Modern Gender and Feminism in Rossetti's "Goblin Market"

Gender and Modern Feminism in Rossetti’s “Goblin Market”

Christina Rossetti is arguably one of the most influential female poets of the Victorian era alongside her counterparts like Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Charlotte Brontë (Bryson). Rossetti’s work is diverse and lasting, as some of her work is devotional, others more secular, however most include themes of corruptibility, the flimsiness of human love, and an adoration of the divine (“Christina Rossetti”). More recently, the poetry of Christina Rossetti has been “rediscovered” in the light of modern feminism and feminist critique due to the various gender themes throughout much of her work (“Christina Rossetti”). For example, her most famous work, “Goblin Market”, discusses ideas like female solidarity and feminine empowerment, topics that are still relevant to the modern feminist movement today. “Goblin Market” tells the story of two sisters, Lizzie and Laura, who find themselves entangled in the mischief of goblin magic and faerie fruit, as Laura tastes the forbidden fruit and begins to wither away in her desire for more, requiring her sister to attempt to save her. Therefore, Christina Rossetti’s work, specifically her monumental poem, “Goblin Market”, demonstrates the significance of traditional Victorian poetry as it contains references to feminine empowerment and fellowship, which gives it enduring relevancy to many social issues today.

First, feminine empowerment is an important theme throughout “Goblin Market” and plays an intrinsic role in the telling of the narrative. To begin with, it is important to note that throughout the poem there is no mention of men and they do not appear in any form, with the exception of the appearance of goblin men. For example, Rossetti writes “...Laura said,/ Pricking up her golden head:/ ‘We must not look at goblin men,/ we must not buy their fruits:/ who knows upon what soil they fed/ Their hungry thirsty roots?’,” where the goblins are exclusively described as men preying upon and taunting the women (Rossetti, 41-45). It is also interesting that Rossetti goes so far as to say the sisters cannot even glance at the goblin men without being at risk for temptation. This idea of temptation and preserving female innocence from suspicious men might be a reference to the Victorian ideals of chastity, purity and virginity. The taunting of the Goblin Men is even reminiscent of the lewd taunting and catcalling that women today experience fairly regularly. There are also warnings throughout the poem, to stay away from the Goblin Market, such as “Twilight is not good for maidens;/ should not loiter in the glen/ in the haunts of goblin men,” which is suggestive of elements of modern society and rape culture (Rossetti, 144-146). Most notably, today women are taught to safeguard themselves against sexual assault and rape rather than hold the assaulters accountable for their actions and efforts to change the implicit mindset that people have the right to others’ bodies, which is not much different from Victorian society where women were not often let out of the house without an attendant. Additionally, contrary to traditional Victorian literature, the hero of this narrative is a woman not a man, as Lizzie ends up saving her sister from withering away after eating the goblin fruit. Rossetti tells of Lizzie’s heroism saying, “Till Laura dwindling,/ seem’d knocking at Death’s door:/ Then Lizzie weigh’d no more/….’Eat me, drink me, love me;/ Laura, make much of me;/ For your sake I have braved the glen/ and had to do with goblin merchant men,’” (Rossetti, 320-322/471-474). After enduring the assault of the goblin merchants and risking her own life, Lizzie was able to return and offer herself to save Laura, which is contrary to typical Victorian narratives and exemplifies the idea of women supporting and helping one another. Typically, Victorian story arcs include a strong, courageous man saving a poor, fragile woman from imminent danger or destitution, however Rossetti completely reverses this trope by using a female heroine in her narrative, which paints women in a positive and empowering light. This idea is still pertinent today as modern media has had a great shift to emphasize the importance of women and how powerful they are. Thus, it becomes possible to suggest that Victorian poetry acts as a sort of early form of feminist media, especially as more and more feminist criticisms are developed in the modern age. This highlights the importance of poetry as a genre, as it has lasting significance and discusses issues that can be understood across multiple centuries and generations.

And finally, most significant in the poem is the idea of female unity and solidarity, which is the main message emanating from “Goblin Market”. After this traumatizing ordeal, with both the consumption of the goblin fruit and Laura’s resulting illness, the main message that emerges is the idea of women standing in solidarity together and supporting each other. For example, as the years pass on, as mentioned in the last stanza, the sisters remember and recount this tale often, sharing it with their children, in the hopes of imparting the importance of solidarity amongst fellow women. Rossetti writes, “Days, weeks, months, years/ afterwards, when both were wives/ with children of their own, / their mother-hearts beset with fears/…Laura would call the little ones/ and tell them of her early prime…” in which she describes how the sisters attempt to educate their children to prevent this from happening again, but also to ensure that their children remember to support one another (Rossetti, 543-549). Later in the same stanza, Rossetti’s final parting message is: “…‘For there is no friend like a sister/ in calm or stormy weather/ to cheer one on the tedious way/ to fetch one if one goes astray,/ To lift one if one totters down,/ to strengthen whilst on stands’,” (Rosetti, 562-567). First, the emphasis on the word ‘sister’ in the first line of this section once again emphasizes the importance of women, specifically to this text. However, to say that there is no friend like a fellow woman at any given time be it chaotic or peaceful, suggests that comradery amongst women is always important and should be strived toward. The lines ‘to fetch one if one goes astray,/ to lift one if one totters down,/ to strengthen whilst on stands’ is highly reminiscent of the phrase found throughout today’s feminist movement “empowered women, empower women,” as they offer similar sentiments that female solidarity and support both uplifts and empowers women together. This entire encounter and the message that Laura and Lizzie share with the younger generation reflects the general sentiment of the modern feminist movement and as well as the #MeToo movement, which have fought for equal rights for women as well as shared the stories of and garnered support for victims and survivors of sexual assault and rape. Both of these influential campaigns share sentiments of empowering and supporting women through their struggles and uniting as a community to overcome the issues and oppressions facing them, which is exactly the message that Rossetti conveys through Lizzie and Laura’s narrative. Thus, the relevancy of Victorian Poetry is suggested as the themes found in “Goblin Market” are still pertinent and topics of discussion in today’s modern feminist movement and can be used as support for these campaigns.

Literature has throughout history been used as a marker of cultural movements gone by, as a way of recording significant events, and expressing the common sentiments of society. However, one of the most important contributions poetry has to society, is its lasting importance over time as the themes and messages of poetry are often universally understood and relatable across the span of centuries. For example, Christina Rossetti was one of the Victorian Era’s most famous female poets, and her work represents the longevity of poetry and poetical themes (“Christina Rossetti”). Her most famous work, “Goblin Market”, contains ideas of gender which are still applicable to the modern feminist movement, and has been subject to an increasing number of feminist criticisms due to its focus on female empowerment and comradeship. The feminist movement has been recently highlighted by media, and has been influenced by traditional art and literature, and has thus inspired a new generation of art to represent the changing sentiments of women as the feminist movement changes and succeeds. Thus, the importance of poetry as a medium and form of art is evident as each piece written will go on to outlive its creator and serve as an artifact from a specific moment and perspective in history, therefore immortalizing it. However, it is no small fact that there is sadness in realizing that there are so many similarities in the experiences of women in the Victorian Era and women today, and that they often share the same struggles. It highlights just how necessary progress and justice are necessary, if one could read a poem about the inequalities of Victorian society and still see those injustices occurring today.

Works Cited

Bryson, John. “Christina Rossetti.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 28 Aug. 2017, www.britannica.com/biography/Christina-Rossetti.

“Christina Rossetti.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, 2018, www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/christina-rossetti.

Rossetti, Christina. “Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, 2018, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44996/goblin-market.