Goblin Market Summary

Goblin Market is a narrative poem by Christina Rossetti. Written in 1859 and published in 1862, the poem has been interpreted as having themes such as: femininity, sex, addiction, sin and violence.

The poem begins with two sisters, Lizzie and Laura, together in a glen. Passing by are a troop of 'Goblin Men', who are selling fruit. Lizzie warns Laura to be wary of the Goblin Men and their fruit, and attempts to hide and run away from them. However, despite Lizzie's warnings, Laura is tempted by the goblin men and purchases some fruit at the cost of a curl of her golden hair.
After gorging herself on the Goblin fruit, Laura returns home and sleeps.
Throughout the next day, Laura finds herself longing for the fruits she tasted the previous night. When night eventually comes Laura cannot hear the cries of the Goblin Men. However, Lizzie, who had not tasted the fruit the night before, can hear the Goblin Men approaching.

After discovering that she can no longer hear the Goblin Men, therefore meaning she is unable to buy their fruits, Laura falls in to a depressed state. She begins to sicken both mentally and physically. After months of steady deterioration, Lizzie realises that her sister is on the verge of death. Knowing this, she resolves to make the journey to purchase some of the Goblin fruit herself, intending to feed it to her sister to make her well again.
Upon encountering the Goblin Men, she tosses them a silver penny and asks for some fruit. The Goblins are originally compliant, but soon turn hostile when she refuses to eat it there and then, intending to take it home to feed Laura. The Goblins attack Lizzie in an attempt to force-feed her the fruits. After bravely withstanding their vicious assault, the Goblins give up and she returns home.
As soon as she returns, she feeds Laura the juices directly from her body.

The next morning, Laura has returned to her original state. It is then shown that when the two sisters eventually have their own children, they warn them of the Goblin Men, and tell them of the power of their sisterly bond.