Blog Entry 2.1 Christina Rossetti and her colorful literature.

                

           Christina Rossetti was born in an Italian family in London on December 5, 1830. Her father came to London to live in exile and her mother was Italian British. Rossetti is considered a one of the most important British female poets since her poems were creative and popular. Her original and creative writing was inspired by her home background. When she was younger, she saw many Italian politicians and writers who came to her place to see her father who was also a poet. Her mother led Rossetti to live as a devoted Anglo-catholic. In addition, her brother, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, was also a remarkable painter as well as a poet. She was engaged to a man, but the marriage ended up being cancelded because the man became a Roman Catholic. Since she decided to remain single all her life, she lived with her mother. She helped her mother, taking care of the household, seeking solace in religion, and devoting herself to writing poems. “Goblin Market” was published in 1862 and her brother, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, illustrated some pictures for the poem. English online tells us "because goblins sound as if they belong in a fairy story, it is often put in collections for young children.” However, since the poem can be interpreted in several ways, it is also considered to be a poem for adults.

            The plot of “Goblin Market” goes as follows. There are two siblings, Laura and Lizzie. They hear goblins’ touting every day. Lizzie warns Laura not to listen to goblins, but Laura ends up buying some fruits from goblins with her a lock of golden hair and a tear. After eating the fruits, she becomes more thirsty for the fruits, but she notices that she cannot hear goblin voices any longer. Due to the desire for the fruits, Laura becomes weakened. Her sister, Lizzie, winds up going to meet the goblins to buy some fruits for Laura with a silver penny. The goblins ask Lizzie to taste their fruits, but Lizzie turns the goblins down so goblins beat her up and force her to eat fruits. Lizzie was able to escape from the goblins and comes back home, getting her clothes wet in the goblin fruits. Laura licks the juice on Lizzie’s clothes, but that night Laura suffers from severe pain. Lizzie takes care of her sister, Laura, all night, then next Laura gets better in the end. In several years, they both become mothers and tell their children about the story.

            First of all, Rossetti used the assorted fruits to show how sweet and how irresistible the goblins’ fruits are(lines 5-14). The fruits also can be considered as “the pleasures of the world (English Online).” In terms of pleasure, the fruits suggest physical desire between goblins and Laura as well. Laura gave her a golden lock(line 126) and a tear(line 127) which show the image of virginity to the goblins which indicate the male. There is a character, Jeanie(line 147), which is  an subplot that gives readers some ideas of what is going to happen if Laura eats the goblins’ fruits. Laura might reflect herself, Rossetti the poet. Rossetti sacrificed her life to take care of her mother and mother-in-law throughout her life. According to the poem, “for the first time in her life /began to listen and look(line 327-328).” This shows that both Rossetti, who pursued a life of faith, and Laura tried to avoid anything disrespectful such as goblins or demon. It is also important to look at the poem from a historical and commercial point of view. Goblins sell products and Laura pays for them. Lizzie uses money to buy products. Enotes.com indicates that “such elements of the poem have been examined as statements about capitalism and the Victorian economy, as an exploration of the role of women within the economy and society, and, more specifically, as a discussion of the place of female literature within the economy.” The importance of women in the economy and society can be considered the result of the Industrial Revolution which was from the 18^th to the 19^th century. Even if Rossetti barely had social activities, she must have noticed that women’s status in society had raised.  Lizzie may serve the image of the Christ “who sacrifices herself to save her sister (Enotes).”

            The poem can be considered just a fairly tale which delivers a lesson that it is not a good idea to listen to strangers or you are likely to fall into a trap. As mentioned above, however, “Goblin Market” suggests several values such as sisterly affection, capitalism, and religious background. Fraternal love or religious feeling can be found in many literary works, but it is interesting that the poem indicates the phases of the times in terms of business. Rossetti tried to live in peace, helping the household and taking care of her mother, but since she lived in a transition stage, the era seemed to affect her literature. It is very interesting that a poem can be interpreted in several ways. Rossetti seemed to live a peaceful and quiet life, but her literature looks very colorful and interesting.

< Works cited >

http://www.englishonline.co.uk/freesite_tour/resource/literature/rossetti.html

http://www.enotes.com/nineteenth-century-criticism/goblin-market-christina-georgina-rossetti

http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/rossettibio.html