Goblin Market Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. "Goblin Market" was originally read as a moral tale for children. Is it a children's poem? Why or why not?
  2. Only "maids" and "goblins" ever appear in "Goblin Market." Why are there no men in the poem?
  3. Why does the poem end with Laura's moral to her children? Is it a satisfying ending? Why or why not? Why might Rossetti have ended that way?
  4. Why is it important that Lizzie buys the fruit with a penny, while Laura uses a piece of her hair?
  5. Why can only "maids" hear the goblins?
  6. Why can't Laura hear or see the goblins after she's eaten the fruit?