Sexual Connotations In Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market

Christina Rossetti’s ‘Goblin Market’ written in 1859 tells the tale of two sisters Laura and Lizzie and the consequences they face after eating the fruit from the goblin men. The poem explores many different themes such as childhood, religion and fairy-tale through imagery and verbs. One of the major themes explored is female sexuality and the relationship between women in Victorian society. It can be argued that the sexual connotations in this poem are subversive, as people in Victorian society did not like to talk about sexuality openly. Sexuality was regarded as something private and only discussed within the family.

The first exchange between the two sisters after Lizzie comes from the market, Laura cries “‘did you miss me? Come and kiss

Here “suck” can be seen as an erotic verb as it is related to the mouth and taste thus sounding very sexual. It suggests a sense of lack of control between the sisters to control their emotions, as Laura sucks the juices of Lizzie’s body. In the Victorian period “suck” was seen as a sexual word and there was anxiety about the way that it was used. Victorians thought that it related to children eating fruit so it was not used in public. Also represented when Laura takes the fruit from the goblin men “she sucked and sucked and sucked the more fruits.” The sibilance in the “sucked” adds to the act of sucking the juices from the fruit. Suggesting the idea that Laura has lost her virginity as she loses youth. This is very provocative, as it seems like she has lost control and is over powered by sex, she cannot control her emotions and desires, emphasised by the use of repetition. This is additionally suggested by Ellen Moers who conveys the idea that ““Suck” is the central verb of Goblin Market; sucking with mixed lust and pain is, among the poem’s pre-Raphaelite profusion of colours and taste, the particular sensation carried to an extreme that must be called perverse. [She] is suggesting not that Goblin Market belongs to a history of pornography as a Victorian celebration of oral sex, but that Christina Rossetti wrote a poem…about the erotic life of children.” Hence, the

Through the use of the fairy-tale market and the exotic fruit Rossetti presents how sexuality is something attractive and desired by women. Linda H. Peterson states “Rossetti claimed that she did not intend ‘Goblin Market’ as an allegory, but it has been difficult for readers not to allegorize the poem…it can be read as a tale of female erotic desire, with…Laura and Lizzie’s embrace as same-sex desire.” Women’s sexuality was not something that was explored in the Victorian period by Rossetti presenting this poem even if it is exploring sexuality in a subversive manner she is trying to bring importance to