In Literary Theory: The Basics, H. Bertens states that even in the works of culturally and sexually liberal male writers such as D.H. Lawrence and Henry Miller, male characters are “denigrating, exploitative, and repressive in their relationships with women.” In the poems Goblin Market and No, Thank You, John, Christina Rossetti subverts the idea that female characters should remain submissive and resigned to accept the conventional, male-dominated heterosexual relationships promoted in Victorian patriarchal society, and should instead embrace the independence, sisterhood and homosexuality. Rossetti's work provides a literary space for platonic, romantic, and even sexual female relationships to thrive, and this serves to empower women as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay By bringing her female characters' avoidance and outright rejection of male advances to the forefront of her poetry, as well as presenting her male characters' pursuit of female characters as perverse and predatory, Rossetti brazenly eschews conventional heterosexual relationships. Both Lizzie and Laura in Goblin Market do this at the beginning of the poem when the goblin men try to lure them: "We must not look at the goblin men / We must not buy their fruit." The repetition of “must not” implies a sense of fear of giving in to the desire, which Laura does, moments later, rather than defiance. However, Lizzie is both firm and dignified when she rejects the goblins later in the poem, while their insistent advances are presented as an attack on Lizzie: "They began to scratch their heads, / No longer wagging their tails, purring, / But visibly hesitating, / Grunting and growling. / One called her proud, / uncivilized, uncivilized...” The powerful animal imagery here emphasizes both Lizzie's sense of dignity in denying the goblins what they want, and the goblins' transformation from flattery used to entice (“I hugged her and kissed her: / I held her and caressed her”), to “grunt and growl” to intimidate and frighten Lizzie into submission. The rhyming ending “ing” and harsh "g" plosives here are repetitive and could represent the multiple attacks the goblins subject Lizzie to. The simple description of "goblin men" and the animalistic descriptions ("One had the face of a cat/One whipped his tail..." ) may only be symbolic of their devious behavior; they may actually be human, and these descriptors are simply about their monstrous behavior. In this way, Rossetti ultimately frames Lizzie as an admirable heroine compared to depraved goblins, and thus challenges expectations of femininity by being stoic, rational, and self-sufficient. However, in No Thanks, John, the speaker not only makes it clear that she doesn't appreciate being repeatedly tormented by John; she too harshly rejects his offers of love. The embedded “thank you” clause in the title implies that this pleasantry was an afterthought. The repetition of "never" in the first two stanzas is a sign that the speaker is adamant that his feelings should be respected, and brings almost a sense of disgust to the prospect of courting him. This sense of contempt is seen throughout the poem, particularly in the cutting observation: "I would rather answer 'No' to fifty Johns / than answer 'Yes' to you." The powerful negative comparison contained in this statement would immediately target the male's sense of entitlement to her attention; the stark contrast between the two statements is further emphasized by the enjambement between the two lines. The demanding ways ofmale character are likely a deliberate reflection of Victorian patriarchal society, where men would have been conditioned from a young age to believe they were entitled to a woman's attention (to woo them) and, later, their cooperation. In both Goblin Market and No, Thank You, John, women's independence and empowerment are given priority over the notion of entitlement instilled in men, and this promotes women's freedom and happiness over being trapped in conventional relationships with (potentially violent) men who would make them dissatisfied. Rossetti also allows female characters to dominate by positioning male characters on the periphery through promoting sisterhood over relationships with men and, in doing so, once again rejects the conventional. In Krystal Krocker's thesis, she states that: "sisterhood and brotherhood also suggest the concept of good versus evil [...] the reason we know sisterhood is good is because we know how evil goblins are." This idea is supported by Rossetti's continued presentation of the sisterly relationship between Lizzie and Laura as pure and loving: “Golden head after golden head, / Like two pigeons in a nest / Folded into each other's wings other, / They lie down in their bed tents." The image of the “golden head” presents Lizzie and Laura as angelic figures. Pigeons also often represent domestic and domestic life in literature, and the natural image in the simile " like two pigeons in a nest" may be evidence that Rossetti intended to represent Lizzie and Laura as a complete family unit. It does not conform to the typical nuclear family model that Victorian society would support and would be considered unnatural, but it seems that, through By using natural imagery, Rossetti might have been trying to promote the then unconventional concept that a family unit does not require a male figure or a heterosexual couple to be considered valid. Contrary to the positive presentation of sisterhood in Goblin Market, brotherhood among goblins is presented as impure and even dangerous, and Rossetti expresses the idea that men collectively pose a danger to women: "They stood still on the moss, / looking at each other the other, / brother with a strange brother; / signaling to each other, / brother with a cunning brother". Although an all-male family unit, and indeed same-sex relationships between men, would be just as unconventional as Rossetti's presentation of Laura and Lizzie's family unit, brotherhoods in Victorian times were widely accepted, including the Pre-Raphaelites and freemasons. The repeated internal rhyme of the “-er” ending here may reflect the intimacy and secrecy of the goblins, and gives the impression that they are approaching Lizzie menacingly. Rossetti's description of the goblins as "strange" and "cunning" creates a sense of foreboding that is only strengthened by the goblins "looking into each other's faces" and "signalling each other", which defines the goblins as devious and dishonest, as if they are plotting together to execute a malevolent plan. The pure, angelic presentation of Platonic sisterhood juxtaposed with the unsavory nature of goblin brotherhood highlights the importance of female support against the forces of evil and, once again, rejects the notion of potentially harmful heterosexual relationships in favor of healthy, constructive relationships between women . he might go so far as to say that Rossetti's female characters practice homosexuality and reject men altogether both romantically and sexually, which centers them as the main focus of Rossetti's love poetry. Both Laura and, to a lesser extent, Lizzie show signs of.