Goblin Market

“La Belle Dame Sans Merci” by John Keats (1819)

The Romantics heavily influenced later Victorian art movements, including the Pre-Raphaelites. The Romantic poet John Keats’s “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” tells the story of fairy temptation from a male perspective. Comparing “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” with “Goblin Market” demonstrates the latter’s radical re-interpretation of female sexuality. While Keats portrays female sexuality as dangerous to men, Rossetti only shows female desire as dangerous when exploited by uncaring and greedy men. Additionally, Rossetti shows the men undamaged by the encounter while the woman suffers for it.

“Persephone” by Jean Ingelow (1862)

Rossetti and fellow poet Jean Ingelow belonged to the women’s writing group, The Portfolio Society. Both writers use earlier myths to highlight and explore relationships between female family members.

“From the Antique” by Christina Rossetti (1896)

Rossetti more directly addresses women’s suffering in society in her poem “From the Antique.” In the piece, Rossetti proposes that life is even more challenging for women to the point that she wishes she was “nothing at all” (Line 5).