Ren Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Ril e (4 December 1875 29 December 1926) better known as Rainer Maria

ia Ril e (German: [an maia lk !) was a "o#emian$%&strian 'oet an( no)elist* +wi(el, reco-ni.e( as one o/ t#e most l,ricall, intense German$ lan-&a-e 'oets+*[1! writin- in bot# )erse an( #i-#l, l,rical 'rose0 1e)eral critics #a)e (escribe( 2ilke3s work as in#erentl, +m,stical+0[2![4! 5is writin-s incl&(e one no)el* se)eral collections o/ 'oetr,* an( se)eral )ol&mes o/ corres'on(ence in w#ic# #e in)okes #a&ntin- ima-es t#at /oc&s on t#e (i//ic&lt, o/ comm&nion wit# t#e ine//able in an a-e o/ (isbelie/* solit&(e* an( 'ro/o&n( an6iet,0 7#ese (ee'l, e6istential t#emes ten( to 'osition #im as a transitional /i-&re between t#e tra(itional an( t#e mo(ernist writers0 2ilke was born in t#e %&stro$5&n-arian 8m'ire* tra)elle( e6tensi)el, t#ro&-#o&t 8&ro'e an( 9ort# %/rica* incl&(in2&ssia* 1'ain* German,* :rance* ;tal,* an( in #is later ,ears settle( in 1wit.erlan(settin-s t#at were ke, to Rilke in 1900, aged 24 t#e -enesis an( ins'iration /or man, o/ #is 'oems0 <#ile 2ilke is most known /or #is contrib&tions to German literat&re* o)er 4== 'oems were ori-inall, written in Born Ren Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke :renc# an( (e(icate( to t#e canton o/ >alais in 4 December 18 ! 1wit.erlan(0 %mon- 8n-lis#$lan-&a-e rea(ers* #is best$ "rag#e, $ohemia, %#s&ria'(#ngar) known works incl&(e t#e 'oetr, collections Duino Elegies (Duineser Elegien) an( Sonnets to Orpheus Died 29 December 192* +aged !1, Mon&re#-, ./i&0erland (Die Sonette an Orpheus)* t#e semi$a&tobio-ra'#ical no)el The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (Die Occupation 1oe&, no2elis& Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge )* an( a Nationality %#s&rian collection o/ ten letters t#at was '&blis#e( a/ter #is (eat# Period 18943192! &n(er t#e title Letters to a Young Poet (Briefe an einen jungen Dichter)0 ;n t#e later 2=t# cent&r,* #is work #as Signature /o&n( new a&(iences t#ro&-# its &se b, 9ew %-e t#eolo-ians an( sel/$#el' a&t#ors*[4![5![6! an( t#ro&-# /re?&ent ?&otin- in tele)ision 'ro-rams* books an( motion 'ict&res0[7! ;n t#e @nite( 1tates* 2ilke is one o/ t#e more 'o'&lar* best$sellin- 'oetsalon- wit# 14t#$cent&r, 1&/i m,stic 2&mi an( 2=t#$cent&r, Aebanese$%merican 'oet B#alil Gibran0
4arl) life +18 !'189*, (e /as born Ren Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke in "rag#e, ca1i&al of $ohemia +&hen 1ar& of %#s&ria'(#ngar), no/ &he 50ech Re1#blic,6 (is childhood and )o#&h in "rag#e /ere no& es1eciall) ha11)6 (is fa&her, Josef Rilke +18783190*,, became a rail/a) official af&er an #ns#ccessf#l mili&ar) career6 (is mo&her, .o1hie +8"hia8, 4n&0 +18!131971,, came from a /ell'&o'do "rag#e famil), &he 4n&0'

Kin0elbergers, /ho li2ed in a ho#se on &he (errengasse +"ansk9, 8, /here Ren also s1en& man) of his earl) )ears6 :he rela&ionshi1 be&/een "hia and her onl) son /as colored b) her mo#rning for a 1rior child, a da#gh&er, /ho had died af&er onl) a /eek of life6 D#ring Rilke;s earl) )ears "hia ac&ed as if she so#gh& &o reco2er &he los& girl &hro#gh &he bo) b) dressing him in girl;s clo&hing6 <9= :he 1aren&s; marriage fell a1ar& in 18846 (is 1aren&s 1ress#red &he 1oe&icall) and ar&is&icall) &alen&ed )o#&h in&o en&ering a mili&ar) academ), /hich he a&&ended from 188* #n&il 1891, /hen he lef& d#e &o illness6 >rom 1892 &o 189! he /as &#&ored for &he #ni2ersi&) en&rance e-am, /hich he 1assed in 189!6 ?n&il 189* he s&#died li&era&#re, ar& his&or), and 1hiloso1h) in "rag#e<10= and M#nich6 M#nich and .ain& "e&ersb#rg

