Callie McAnnally's Timeline for "Goblin Market"

In this timeline, I will use historical events that happened around the time that Christina Rossetti wrote "Goblin Market" about the temptations of "fallen women" who were unable to withhold themselves from sexual temptations.  Women needed to be pure in order to get married, throughout the poem, Rossetti uses imagery and symbolism to show the temptations and desires that have happened. 

Timeline

Chronological table

Displaying 1 - 5 of 5
Date Event Created by Associated Places
1760 to 1820

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution took place during the 19th century, this was a time where more goods and machinery were being produced. With this new machinery being created it helped the time of creating clothing much quicker with less labor. Iron and steel also grew in this industry by finding ways to heat them at a cheaper cost of using coal. This sparked many people’s interest, they were now able to go and buy the necessities needed by going down to markets. The markets here represent the market where the goblins sold their fruits. People were mesmerized by the way the fruits looked and smelt. These were fruits that people could not easily grow at home. This is how the goblins were able to trick the women into eating their fruit which would then make them impure.  

History.com Editors. (2009, October 29). Industrial revolution. History.com. Retrieved December 5, 2021, from https://www.history.com/topics/industrial-revolution/industrial-revolution.

 
Callie McAnnally
1844 to 1913

Harriett Tubman

Harriet Tubman grew up as a slave in the 19th century. She then tried to escape a young girl and was hit in the head so hard to where she almost died, giving her narcolepsy and migraines the rest of her life. Later in life, she married John Tubman who was a free man although the marriage was not legally allowed for slaves. Tubman did not create the underground railroad but benefitted from it by using it as an escape route to help free slaves. She took multiple risky trips to save slaves which put a bounty on her for $40,000 to whoever captured her but made it out alive each time. This relates back to the poem because of the risk that Lizzie took to save Laura. While Laura was sick, Lizzie went to the goblins to purchase their fruit. She refused to eat it which caused the goblins to beat her. Lizzie sacrificed herself to the goblins for the chance at saving her sister. When the goblins left Lizzie, she immediately went home to Laura in bed begging her to lick the fruit off of her body in a chance to save her. Laura ate of the bitter fruit and then became young and well again. 

Michals, E. by D. (n.d.). Harriet Tubman Biography. National Women's History Museum. Retrieved December 5, 2021, from https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tu....

 
Callie McAnnally
1860 to 1881

Ballerinas Sexual Exploitation

Ballerinas who performed at the Paris Opera Ballet in the 19th century were performers on stage and backstage. On stage, they performed two beautiful dances and were watched by a large crowd. Some of the crowd were season ticket holders, most of them being men, who got more than just a performance by watching the ballerinas on stage. Once their recital is complete, the men then go backstage where some of the most wealthy men have paid for the ballerinas to then be exploited by choosing which ballerina they enjoyed watching most on stage. This relates to The Goblin Market because the goblins would harass Lizzie for not taking their fruit. This would infuriate the goblins causing them to force themselves upon Lizzie to eat their fruit. Like the ballerinas could not fight back, Lizzie was overpowered and eventually became unclean. 

 

Blakemore, E. (2018, January 5). Sexual exploitation was the norm for 19th century ballerinas. History.com. Retrieved December 5, 2021, from https://www.history.com/news/sexual-exploitation-was-the-norm-for-19th-c....

 
Callie McAnnally
1866 to 1928

Women of Color

Throughout the time The Goblin Market was written, there was an issue of discrimination going on in Britain. Women of color were being told that only white women were able to vote. The women of color, African American and Indian, were told that they could not vote because they were not raised there and were not white. All women of color then band together to form a movement for all women to be able to vote. Allowing women of color to finally sign their first petition for all women to vote in the year 1866. This is significant because the women are coming together to form a sort of sisterhood. In The Goblin Market, Lizzie tries to save her sister from the goblins. She attempts to help her sister be strong in fighting against the temptations of goblin’s fruits. The fruits related to the issue of white supremacy with the equality to vote. Unlike the women of color getting their petition signed to vote, Lizzie was unsuccessful in trying to help Lizzie fight the temptation. 

Google. (n.d.). Have women of color been written out of the Women's movement? - google arts & culture. Google. Retrieved December 5, 2021, from https://artsandculture.google.com/theme/have-women-of-color-been-written....

 

 

Callie McAnnally
1887

Sexual Repression

Throughout the 19th century, sex out of wedlock was restrained on all women. This is a time where women were not to have or speak of sex until they were married. Any woman who had sex was deemed unpure and would not be capable of marriage. In this society, women were to get married, take care of the home, and give birth and take care of the children. In the 1800s men became “weak” and were not able to take control of their sexual desires, therefore, causing taboos to open. This is a time where prostitution began to flourish. This relates to Laura, she was tempted and was became “weak” to the goblin’s fruits. She was intrigued and had to know how they tasted. She then gave in to temptations and when she took their fruit, she became impure, which is why she became ill. Like the women having to fight the urges to sexual temptations, Laura was now impure to find a husband. This is why when Laura took of the fruit, the goblins took a lock of her hair, to symbolize her impurity. 

 

Sexual repression and its causes. reasons and effects. Victorian Era. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2021, from http://victorian-era.org/sexual-repression-in-the-victorian-era.html.

 
Callie McAnnally