While reading Rossetti’s Goblin Market, I was drawn to the seemingly simple nature of the poem. The poem could easily be read as a children’s story; however, closer analysis reveals rich symbolism within the poem. Goblin Market is brimming with symbolism that can be interpreted as representing Christian aspects.
Rosetti pulls her readers into Goblin Market with an interesting scene; she describes a group of goblin men peddling a wide variety of fruit to two maiden sisters, Laura and Lizzie. The wide variety of fruit is similar to a produce stand, except there is no regard for the season or climate. The imagery of fruit reminded me of the fruit in the Garden of Eden. The variety of fruit the goblins offer represents different temptations. The goblins sing about their fruit, and their song is so enchanting that Lizzie covers her ears (2). Though the sisters know they should not buy the goblins’ fruit, Laura still decides to purchase some using her hair. The appealing variety of fruit and the siren-song of the goblins does not negate the fact that Laura’s choice to listen was willful. Eating the fruit is a choice because Lizzie chose not to eat it.
The goblins represent Satan due to their animalistic qualities and their motivation for selling the fruit. Satan is described as a serpent in the garden, and the goblins are described as cat-like, rat-like, and even snail-like (2, 3). Perhaps the use of animal characteristics is to emphasize the base nature of the goblins. Additional evidence for the goblins representing Satan comes from their motivation to sell the fruit. Even though the goblins require payment for the fruit in the form of coin or, in Laura’s case, hair, this isn’t the end goal for them. The goal for the goblins is for the person to waste away - to lose their soul. The goblins become enraged to the point of violence when Lizzie reveals the fruit is for her sister (11). Lizzie had already paid the goblins for the fruit for Laura, so the goblins’ desire isn’t the money. Their goal is to make someone else suffer.
The fruit represents sin because of the way it destroys Laura. The fruit juice creates an insatiable desire in Laura. She cannot get enough. After tasting the fruit, Laura returns home to Lizzie and tells her of her plan to buy more fruit: “I ate and ate my fill, / yet my mouth waters still; / To-morrow night I will / buy more” (5). Every moment of her life is spent thinking about the next time she will eat the fruit. The day after her first taste, Laura is described as “in an absent dream” (6). She is contrasted with upbeat Lizzie to show her decline. Just as sin perverts desires, the fruit twists Laura’s desires. Laura is described as “one longing for the night” (6). In the beginning, Lizzie and Laura are shown as being very close, comparative to “two blossoms on one stem” (6). As Laura becomes more and more obsessed with eating the fruit, the further apart she and Lizzie become. The more the desire for the fruit consumes her, the less like herself she becomes.
Laura represents mankind in the sense that she gave into temptation and was unable to save herself. Similar to the rest of us humans, Laura knew what the consequences of her choice would be and believed herself able to handle whatever happened to her. Once the sin takes hold, it controls her life.
Once Laura tastes the fruit, she can no longer see the goblins or hear their call. She and Lizzie go back to the river bank, but this time only Lizzie can hear the goblins enchanting song (7). This change displays the law of diminishing returns: nothing will ever be as good as the first time. Without the fruit, Laura begins to waste away to the point that Lizzie decides she will get some fruit for her.
In her efforts to help her sister, Lizzie plays the role of a savior, not unlike Christ. She goes to the goblins and purchases fruit from them using a silver coin. She tries to leave without eating the fruit, and the goblins become enraged and begin to attack her (11). They tear at her clothes and call her names. The language used to describe Lizzie’s attitude while the goblins attack her echoes the words from Isaiah 53: “Lizzie uttered not a word; would not open lip from lip” (12). Lizzie stands firm during the goblins’ attack, and when she returns to Laura, she says, “Eat me, drink me, love me; Laura, make much of me” (13). Lizzie’s desire is to save her sister, no matter the cost.
When the juice from Lizzie touches Laura’s lips, it is not the same as when Laura drank the juice herself. The juice becomes bitter. Similar to Jesus’ sacrifice transforming the cross from curse to cure, Lizzie’s sacrifice transforms the poison of the juice into something curative. The juice changes from “poison in the blood” into “fiery antidote” (16). Her sacrifice transforms the fruit because her reason for obtaining the fruit juice is completely selfless. When the transformed juice touches Laura's lips, she goes into a frenzy, tearing her clothes and crying out (14). Her eyes are opened to the evil of the juice, and she immediately wants to be free. The fire of desire to be free overcomes the old desire for the fruit juice. The language used to describe Laura’s freedom from the juice is rich with imagery of being reborn: “But when the first birds chirped about their eaves/ [...] And new buds with new day / Opened of cup-like lilies on the stream, / Laura awoke as from a dream, / Laughed in the innocent old way” (15). Just as the blood of Christ makes us a new creation, the reformed juice heals and changes Laura.
The story of Christ has influenced many stories, whether or not the author was aware of it. The transforming power of the juice is a wonderful example of the transforming power of Christ’s blood. The sacrifice of Lizzie is just another illustration to remind us of the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. He is always willing to receive us if we come to Him and allow Him to change us.
