Goblin Market

Arguably her most famous work, Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market was first published in 1862 and illustrated by her brother, Pre-Raphaelite artist Dante Gabriel Rossetti.  Goblin Market was the center of some controversy upon its publication as the work was marketed publicly (mostly by Rossetti herself) as a work for children, but the poem contained an abundance of sexual imagery that many felt was inappropriate for a young audience. The narrative poem tells the story of two sisters, Laura and Lizzie, who live in a house near a stream. Every night, goblins gather in the forest selling fruit. Laura and Lizzie know that they must be home before sundown, but Laura lingers by the stream, curious about the creatures. Laura meets with the goblins and gorges on their fruit before returning home to Lizzie. In the morning, Laura tells Lizzie of her adventures the night before. Lizzie is frightened and tells Laura of a young girl who had eaten the goblins' forbidden fruit and died after she was unable to obtain more.  Laura dismisses her sister's tale and plans to wander back to the forest the next night to get more fruit from the goblins. Just before sundown, Laura is horrified when she can no longer hear the goblins singing, leaving her unable to find them and buy more fruit. Laura falls into a slow physical deterioration and depression without the fruit, and as winter approaches, she begins to age at an unnatural rate. After a while, Lizzie realizes that Laura needs the fruit in order to save her from certain death. Lizzie ventures into the forest, gives the goblins a silver penny, and attempts to return home with fruit for her sister. Enraged that she is not eating with them, the goblins attack Lizzie and attempt to force-feed her the fruit. The goblins also drench her in fruit juice. The girl escapes and runs home to her sister, hoping Laura can eat the bits of fruit she was able to keep and drink the juice from her body. Laura tastes the fruit and is repulsed by its flavor. Afraid her sister will die during the night, Lizzie is shocked to find that Laura is back to normal the next morning. The poem ends by assuring readers that Laura and Lizzie live to tell their children about the evils of the goblins' fruits and the powers of sisterly love.