Goblin Market and Other Poems

Goblin Market and Other Poems

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06  ·  rating details  ·  1,456 ratings  ·  43 reviews
This edition of 32 works combines a number of the English poet's best-known sonnets, ballads, and shorter works, along with her long masterpiece "Goblin Market." Others in this choice collection include "The Convent Threshold," "Up-hill," "Cousin Kate," "Winter: My Secret," "Maude Clare," "No, Thank You, John,"and "After Death."...more
Paperback, Dover thrift editions, 64 pages
Published May 20th 1994 by Dover Publications (first published 1862)
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The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. RowlingThe Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. LewisA Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Magical Creatures
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The Complete Poems by Emily DickinsonSonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningBest Poems of the Brontë Sisters by Emily BrontëAurora Leigh and Other Poems by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningGoblin Market and Other Poems by Christina Rossetti
19th Century Women Poets
5th out of 43 books — 11 voters


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Elizabeth
Who stomped all over her heart?

I've read the poem The Goblin Market several times and selected poems, but I'd never read the collections as she published them. The Goblin Market and Other Poems is the most fascinating combination of lustful abandon (couched in metaphors of blooming flowers and ripe fruit), sorrow and regret (spring no more, blown blooms, greying hair), repentance (God, please don't take to me the rod), and spite (you, boy, who stomped on my heart, and you sister, who took up wit...more
Lily Wren
I often find that when I write reviews I waffle on far too much. All I can say about this book is that I find myself wanting more. I want to drink in more of Christinas' poetry and find out more about her, her life and history.

I was introduced to her through my love of her brothers' art. Dantes' art and Christina's poetry seem so compatible.

The Goblin Market is such a wonderful tale of desire, wanting, haunting and love. So much more than the initial thoughts (at the time) of it being a childr...more
Spoonbridge
Ornate and evocative, sensual and spooky, "The Goblin Market," Christina Rossetti's lyrical, folkloric fable about sin, redemption, and other things, is the highlight of this collection of her expressive poems. Richly descriptive and full of wonderful descriptive passages, Rossetti's lyricism is open to many interpretations. I can definitely see the influence of her work, and vice versa, on her brother Dante and his friends artistic movement, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, which also focused on...more
Martina
A lovely, horrible but happy-ending poem that I very much enjoyed. I loved the way that Christina plays with words, uses different meaning but still the same word. Though I filled three A4 pages with words that I could not understand... Part of learning I guess. I am now really afraid of goblins, most people must be after reading this poem.

It is the longest poem that I have read so far, but the energy, the passion and descriptions never faded one bit, which kept me engaged in the poem from start...more
Jessica
This poem is so visually naughty, I love it.
Jenny


All heaven is blazing yet
With the meridian sun:
Make haste, unshadowing sun, make haste to set;
O lifeless life, have done.
I choose what once I chose;
What once I willed, I will:
Only the heart its own bereavement knows;
O clamorous heart, lie still.
That which I chose, I choose;
That which I willed, I will;
That which I once refused, I still refuse:
O hope deferred be still.
That which I chose and choose
And will is Jesus’ will:
He hath not lost his life who seems to lose:
O hope deferred, hope still.
Matthew Snope
I don't usually go out of my way to read things by females, but this was worthwhile, at least the title poem. It's got that flowing old world poetry thing going on, which just annoys the shit out of me and I used to hate hearing poets read in live readings, thinking they are so important and these lofty word-meisters, but the title poem in this collection has dark over/undertones and the poetic style works in this case. It rhymes, it dazzles, it makes you look up words in a dictionary, but the s...more
Kristin
I was fonder of Rossetti's poems than I expected to be, though the religion-heavy ones I found overbearing. Bought it a few years ago after taking a Victorian lit class and finally read it because I'm studying women in the Pre-Raphaelite movement. Definitely suggest for a pleasant summer read in the park.
Jen
I discovered Christina through my love of her brother, Gabriel, and the Pre-Raphaelites (it was a mild -LOL- obsession I had at the time for their paintings). His paintings were exquisitely lush and beautiful, haunting - as is her poetry. Goblin Market is my favorite.
D
Apr 30, 2012 D rated it 2 of 5 stars
Shelves: poetry
The title poem is worth a read. Beyond that it is mostly excessive rhyme upon rhyme, autumn and death and the reprieve of heaven. It would have become entirely unpalatable had I not had the inspiration to imagine Rossetti as performed by Nicki Minaj.
David Loveland
It was getting a bit dull halfway through but picked up again for the second half. Overall, Christina is much more entertaining to read than her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The rhymes are charming and the Goblins are great fantastical villains. Give this poem a try!
Leah
Really beautiful imagery and lots of religious symbolism. I'm glad we read this in my Women and Literature class. My favorite line is from Goblin Market:

"For there is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands."
Doug
The trite of one sister with a fruity addiction
And the other's vicarious affliction.
Rossetti's lines are jagged,
Her rhymes often free;
She's like Doctor Seuss, without the PhD.
Jan C
Jan 25, 2009 Jan C rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: people who want to take a nap
Recommended to Jan C by: Kirsti
Shelves: why, drama
Let's face it - I didn't finish this book. It was too deadly, to me.

