745 Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti (Halloween Fun-Size Edition)

Oct 30, 2025

Explore the haunting allure of Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market," a poem about two sisters lured by fruit-selling goblins. Delve into themes of temptation, addiction, and sisterly sacrifice, while Jacke unravels the vivid imagery and moral implications. Discover Rossetti's contrasting life as a devout Anglican and a daring poet. The blend of her religious introspection and compelling artistry creates an unforgettable narrative that challenges societal norms and celebrates the bond between sisters.

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INSIGHT

Goblin Market Defies One Interpretation

Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market resists single interpretations and blends sexual, religious, and druglike imagery.
The poem's strangeness produces layered emotional responses rather than a single meaning.

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ANECDOTE

Rossetti’s Personal Snapshot

Jacke briefly summarizes Rossetti: devout Anglican, prolific in devotional and children's verse.
He notes she was engaged twice but never married, shaping her reputation.

insights

INSIGHT

Fruit As Multilayered Temptation

The poem opens with a lush, exotic fruit catalogue that signals temptation and otherness.
Jacke links the fruit to Eve, drugs, and sexual temptation as overlapping metaphors.

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Why Goblin Market Felt Unsettling

01:16 • 3min

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Reading Goblin Market: Opening Fruits and Temptation

03:59 • 14min

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Introducing Laura and Lizzie's Choices

17:51 • 10min

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Laura's First Fall and Addiction Imagery

27:57 • 2min

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Jeannie's Warning and Victorian Moral Signals

30:13 • 7min

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Sisterhood Versus Temptation: Domestic Morning Scene

37:11 • 19min

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Lizzie Hears the Goblins and Plans to Rescue

56:00 • 11min

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Lizzie's Resistance and Its Sexual Undertones

01:07:15 • 4min

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Lizzie Offers Herself to Save Laura

01:11:23 • 5min

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Laura's Recovery and Moral of Sisterly Sacrifice

01:16:08 • 3min

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Who Was Christina Rossetti?

01:19:23 • 3min

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Rossetti's Religious Versus Poetic Voices

01:22:13 • 5min

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Rossetti's Literary Family and Pre-Raphaelite Context

01:27:30 • 8min

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Themes of Sin, Judgment, and Twice

01:35:01 • 9min

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Rossetti's Health, Career, and Reception

01:43:51 • 13min

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Ruskin's Critique and Why It Missed The Mark

01:56:45 • 6min

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Virginia Woolf's I Am Christina Rossetti

02:02:35 • 9min

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How Religion and Genius Shaped Goblin Market

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Christina Rossetti's "Goblin Market" is a narrative poem known for its rich imagery and allegorical themes. The poem tells the story of two sisters, Laura and Lizzie, who encounter goblins selling tempting fruits. Rossetti's use of vivid language and symbolic imagery creates a captivating and unsettling atmosphere. The poem explores themes of temptation, sisterhood, and the power of love and redemption. Its complex symbolism and evocative language have made it a subject of ongoing critical analysis.

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In the spring of 2022, Jacke dropped everything to plummet into one of the strangest poems he had ever read, "Goblin Market" by Christina Rossetti (1830-1894). The result was a two-part episode that never quite found its home. In this special Halloween episode, we've combined the best parts of both of those episodes to bring you the full story of an idiosyncratic Victorian poet and her bizarre tale of two sisters seduced by the fruits being sold by a pack of river goblins. Enjoy!

Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup closing soon)! The History of Literature Podcast Tour is happening in May 2026! Act now to join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠. Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Find out more by emailing jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or masahiko@johnshorstravel.com, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠History of Literature Podcast Tour itinerary⁠⁠⁠⁠ at ⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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