Goblin Market: Breaking the Boundaries of Children's Literature and Exploring Critical Literary Theories

Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market is an exquisite fairy tale with didactic and moralizing functions at the narrative level. This poem is considered as children’s literature which not only captivates the attention of children but it has many critical implications which is not fully explored. Narrative aporia in this poem leads the reader to ambiguous critical theoretical frameworks where it criticises unregulated capitalism as well as cultural imperialism. These theoretical perspectives of queer space, trauma, market economy and sexual encounter drive the poem towards adult readers. As a moral fable, this poem shows the ideal relationship of two sisters namely Laura and Lizzie but on the figurative level, this poem shows the homoerotic relationship of sisterhood. consumption of Goblin's fruits examines how exotic commodity display can tempt the consumers. The description of Goblins pointed out Freud's theory of uncanny and racial iconography in the society. Women's agency in the poem gives a feminist perspective as well which not only questions the gender role but takes a nonconformist stand. This paper aims to explore The Goblin Market’s critical, analytical and theoretical prospects which break the boundaries of Children’s literature and give more space to new literary and theoretical approaches.