Goblin Market Flashcards
(14 cards)
what did Rossetti’s brother state?
He stated that Rosetti did not mean anything profound by this tale.
what is a Goblin?
This is a small, grotesque, male creature that appears in European Folklore.
what is the significance of fairytales during the Victorian era?
They were a popular fascination during the Victorian era, a friend of Rossetti’s father wrote the Fairy Mythology in 1528.
how is Goblin Market a Religious allegory?
The story of Adam and Eve is taken as a myth, this is a story of why there is suffering in the world, if the world was created by a perfect God.
Temptation- this is created by the subliminal rhyme
what is the key context of this poem?
- 1973 playboy, this was reproduced to highlight the erotic parts of the poem.
At this time, female heroines were limited, Rossetti creates a framework where the female protagonists are bound to succeed.
how might the poem be viewed?
This may be viewed as a coming of age narrative for lizzie.
A poem to reflect the “fallen women” of the magdelmn college.
what is the historical context of this poem?
Rossetti was a prolific writer and GM is a symbol of that, during the Victorian era, there was a period of “sexual transgression”
5 key quotes and their significance?
the “goblins cry” would have mimicked the real-life fruit sellers- whilst the poem was enjoyed by women, asyndetic list of the fruits displays the sexual tendencies of the goblins, this may have been displayed by the fact that they were “ripe”. This is emphasised as the sisters feel the need to hide their sexual feelings, “tingling cheeks and fingertips”.
Lizzie acts as a voice of reason and as she states “their offers should not charm us”, “their evil gifts would harm us”- the repeated use of the word suggest that the goblins displays and exstinential threat.
throughout the play, what could Lizzie, Laura and the goblins represent?
Lizzie- self -restraint, the ideal of what a figure should be- Mary
Laura- Niave, eve, Lucifer and fallen angel
Goblins- they are symbols of temptations.
freud- madonna and the whore, madonna vs mistress
Lizzie and her work with women may reflect Rossetti’s work with women.
more key quotes and ideas?
“don’t you remember Jeanie”… “took their gifts both choice and many”- Jeanie is displayed as a cautionary tale.
“while to this day no grass will grow”- reference to death
“yet my mouth waters still”- Laura is not fully satisfied with the take of fruit
“cherries worth getting”- reference to the forbidden fruit, reference to original sin, exile and shame.
key interpretations of Goblin Market
Children’s fairytale- the goblins are typical features within fairytales, the poem also ends with a happy ending “wives/with children of their own”- Rossetti insisted that in public that is what it is meant for.
sex sexuality- “curious Laura”, explores her sexuality, preoccupation with returning for more destroys her- SL, compare to the Duchess.
Lizzie is seen as the ideal virtuous woman for not enjoying the fruit.
The poem explores rape and masculine power “push fruit against their mouths”
There is a suggestion of incest between the two sisters “hug me, kiss me, suck my juices”
Presentation of masculity- the poem can be seen as a negative portrayal of men- animalistic imagery of the Goblins.
critique of marriage
religious narrative of salvation and sacrifice- Laura is seen as an allegory for the sin of Eve, Lizzie is seen as a mirror of christ
more interpretations
womanhood- the girls are portrayed as vice and virtue, the women return to a stereotypical image of felinity, the girls are described as “maids”
the structure and form of Goblin market
the poem is mostly written in iambic tetrameter
the language associated with the goblins is dactylic dimeter
the use of couplet use of third person narration.
