by Jennifer Hudock

Created on: July 18, 2008

Love and Gender in "The Goblin Market"

Despite that notion that most of Christina Rossetti's poetry was an inspiration of her stark Christian faith, there is a dark sexuality inside the "Goblin Market." What more controversial Christian notion is there than that of sexual temptation being the downfall of mankind. In "Goblin Market" Rossetti shows how the strength and fortitude of one woman against the temptations of sexual evil is enough to free someone she loves from the punishment of damnation.

From the very first stanza, with its descriptions of luscious fruits for sale in the "Goblin Market," some hard to find but summer ripe, one cannot help but read these mouth-watering depictions with sexuality in mind. Rossetti's reference to things like "[p]lump, unpecked cherries" (7), "[p]omegranates full and fine"(21) and "[f]igs to fill your mouth" are subtle in their reference, but "sweet to tongue and sound to eye" lead the reader along in a dizzying petition to feed a sexual appetite.

Enter Laura and Lizzie to confirm this sexual petition when Laura declares:

"We must not look at goblin men,
We must not buy their fruits:
Who knows upon what soil they fed
Their hungry, thirsty roots." (42-44)

It isn't safe, Laura says, to just lie with any old man and give him all of you. You never know where he's been. The goblins continue to parade their wares, showing off their rich, delicate dishes and fruits. Lizzie drowns out the sound of their calls, but Laura is intrigued by their strange and different appearance, and as they chant and sing she hears them sound "kind and full of loves" (79). At that moment, Laura is lost to their temptation. How bad can it be? As the men tramp back up the hill toward her, Laura eyes them curiously. They weave her a crown of "tendrils, leaves and rough nuts brown" (100), (symbolic of the pagan Harvest Queen's sexual sacrifice for the land).

Temptation soon takes hold of Laura, and though she has no coin to offer, the Goblins note that her hair is gold enough, and with a single tear as her regret, she clips a curl and begins to feast. It is that moment between maiden and woman that signals her tear, but she longs so desperately for womanhood that she feasts and feasts until her body can take no more. In a very stark portrayal, Rossetti's sexual depictions cannot be denied: Laura "sucked their fruit globes fair or red" (128) and the juices are described as "stronger than man-rejoicing wine" (130). Laura "sucked until her lips were sore" (136), then

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