Purity and Temptation in "Goblin Market"

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes Christina Rossetti's most famous work, the poem "Goblin Market." The writer discusses the major themes in the poem, such as the conflict between good and evil, and the confrontation of innocence by temptation. Many of the religious references in the poem are explained, such as the parallels drawn between Lizzie and Christ and Laura and Eve. Christina Rossetti was a devout Anglo-Catholic influenced by the Oxford movement and her religious values clearly impacted the language and moral of the poem.

From the Paper:

"In "Goblin Market" there is a great deal of emphasis on good and bad between Laura and Lizzie and the two sisters and the goblin men. The poem illustrates a paradox between purity and temptation. There are a great deal of religious references in the poem. There are several references to Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden as well as references towards Christ and his sacrifice for others' salvation. The sisterly love in the text is emotional and heart warming. The story of the bond between the two sisters was very touching. Christina Rossetti came from a very religious background. Rossetti's background is considerably relevant to "Goblin Market." "Goblin Market" is notably Christina Rossetti's best piece of literature and is studied by people everywhere."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Campbell, Elizabeth. "Of Mothers and Merchants: Female Economics in Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market"." Victorian Studies 33.3 (Spring 1990): 393-410. JSTOR. Web.
• Mayberry, Katherine. Christina Rossetti and the Poetry of Discovery. Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1989. Print.
• Mermin, Dorothy. "Heroic Sisterhood in "Goblin Market"." Victorian Poetry 21.2 (Summer 1983): 107-118. JSTOR. Web.
• Packer, Lona. "Symbol and Reality in Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market." PMLA 73. (September 1958): 375-385. JSTOR. Web.
• Rossetti, Christina. "Goblin Market." The Longman Anthology of british Literature. Vol. IIB. Ed. David Damrosch and Kevin J.H. Dettmar. 3rd ed. New York: Pearson, 2010. 1731-1744. Print.

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