The Erl-King

Erl-king has many similarities to the Goblin Market; however it also has a distinct difference. The Goblin Market is clearly about the loss of virginity through eating the fruits of the “evil” goblins. However Erl-king is more focused on a the singular relationship between Erl-king and the narrator. Furthermore, I feel as though Erl-King is not made out to be explicitly evil as the goblins are in “Goblin Market.” The narrator describes Erl-King in several appealing ways. For example she states he is “an excellent housewife” and “his rustic home is always spic and span.”(87) She also describes his house as “musical and aromatic and there is always a wood fire crackling in the grate.” (87) Yet there is a very dark side to Erl-King. The narrator states “his touch both consoles and devastates me.” (89) Muck like the goblins there is something completely irresistible the narrator finds within Erl-King. From the moment she meets Erl-King she knows that he will “do grievous harm”(85) to her, but she can’t resist forming a relationship with him. Even when the narrator kills Erl-King she does it “softly” as not to wake him. She describes her strangling Erl-King as “gentle as rain.”(91) Although she does not want to be trapped by Erl-king’s “cage,” she seems to be still very much in love with him even when she murders him.