate yearning, And gnashed her teeth for baulked desire, and wept as if her heart would break.”
— Laura's agonizing withdrawal from the fruit.
“Her lips began to scorch, At first sharp burning, then a doleful ache, Such kisses as a hard-won fight, Such kisses as a mourner might Give a dead brother's temple.”
— Laura's reaction to kissing Lizzie, who is covered in goblin fruit juice.
“That juice was wormwood to her tongue, She loathed the feast:”
— Laura's experience of the healing juice, which is bitter but necessary.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
'Goblin Market' centers on the conflict between temptation and innocence, embodied by the goblin men's enchanted fruits and the sisters Laura and Lizzie. Laura succumbs to the goblins' lures, eating their fruit and falling into a wasting sickness, while Lizzie bravely resists their enticements to save her sister.
About the author
Christina Rossetti (1830-1894) was a leading English poet of the Victorian era. She is best known for her narrative poem "Goblin Market" and "Remember," a sonnet on death and remembrance. Her work often explored themes of love, death, and faith, characterized by vivid imagery and musicality.
