Author Bio
Christina Georgina Rossetti was born of Gabriele and Frances (Polidori) Rossetti in London on December 5, 1830. An Italian family of poets and artist, she inherited her father’s poetic traits. She had three siblings, two brothers, and a sister. She was educated by her mother at home. According to the sketches her brother Dante Rossetti drew she was a beautiful woman during her teen years. She rejected two sentimental engagements in her life, first with the artist James Collision and the second engagement with Charles Bagot Cayley, both for religious reasons. Her first verses were written in 1842 and printed on her grandfather’s printer in 1850. Rosettis’ religious temperament impacted her writing. In 1862 Goblin Market was published along with other poems. She became acknowledged as an important voice in Victorian poetry. In 1880 she fought against a thyroid disorder which made her invalid. Even thou her illness hindered her social life she continued writing. Rosetti developed breast cancer in 1891 and died on December 29, 1894.
Plot
The poem was written in the Victorian era in regards to prostitution. The goblins offer many fruits at the market, goblins are ugly dirty creatures. Laura and Lizzie are sisters. They are young and beautiful, they live alone in the forest. Laura’s curiosity awakens when she watches the goblins with their fruits. Laura trades a lock of her hair for the fruit. The offering the goblins portray as fruit is evil. Laura indulges in the fruit once, she becomes addicted to the fruit. This represents the greed that people feel once they have tried something they like and it’s productive for them, but greed usually has a sad price, in the poem the sad price Laura suffered started when the goblins and thier chant was gone , Laura was afflicted . Laura begins to die. Lizzie her sister gets desperate trying to save Laura’s life, and goes out to the market. This represents how their sisterhood fought against the evil that was trying to kill Laura. She gets attacked by the goblins whom try to force feed her with a fruit. She resisted and took Laura the juices from the fruit, Laura was saved. Prostitution was in all places in that era and it was seen as evil, the best way to defend themselves was thru sisterhood and brotherhood.
Symbols
Fruit: Evil Temptation: The following lines reveal an appealing offer from ugly creatures. A heart feeling the offer was not from good hands. The author wants the reader to see that the fruits offering is corrupt.
19 Come buy, come buy:
20 Our grapes fresh from the vine,
45 Their hungry thirsty roots?"
20 Our grapes fresh from the vine,
45 Their hungry thirsty roots?"
66 Their evil gifts would harm us."
Swan: Curiosity: Here the author wants us to see that her curiosity was awakened.
81 Laura stretch'd her gleaming neck
82 Like a rush-imbedded swan,
82 Like a rush-imbedded swan,
Golden Hair: Loss of Purity :Laura’s Golden hair represents value, purity. The author wants us to see Laura lost something precious to her.
123 "You have much gold upon your head,"
124 They answer'd all together:
125 "Buy from us with a golden curl."
126 She clipp'd a precious golden lock,
127 She dropp'd a tear more rare than pearl,
124 They answer'd all together:
125 "Buy from us with a golden curl."
126 She clipp'd a precious golden lock,
127 She dropp'd a tear more rare than pearl,
Pigeons: Sisterhood the author wants us to see that the love felt in sisterhood, brotherhood or in any type of unity will overcome any adversity.
Lily in a flood: Purity in middle of danger: The author wants us to see that Lizzie is determined to fight the evil being imposed by the goblins.
408 White and golden Lizzie stood,
409 Like a lily in a flood,--
410 Like a rock of blue-vein'd stone
409 Like a lily in a flood,--
410 Like a rock of blue-vein'd stone
Identify and discuss any archetypes you find in the poem.
1. A fool that was Laura. I think it is because she got fooled into an evil temptation.
She was vulnerable.
2. Hero was Lizzie she was the savior. I think it is because she risked her life. She was brave
3. Lover were the goblins. They offered an appealing temptation. They were very seducing.
Conclusion
I think the poem is very deep and complex it was written a very long time ago so the expressions really have to be analyzed carefully. I can understand how it referred to prostitution as being evil in those days. How sisterhood was used to encourage people in those days to do something and help those in the grasp of this evil prostitution.
Cited Sources
Hey Teammate!! Definitely look over your punctuation..
ReplyDeleteExample - Laura indulges in the fruit once, and she becomes addicted to the fruit.
You don’t have to use a comma in this sentence because your using the word AND..
On another note.. This part of your plot shouldn't be there because it's your Opinion (This should be in your conclusion)
"This represents the greed that people feel once they have tried something they like and it’s productive for them, but greed usually has a sad price.” This should be in your conclusion
Hey Sandra,
ReplyDeleteYou may wanna proof read some more on this, I see a couple of punctuations misplaced as well as a misspelling of the word though (you spelled it thou if the first section of your blog.)
When I say punctuations misplaced I am referring to commas before the word and and as such is not needed. Keep up the good work though. ^_^
ReplyDelete