Other people I know say it is a fave. Just not my cup of tea.
Brittany
"Goblin Market" is insanely fantastic, as are many of her other poems. This slim volume certainly left me wanting more.
Everett
a bit icky in terms of its suggestiveness. relatively fast read in regards to poetry of this time period.
Lora
Goblin Market is a fantastic way to present certain cautions and moral wisdom to growing children. Younger children would not get it, older ones will. My kids immediately picked up on what was going on in the title poem on several levels. Being girls, they have already witnessed the predatory nature of our culture on young girls. The symbolism of a savior was not lost of them, either. The rest of the poems were good, well, some were average. But Goblin Market is worth the entire book. It opens t...more
Claire
I like Ms. Rossetti's poetry very selectively; but where it's good, it is very good.
Victoria
One of my favorite poems. It's so sensual. A poem yet a story.
Sara
Nov 01, 2012 Sara rated it 5 of 5 stars
Shelves: 2012

Perfect for transitioning through the Halloween season. Got to get me to a goblin market. :)
Jeff
sex sex fruit sex commodity feminism "the other" fruit sex
Victor Zajac
The Goblin Market poem was interesting, but the rest of her stuff was lame.
Leata Holloway
(It's a metaphor for sex. Just FYI)
Cameron
Come buyyyyyy!!!
Nikki
I've never actually read any of Christina Rossetti's poetry before, as far as I know. Which is actually kind of sad, because I loved it. The imagery in the main poem, Goblin Market, was lovely, and the fairytale aspect of it, too. I liked a lot of the other poems in the volume as well. Makes me glad I got it this semester and had chance to enjoy it whole, before I have to pick it apart next semester!
Rhonda Browning White
Really enjoyed these poems first published in 1862! My favorite is, of course, the title poem "Goblin Market," and it makes me wonder if her work influence E.A. Poe? Darkly grand. I also enjoyed "No Thank You, John," which made me grin. And "Cousin Kate!" Oh, wow. Excellent revenge poem. Impressive that a woman would be so bold during that age.

Highly recommended.
Mindy
May 06, 2008 Mindy rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone
Shelves: other
Christina Rossetti is probably my all time favorite poet. Many of her poems deal with death or a sense of loss. But this poem carries such a fantastic story. While I enjoy the fun about the goblin men, it's the sister's bond that carries the most weight in this poem. At least for me. I could read it a million times over (probably have!)and never tire of it.
Erin Ham


I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Goblin Market," but the others poems were rather dark and morbid for me.
Kasey Jane
Dec 08, 2012 Kasey Jane marked it as did-not-finish  ·  review of another edition
Not Rossetti's fault that I didn't finish this. I thought it would be fun to pick through a book of poetry sometimes when I had trouble sleeping. It turns out that I don't like it as much as I thought I would.
Echo
Christina Rossetti's poem about 2 sisters. One goes astray but the other is there to help her on the way. The alliteration and imagery in the poem is great--it can be read and enjoyed by a younger audience, but there are darker and more serious themes in it as well.
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Goblin Market and Other Poems (Kindle Edition)
Goblin Market and Selected Poems (Hardcover)
Goblin Market And Other Poems (Salt Pocket Classics)
Goblin Market and Selected Poems (Paperback)
Goblin Market; And Other Poems (Paperback)

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Christina Georgina Rossetti, one of the most important women poets writing in nineteenth-century England, was born in London December 5, 1830, to Gabriele and Frances (Polidori) Rossetti. Although her fundamentally religious temperament was closer to her mother's, this youngest member of a remarkable family of poets, artists, and critics inherited many of her artistic tendencies from her father.

J...more
More about Christina Rossetti...
Goblin Market The Complete Poems Poems of Christina Rossetti Selected Poems of Christina Rossetti (Wordsworth Poetry Library) Poems and Prose (Everyman's Library)

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“For there is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands”
97 people liked it
“We must not look at goblin men,
We must not buy their fruits:
Who knows upon what soil they fed
Their hungry thirsty roots?”
41 people liked it
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