Rilke, &hree )ears old, circa 18 83 18 9

;n 1897 in C&nic#* 2ainer Caria 2ilke met an( /ell in lo)e wit# t#e wi(el, tra)elle(* intellect&al woman o/ letters Ao& %n(reas$1alomD0 2ilke c#an-e( #is /irst name /rom +2enD+ to +2ainer+ at Ao&3s &r-in- beca&se s#e t#o&-#t t#at name more masc&line* /orce/&l* an( Germanic0 [11! 5is relations#i' wit# t#is marrie( woman* wit# w#om #e &n(ertook two e6tensi)e tri's to 2&ssia* laste( &ntil 19==0 "&t e)en a/ter t#eir se'aration* Ao& contin&e( to be 2ilke3s most im'ortant con/i(ante &ntil t#e en( o/ #is li/e0 5a)in- traine( /rom 1912 to 1914 as a 's,c#oanal,st wit# 1i-m&n( :re&(* s#e s#are( #er knowle(-e o/ 's,c#oanal,sis wit# 2ilke0 ;n 1898* 2ilke &n(ertook a Eo&rne, lastin- se)eral weeks to ;tal,0 ;n 1899* #e tra)elle( wit# Ao& an( #er #&sban(* :rie(ric# %n(reas* to Coscow w#ere #e met t#e no)elist Aeo 7olsto,0 "etween Ca, an( %&-&st 19==* a secon( Eo&rne, to 2&ssia* accom'anie( onl, b, Ao&* a-ain took #im to Coscow an( 1aint Fetersb&r-* w#ere #e met t#e /amil, o/ "oris Fasternak an( 1'iri(on Dro.#.#in* a 'easant 'oet0 Aater* +2ilke calle( two 'laces #is #ome: "o#emia an( 2&ssia+0[12! ;n 19==* 2ilke sta,e( at t#e artists3 colon, at <or'swe(e0 (Aater* #is 'ortrait wo&l( be 'ainte( b, t#e 'roto$e6'ressionist Fa&la Co(erso#n$"ecker* w#om #e -ot to know at <or'swe(e0) ;t was #ere t#at #e -ot to know t#e sc&l'tor Glara <est#o//* w#om #e marrie( t#e /ollowin- ,ear0 7#eir (a&-#ter 2&t# (19=11972) was born in December 19=10
"aris +1902'1910,

;n t#e s&mmer o/ 19=2* 2ilke le/t #ome an( tra)elle( to Faris to write a mono-ra'# on t#e sc&l'tor %&-&ste 2o(in0 "e/ore lon#is wi/e le/t t#eir (a&-#ter wit# #er 'arents an( Eoine( 2ilke t#ere0 7#e relations#i' between 2ilke an( Glara <est#o// contin&e( /or t#e rest o/ #is li/eH a m&t&all, a-ree($&'on e//ort at (i)orce was b&rea&craticall, #in(ere( b, 2ilke3s +o//icial+ stat&s as a Gat#olic* t#o&-# #e was not obser)ant0

