Simile in Goblin Market

The contrasting descriptions of the girls makes clear the different positions they are in. Lizzie, with her “placid” look, has not been soiled by the goblins and their wicked fruit. Laura has been soiled, and thus is described with the hellish simile “like a leaping flame.”

Rossetti frequently crafts lists of similes like this in order to create a feeling of emphasis. Often the content of the similes is not as important as the tone. For example, in the image of “wands of ivory/Tipped with gold for awful kings,” the purpose and referent of the phrase “awful kings” is not clear. Ending the list of similes with the “awful kings,” however, injects an ominous tone into the otherwise tender scene.

The adjective “hoary” has several meanings, and nearly all of them apply in this extended simile. On one level, “hoary” simple means a white or gray coloring to one’s hair. The sea, then, has whitecaps. On another level, this adjective means “ancient, venerable from age, or time-honored,” and the ocean has often been considered an ancient, mysterious place deserving of respect. Both of these meanings derive from depictions of the Greek god of the sea, Poseidon, who is often characterized as hoary, or gray-haired, ancient, and deserving of respect.

In order to convey how aggressively the goblin men attack Lizzie, the narrator utilizes several similes. Here, the goblin assault is depicted as waves crashing “obstreperously” against Lizzie, the rock of “blue-veined stone.” The adverb “obstreperously” emphasizes the impact of the assault, because it means clamorously and noisily.

In this simile, Lizzie is depicted as a “blue-veined stone.” The color of her veins, and therefore blood, in this simile is important. Blue blood is an expression that characterizes old, noble, upper-class ancestry. This adds to the divine aspect of Lizzie as she bears the brunt of the goblin men’s aggression to save her sister.