This essay will proffer a close analysis of Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market, and focalize on subversions of sexuality present within the poem. The moment of production of the poem will be considered in order to assess how the poem transgresses against Victorian society’s moral codes. The poetical techniques employed will be analyzed to uncover implications of sex and sexuality in order to explore layers of meaning. The form of Goblin Market is analogous to the chaotic nature of the content
Contrastingly, Rossetti originally claimed that ‘Goblin Market’ was a fairytale, suggesting that she perceives the events as being far removed from her society. Some of the biblical imagery in Goblin market suggests that in a patriarchal world unjust laws separate and divide people into hierarchies, this claim is backed up as Christina Rossetti believed that the only place where this was not the case was: "in Christ where there is neither male nor female, for we are all one", portraying her desire
Victorian era, such as Christina Georgina Rossetti, use symbolism in their writing to demonstrate the different struggles, emotions, and ideas during that time. They use symbolism as a way to portray their deep meanings in the text of their poems, making the reader decode the simple, vividly written text. In doing this it lets the reader have a chance to interoperate their work in many ways and envision what is going on in the era, as if they were there. Symbolisms in Rossetti’s poems send the message
theme prevalent to many novels, particularly, ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ by Margaret Atwood, ‘Goblin Market’ by Christina Rossetti, and ‘The Clerk’s Tale’ by Geoffrey Chaucer. The restriction of this sexuality can be seen in the societal values of each era, and significantly, the role of religion in containing this. However, it is valid to say that sexuality can never be fully repressed, and this is explored in the imagery and language of the literatures. The definition of women is instrumental when considering