Fallen Women In Rossetti's Goblin Market

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Throughout everyone’s lives there is a time when they lose their innocence in at least one way, and for most people this happens when they are transforming into an adult. During the Victorian Era, when women lost their innocence (usually when they give up their chastity) they are referred to as a “fallen woman”. The concept of fallen women became a common theme in literature from the Victorian time period, and is portrayed in Dante Rossetti’s, “Jenny”, as well as Christina Rossetti’s, “Goblin Market”. In the poem, “Jenny”, Dante Rossetti shows how even though fallen women like Jenny have similar characteristics and interests as respectable girls like Nell, society –especially other women– sees girls like Jenny as degraded and unworthy. On the other hand, in “Goblin Market”, Christina Rossetti is able to prove that even though Laura, the fallen woman in this poem, and the respectable sister Lizzie have different personalities, Laura is able to overcome societal expectations because she has the …show more content…
Once Laura is under the curse of the goblin fruit, Lizzie is willing to do anything in her will to save her sister. After collecting juice from the goblin fruit she was not, “pricked by fear; / The kind heart made her windy-paced / That urged her home quite out of breath with haste” (460-462). Despite their threatening actions, Lizzie is no longer afraid of the goblins, she chooses to continue running because of her kind heart, and because she is genuinely concerned for her sister. The curse from the goblin fruit would have most likely lead to Laura’s death, similar to Jeannie, but because of the sacrifices Lizzie has gone through Laura will be able to continue living her life. Because Laura is not isolated like Jenny was, she is able to not only survive but thrive in life, starting a family of her
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