Entry 2.1: Symbolism and Archetypes in "Goblin Market".

"Goblin Market"

About The Author ->Christina Rossetti was an Italian woman born in London. All her siblings, and herself went on to become writers. She was home-schooled by her mother. She inherited her father's artistic ways. Her favorite themes were: unhappy love, death, and premature resignation. Her first writings began in 1842, but were published in 1850 in: "The Germ". Her most well known poems were: "Goblin Market", and "The Price's Progress", as well as many other poems. Christina became sick with neuralgia, and depressed by her brother Dante's death. She died of cancer on December 29, 1894.

Sources:
http://kirjasto.sci.fi/rossetti.htm
http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/crossetti/rossettibio.html

Plot ->There are many archetypes, and symbolism involved in the story, "Goblin Market". The merchant's who are referred to as, "goblins", sell all kinds of exotic, rare fruits. In the beginning we are introduced to both characters, which are: Laura and Lizzie. Lizzie tells Laura to ignore the goblins, because she does not trust their fruit. Laura is interested in the goblins' fruit, and says how beautiful and tasty they look. Lizzie says to not purchase any because she said it will harm them. Laura is still very curious about the fruit, and looks at the goblins, who are compared to cats and rats (sneaky creatures). The goblin's keep trying to persuade her to buy the fruit, by whistling at her, and being nice. Laura has no money, but she still stays curious. She then explains to them that she has no money, and they said for her to take a lock of her hair, and pay with it. She ate the fruit and loved it, by the time she was done, she went home alone. Lizzie meets her back at the house, and explains that they knew a woman named Jeanie, who bought and ate fruit from the goblins and ended up dying. This is why Lizzie is concerned for Laura, because she does not want her to end up like Jeanie. The next morning, Lizzie and Laura did all kinds of house work together. Lizzie cares about what's going on in the day, while Laura can't wait till the night, so she can go back to the goblins. Lizzie wants to leave, but Laura stays to hear the goblins cry to her to come buy the fruit, tempting her. Lizzie tells Laura that it's getting late, and dark and to ignore the goblins again, because if it gets too dark they might get lost on their way home. After that night, Laura did not go near the goblins again. As time passes, Laura grows old, and does not do house chores anymore, instead she sits around. Laura reminises and goes back to the goblin men, and Lizzie gives up on trying to help her, gives her money and kisses her. Lizzie gives the goblins a penny and buys many fruits from the goblins, as they gang up on her. They invite her to have a feast with them and to sit down with them, but she refuses, because someone at home is waiting. They won't give her any fruit because she refused their offer, and when she asks for her money back they began getting mad and attack her and force her to eat their fruit. After attacking her they toss back her money, laughed and ran away. She is still in shock, and hears her money in her purse and hears goblin men, but there were none, it was all in her head, because she is in such fear. Laura sees Lizzie, and Lizzie tells Laura that she dealt with the goblin men just for her sake, and asks to kiss and hug her. Laura questions Lizzie about eating the fruit, and why she would waste her youthful life away. Laura begins to get very weak, and that night Lizzie watches over her, taking care of her. The next morning when Laura wakes up she feels like her old self again, energetic. As the years go by, and Laura gets older with children, she tells her children about her past. She tells them about her sister who took her own life by the goblins, just for her. She concludes that there is nobody like your sister, one to help you along your way, giving you advice.

Archetypal Characters and Places ->The archetypal characters and places I see in "Goblin Market" are:
"goblins" - (repeatedly throughout the poem)
 "glen" - line 47
"brookside rushes" - line 33
"restless brook" - line 53
"merchant men" - line 70
"sweet-tooth Laura" - line 115
"gate" - line 141
"Twilight" - line 144
"modest maidens" - line 209
"reedy brook" - line 216
"wicked, quaint fruit-merchant men" - line 553
"haunted glen" - line 552
"  magpies" - line 345"pigeons" - line 346
" fishes" - line 347

Summary/Conclusion ->I came up with my conclusion for "Goblin Market", saying "there is nobody like your sister, one to help you along your way, giving you advice." I stated this because in lines 562-567 it says: "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 one stands." I feel as if she is talking about her sister, as someone who helped her through life, and strengthened her. What I got from this poem, and what I think the author, Christina Rossetti, is trying to teach is that one sister (Lizzie), constantly tells her other sister (Laura) not to eat the fruit of the goblin men. Laura is always so curious and keeps wanting to eat the fruit. Lizzie refers back to Jeanie, who ate the fruit and died, which is why she does not want her sister to eat the fruit. Lizzie finally dies proving a point, that because she ate the fruit she passed away, just like Jeanie. She died loving her sister, and would have rather taken her own life then have her sister pass away. When your loved ones, very close to your heart tell you over and over again not to do something, you should really listen to them. No matter how much your influenced by any negativity, you should stay positive and listen to your family and close friends. In Laura's case, she found out the hard way by watching her sister eat the fruit and dying.