InsomniaDante Gabriel Rossetti11881
Commentary
Introduction
The poem is a close companion piece to nearly all the poems DGR printed in the “Lyrics &c.” section of
Ballads and Sonnets. Compare especially
“Spheral Change”, “Alas, So Long”, and “Adieu”. The final stanza's reference to the “one true goal” of his faith, hope, and love distinctly recalls the final stanza of “The House of Life”, “The One Hope”.
Textual History: Composition
This is a late poem, composed in 1881. A fragment of the first stanza is drafted into the small Notebook III in the British Library, and another fragmentary piece of that stanza is preserved in a miscellaneous manuscript collection at Princeton.. The printer's copy manuscript is also at Princeton.
Textual History: Revision
Production History
Reception
Iconographic
Printing History
First published in the first edition of the 1881
Ballads and Sonnets, collected thereafter.
Pictorial
Historical
Literary
Translation
Autobiographical
Bibliographic
Ballads and Sonnets first edition textBallads and Sonnets first edition textThe Collected Works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, vol. 1 (1886)Dante Gabriel RossettiWilliam Michael Rossetti18860Ballads and Sonnets (1881), first editionDante Gabriel Rossetti1881 October 170Ballads and Sonnets (1881), second editionDante Gabriel Rossetti18810Ballads and Sonnets (1882), fourth edition Dante Gabriel Rossetti18820Ballads and Sonnets (1881), (author's proofs, British Library copy)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1881 April-June0Ballads and Sonnets (1881), proof Signature U (Delaware Museum, author's
first revise proof)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1881 May 100Ballads and Sonnets (1881), proof Signature U (Delaware Museum, first
author's proof)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1881 May 60Ballads and Sonnets (1881), proof Signature U (Delaware Museum, final proof,
copy 1)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1881 May 18 (circa)0Ballads and Sonnets (1881), proof Signature U (Delaware Museum, final proof,
copy 2)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1881 May 18 (circa)0Ballads and Sonnets (1881), proof Signature U (Delaware Museum, final proof,
copy 3)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1881 May 18 (circa)0Small Notebook 3 (British Library)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1871-1879?0Lyrics, &c. (Princeton/Troxell bound manuscript volume)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1880-18810The Works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1911)Dante Gabriel RossettiWilliam Michael Rossetti19110Sonnets and Fragments (Princeton/Troxell bound manuscript volume)Dante Gabriel Rossetti1848-18810