Comparing Goblin Market, Nineteen Eighty-Four By Mary Shelley

The texts Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti, Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, explore the tensions between individual desires and social or institutional regulations. All three of the texts suggest that societies use regulations to protect individuals, from their own desires that may be harmful to them. The first example of this can be seen in the Goblin Market, with the character Laura. Laura’s desire to eat the goblin fruit, although forbidden, endangers her life and well being. Laura’s sister tries to prevent her from eating the fruit, yet Laura does not head this advice and eats the fruit anyway. Similarly, in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Winston also understands that his desire to rebel against the party

The goblins are described as enchanting and delightful in the beginning of poem, they cry with sing song qualities, “come buy, come buy,” and tempt Laura with voices “as smooth as honey” (line 3 and 108). They are dangerous because they seem so innocent and harmless, when in reality they are not. Lizzie tells Laura to “remember Jeanie,” someone who ate the fruit and “pined and pined away,” thus dying from the act (147 155). The rules are clear because Lizzie explains them to Laura repeatedly. They are to “not peep at [the] goblin men,” and to “not buy their fruits” because “their gifts would harm [them]” (line 49 43 66). These rules are clearly designed to protect the girls and their innocence, from the evil goblins, yet Laura’s desire of eating the fruit puts her in danger. Laura is clearly not capable of controlling her own desires and curiosity, thus without the regulation of her sister, she would have likely circum to the goblins temptations a long time ago, as the goblins come every “morning and evening,” thus they have had ample time to tempt Laura (1). Lizzie follows the rule and is not harmed, however “Laura [chooses] to linger” and eats the forbidden fruit, which brings her disastrous consequences