Tone in Goblin Market

The repetition in these lines gives a simple description of each goblin. Much like a child’s fairy tale or story, this type of repetition creates a singsong tone and an easy-to-understand setting. While this story takes on the tone and style of a children’s story, it can be read as a cautionary tale for adults with larger social implications.

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.