A review by degenderates
Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti
5.0
a fascinating poem that can be read as a coming of age story, perhaps a metaphor for sexual violence from the goblins given the way that the goblin fruit is heavily sexualized. this reading would be particularly notable due to the way that laura & lizzie's relationship is--
another potent reading of this story is an examination of antisemitism in european literature/poetry. why is it these two young christian girls whose innocence are stolen by the jewish-coded goblins? interesting musings, and something i've started working on critiquing/commenting on by writing an adaptation of the story...anyways i digress. good poem.
Spoiler
in offering her sister the goblin fruit to cure Laura of her ailment, lizzie turns their relationship sexual, so incest here, while still a taboo ("forbidden fruit") is the beautiful softness that comes after laura's assault.another potent reading of this story is an examination of antisemitism in european literature/poetry. why is it these two young christian girls whose innocence are stolen by the jewish-coded goblins? interesting musings, and something i've started working on critiquing/commenting on by writing an adaptation of the story...anyways i digress. good poem.