Victorian Appropriation of Medieval Eucharistic Symbolism: A comparative analysis of St. Giles Cathedral and Goblin Market by Katerina Kern

This article considers the manner in which ‘Goblin Market’ by Christina Rossetti and St. Giles Cathedral by Augustus Pugin appropriate Medieval Eucharistic symbolism. It first considers the Medieval elements within ‘Goblin Market’ and the contemporary Anglo-Catholic discussions around those elements. It then considers the Catholic architecture of St. Giles Cathedral, noting the similarities and differences to their Medieval counterparts while positing an explanation. Despite their differences in both form and doctrine, both artefacts reveal parallel trends of Medieval adaptions and desired ends in Victorian England.