%t /irst* 2ilke #a( a (i//ic&lt time in Faris* an e6'erience t#at #e calle( on in t#e /irst 'art o/ #is onl, no)el* The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge 0 %t t#e same time* #is enco&nter wit# mo(ernism was )er, stim&latin-: 2ilke became (ee'l, in)ol)e( in t#e sc&l't&re o/ 2o(in* an( t#en wit# t#e work o/ Fa&l GD.anne0 :or a time #e acte( as Modersohn'$ecker 2o(in3s secretar,* also lect&rin- an( writin- a lon- essa, on "a#la +18 *3190 ,, an earl) 2o(in an( #is work0 2o(in ta&-#t #im t#e )al&e o/ obEecti)e obser)ation* an( &n(er t#is in/l&ence 2ilke (ramaticall, e-1ressionis& 1ain&er, became trans/orme( #is 'oetic st,le /rom t#e s&bEecti)e an( acB#ain&ed /i&h Rilke in sometimes incantator, lan-&a-e o/ #is earlier work into Wor1s/ede and "aris, and somet#in- ?&ite new in 8&ro'ean literat&re0 7#e res&lt was 1ain&ed his 1or&rai& in 190*6 t#e New Poems* /amo&s /or t#e +t#in-$'oems+ e6'ressin- 2ilke3s reE&)enate( artistic )ision0 7#e 'oems o/ t#e New Poems an( New Poems The Other Part are #i-#l, wro&-#t* &sin- lan-&a-e an( 'oetic /orm as a s#a'e( an( s#a'in- materialH to t#is e6tent t#e 'oems are o/ten sai( to be +t#in-s+ in t#emsel)es0 D&rin- t#ese ,ears* Faris increasin-l, became t#e writer3s main resi(ence0 7#e most im'ortant works o/ t#e Faris 'erio( were Neue !edi"hte (New Poems) (19=7)* Der Neuen !edi"hte #nderer Teil (#nother Part of the New Poems ) (19=8)* t#e two +2e?&iem+ 'oems (19=9)* an( t#e no)el The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge* starte( in 19=4 an( com'lete( in Ian&ar, 191=0 7#e 1we(is# a&t#or CirEam 7a''er #as e(ite( a book on 2ilke3s sta, in Faris* w#ere s#e re/lecte( on t#e man, a((resses 2ilke li)e( at an( trie( to /in( t#e correlation between #is sta, t#ere an( #is 'oems0 7#e title o/ t#e book: $esa med $ilke (7ra)el wit# 2ilke)* Cita bok/Jrla- 2=1=0 % c#a'ter in t#e book also (eals wit# 2ilke3s sickness an( (eat#0 D&rin- t#e later 'art o/ t#is (eca(e 2ilke s'ent e6ten(e( 'erio(s in 2on(a* t#e /amo&s b&ll$ /i-#tin- centre in so&t#ern 1'ain0 7#ere #e ke't a 'ermanent room at t#e 5otel 2eina >ictoria (b&ilt in 19=6) w#ere #is room remains to t#is (a, as #e le/t it* a mini$m&se&m o/ 2ilkeana0
D#ino and &he >irs& World War +1911'1919, $e&/een Cc&ober 1911 and Ma) 1912, Rilke s&a)ed a& &he 5as&le D#ino, near :ries&e, home of "rincess Marie of :h#rn #nd :a-is6 :here, in 1912, he began &he 1oem c)cle called &he Duino Elegies, /hich /o#ld remain #nfinished for a decade beca#se of a long'las&ing crea&i2i&) crisis6 :he o#&break of World War @ s#r1rised Rilke d#ring a s&a) in Derman)6 (e /as #nable &o re&#rn &o "aris, /here his 1ro1er&) /as confisca&ed and a#c&ioned6 (e s1en& &he grea&er 1ar& of &he /ar in M#nich6 >rom 1914 &o 191* he had a &#rb#len& affair /i&h &he 1ain&er Eo# %lber&'Easard6 Rilke /as called #1 a& &he beginning of 191*, and he had &o #nder&ake basic &raining in Fienna6 @nfl#en&ial friends in&erceded on his behalf, and he /as &ransferred &o &he War Records Cffice and discharged from &he mili&ar) on 9 J#ne 191*6 (e

D#ino 5as&le near :ries&e, @&al), /as /here Rilke began /ri&ing &he Duino Elegies in 1912A reco#n&ing &ha& he heard &he famo#s firs& line as a 2oice in &he /ind /hile /alking along &he cliffs and &ha& he /ro&e i&

s1en& &he s#bseB#en& &ime once again in M#nich, in&err#1&ed b) a s&a) on (er&ha Koenig;s D#& $ockel in Wes&1halia6 :he &ra#ma&ic e-1erience of mili&ar) ser2ice, a reminder of &he horrors of &he mili&ar) academ), almos& com1le&el) silenced him as a 1oe&6

