Goblin Market Essay

570 Words3 Pages
While “Goblin Market,” uses allusion to create a religious tone, the use of imagery and symbolism suggest a much darker meaning revealing the ugly underbelly of society and the depths and despair of drug addiction. The use of allusion in “Goblin Market,” attempts to create a religious theme by alluding to the Book of Genesis. The narrator tries to re-create the story of the Garden of Eden where Satan is disguised as a snake and tries to tempt Eve with an apple from the Tree of Knowledge. In the first twenty-nine lines of the poem the goblin men/ Satan are soliciting the very enticing fruit/ apple with the intention of entrapping Laura or Lizzie/Eve. The use of repetition in lines 3-4-31-19 “come buy,” “come buy” is significant because it represents the overwhelming temptation that must have been felt by Laura/Eve. Line 471 is significant because it continues the biblical allegory by depicting Lizzie as Laura’s savior with the words, “Eat me, drink me, love me”, which alludes to Christ’s words in the book of Matthew; “Take and eat this it is my body.” Even though “Goblin Market” seems to be a story right out of the Bible its use of imagery and symbolism suggest a much darker meaning. The use of imagery in the first thirty-one lines are significant because it creates this dark under world of drug pushers attempting to pedal any and every type of drug imaginable; revealing the dark side of human nature (temptation/weakness). Lines such as (47) “come buy,” call the goblins hobbling down the glen.” “Come buy, come buy: Apples and quinces” and it goes on to list another twenty-six delectable fruits. This use of imagery is significant because it helps the reader visualize a drug dealer/goblin men hobbling down the glen; on the street trying to pedal drugs/fruit. The narrator reveals Laura succumbing to temptation in lines 69-70 “Curious Laura chose to
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