Christina Rossetti’s long poem “Goblin Market” has inspired growing numbers of novels targeted at young adults and young white women, particularly narratives set in fantasy worlds populated by sinister goblins. These coming-of-age tales – many of which make explicit reference to Rossetti’s work – focus on a lone girl who defies goblin control and empowers herself, often to save the life of a sister.

Join Professor Margaret Stetz to discover the ongoing and unexpected importance of Christina Rossetti for new audiences. Explore how Rossetti’s poem provided a template for how to resist the psychologically damaging seductions of the online marketplace and how to battle the “goblin” influencers of social media, who destroy young consumers’ confidence and independence while selling their goods.

Margaret Stetz is the Mae and Robert Carter Professor of Women’s Studies and Professor of Humanities at the University of Delaware. She is the author of several books, including Aubrey Beardsley, 150 Years Young (2022) and more than 120 published articles.