Lizzie, on the other hand, does not allow herself to become prey to temptation.

Analogous to the pretenses under which dangerous men lure young women into prostitution, Laura becomes easily trapped in their disguise. Laura seems intrigued rather than afraid and quickly falls into the goblins' seduction. Although these animals typically have unpleasant connotations, they at first appear enticing and fascinating. Rats are associated with dirt and filth while cats are notoriously predatory animals. The goblins appear animal-like, compared to cats, rats, snails, and wombats. While Lizzie tries to avoid looking at them, Laura stares with fascination. This selection shows the first time the girls stop to watch the goblins. One like a wombat prowled obtuse and furry, Rossetti describes the girls' interest in the goblins. At first they appear interesting and harmless, although the moment Lizzie opposes their power, they transform into monsters and beasts. Rossetti compares the goblins to a combination of animals. The goblins in the poem represent the men who rape, manipulate, and seduce helpless women. Rossetti, in her poem, implies that dominating and exploitive men are the sources of these evils. These girls, with no means to survive on their own, resorted to selling their bodies, a tempting occupation for those desperate enough.

Prostitution, a widespread social problem, affected the lives of many young women and children. Rossetti took an interest in assisting these women, believing that with help they could be released from prostitution (Cahill, 151). In the Victorian Era, prostitutes earned the title of fallen women. This poem particularly targets the social ill of prostitution and the possibility of salvation for the women who have fallen. Using the theme of unconditional love for fellow man, Rossetti creates analogies between the biblical description of salvation and salvation in the social context of the Victorian era. The connection between Laura and Lizzie represents the Christ's love for humanity and his willingness to sacrifice himself for man's salvation. The consumption of the forbidden fruit parallels the story of Adam and Eve, and the idea of salvation and redemption clearly draws on the story of Christ. Lizzie risks her own life for Laura, enduring a violent beating from the goblins when she refuses to consume their fruit. Laura, lured into eating the goblins' tempting fruit, suffers premature aging, depression, and bodily decay. Lizzie ventures into the dangerous goblin marketplace in order to procure an antidote for her sister. He lifelong bond between sisters allows for the salvation of Laura in the poem 'Goblin Market' by Christina Rossetti.

Christina rossetti poem goblin market