english paper

Student 4 – A paper

Prof. Bullington

ENGL 1102

5 November 2020

“Goblin Market” Warns Against Giving Away One’s Self through Fable-like Tale

In Christina Rossetti’s work titled “Goblin Market”, the author utilizes rhyme and imagery in a manner that pleases the ear but does not follow the rules of a predetermined rhyme scheme, placing emphasis on the message within her narrative poem. The verse exquisitely illustrates the story of two girls who chose different paths when faced with temptation. As the protagonist paid for her temptations with a golden curl from her head (Rossetti 125-128), Rossetti supports the position that all humans pay for their temptations with a piece of their selves, whether it be physical, spiritual, or both (115-132).

Beginning at lines 115-116 of “Goblin Market,” “But sweet-tooth Laura spoke in haste: / ”Good folk, I have no coin;”, Rossetti describes Laura desiring the fruits but having no money to purchase them. Laura identifies that without a transaction, she would be guilty of stealing as “To take were to purloin:” (Rosetti 117). “I have no copper in my purse, I have no silver either,” (Rossetti 118-119) expounds upon the fact that Laura has not even a silver or copper coin, the smallest of monetary units. As she states “And all my gold is on the furze/That shakes in windy weather / Above the rusty heather”, Laura explains the only gold she has is on the flowers that grow outside in the wind among the reddish heather plants impeding her from purchasing from the goblins (Rosetti 120-122). Letting the evidence speak for you

At this point, the goblins reveal that Laura possesses something of value to them which she could exchange for the fruits. The goblins, in unison, reply, “”You have much gold upon your head,” / They answer’d all together: / ”Buy from us with a golden curl.”” (Rossetti 123-125). The solution they proposed came at a price; ultimately, it would cost Laura a piece of her own body. This narrative portrays the lesson that engaging in temptations results in the loss of a piece of self. The protagonist realizes this as “She clipp’d a precious golden lock, / She dropp’d a tear more rare than pearl” (Rossetti 126-127). As she cut the tress of hair, she cried knowing she could never reverse her decision and reattach her hair as it would forever belong to someone else.

After paying for the fruits which she coveted, she “Then suck’d their fruit globes fair or red: / Sweeter than honey from the rock,” (Rossetti 128-129). Rossetti builds erotic imagery of Laura’s first taste of the forbidden fruit, comparing the deliciousness to that of wild honey which bees hid in rocks when they could not find a safe place for a nest.

As the story continues, the author utilizes verse and imagery to illustrate the near-death consequences resulting from Laura’s decision. The poem provides a cautionary tale to warn readers that the sweet taste of sin requires a personal sacrifice and redemption from outside of one’s self.

M E A L plan

**Just make sure each paragraph only has one main point

Main Assertion

Evidence

Analysis

Link to next topic

Repeat E & A as needed

Works Cited

Rossetti, Christina. “Goblin Market.” Representative Poetry Online, rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/goblin-market.