./i&0erland and M#0o& +1919'192*,

Kn 11 I&ne 1919* 2ilke tra)ele( /rom C&nic# to 1wit.erlan(0 7#e o&twar( moti)e was an in)itation to lect&re in L&ric#* b&t t#e real reason was t#e wis# to esca'e t#e 'ost$war c#aos an( take &' #is work on t#e Duino Elegies once a-ain0 7#e searc# /or a s&itable an( a//or(able 'lace to li)e 'ro)e( to be )er, (i//ic&lt0 %mon- ot#er 'laces* 2ilke li)e( in 1o-lio* Aocarno* an( "er- am ;rc#el0 Knl, in mi($1921 was #e able to /in( a 'ermanent resi(ence in t#e G#Mtea& (e C&.ot in t#e comm&ne o/ >e,ras* close to 5hG&ea# de M#0o& in 1ierre in >alais0 ;n an intense creati)e 'erio(* 2ilke Fe)ras, ./i&0erland, /as com'lete( t#e Duino Elegies in se)eral weeks in :ebr&ar, /here Rilke com1le&ed 19220 "e/ore an( a/ter* 2ilke ra'i(l, wrote bot# 'arts o/ t#e /ri&ing &he Duino Elegies 'oem c,cle Sonnets to Orpheus containin- 55 entire in 8a sa2age crea&i2e sonnets0 "ot# works to-et#er #a)e o/ten been taken as s&orm8 in >ebr#ar) 19226 constit&tin- t#e #i-# 'oints o/ 2ilke3s work0 ;n Ca, 1922* 2ilke3s 'atron <erner 2ein#art bo&-#t an( reno)ate( C&.ot so t#at 2ilke co&l( li)e t#ere rent$ /ree0[14! D&rin- t#is time* 2ein#art intro(&ce( 2ilke to #is 'rotD-De* t#e %&stralian )iolinist %lma Coo(ie0[14! 2ilke was so im'resse( wit# #er 'la,in- t#at #e wrote in a letter: +<#at a so&n(* w#at ric#ness* w#at (etermination0 7#at an( t#e Sonnets to Orpheus* t#ose were two strin-s o/ t#e same )oice0 %n( s#e 'la,s mostl, "ac#N C&.ot #as recei)e( its m&sical c#ristenin-000+[14![15!
[16!

:rom 1924 on* 2ilke increasin-l, #a( to str&--le wit# #ealt# 'roblems t#at necessitate( man, lon- sta,s at a sanatori&m in 7erritet* near Contre&6* on Aake Gene)a0 5is lon- sta, in Faris between Ian&ar, an( %&-&st 1925 was an attem't to esca'e #is illness t#ro&-# a c#an-e in location an( li)in- con(itions0 Des'ite t#is* n&mero&s im'ortant in(i)i(&al 'oems a''eare( in t#e ,ears 19241926 (incl&(in- !ong an( Mausoleum)* as well as t#e ab&n(ant l,rical work in :renc#0 ;n Ian&ar, an( :ebr&ar, 1926 2ilke wrote t#ree letters to t#e C&ssolini$a()ersar, %&relia Gallarati 1cotti* in w#ic# #e 'raise( "enito C&ssolini an( (escribe( /ascism as a #ealin- a-ent0
Dea&h and $#rial

1#ortl, be/ore #is (eat# 2ilke3s illness was (ia-nose( as le&kemia0 5e s&//ere( &lcero&s sores in #is mo&t#* 'ain tro&ble( #is stomac# an( intestines* an( #e str&--le( wit# increasin-l, low s'irits0[2=! K'en$e,e(* #e (ie( in t#e arms o/ #is (octor on December 29* 1926 in t#e >almont 1anatori&m in 1wit.erlan(0 5e was b&rie( on 2 Ian&ar, 1927 in t#e 2aron cemeter, to t#e west o/ >is'0[2=! 2ilke #a( c#osen as #is own e'ita'# t#is 'oem: 2ose* o# reiner <i(ers'r&c#* A&st* 9ieman(es 1c#la/ .& sein &nter so)iel Ai(ern0 2ose* o# '&re contra(iction* (eli-#t o/ bein- no one3s slee' &n(er so man, li(s0 Rilke;s gra2e in Raron, ./i&0erland

% m,t# (e)elo'e( s&rro&n(in- #is (eat# an( roses0 ;t was sai(: +7o #ono&r a )isitor* t#e 8-,'tian bea&t, 9imet 8lo&i* 2ilke -at#ere( some roses /rom #is -ar(en0 <#ile (oin- so* #e 'ricke( #is #an( on a t#orn0 7#is small wo&n( /aile( to #eal* -rew ra'i(l, worse* soon #is entire arm was swollen* an( #is ot#er arm became a//ecte( as well+* an( so #e (ie(0
Wri&ings :he $ook of (o#rs6 Rilke 1#blished &he &hree com1le&e c)cles of 1oems &ha& cons&i&#&e The Book of Hours +Das Stunden-Buch, in %1ril 190!6 :hese 1oems e-1lore &he 5hris&ian search for Dod and &he na&#re of "ra)er, #sing s)mbolism from .ain& >rancis and Rilke;s obser2a&ion of Cr&hodo- 5hris&iani&) d#ring his &ra2els in R#ssia in &he earl) )ears of &he &/en&ie&h cen&#r) :he Ho&ebooks of Mal&e Ea#rids $rigge Rilke /ro&e his onl) no2el, Die Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge +&ransla&ed as The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge ,, /hile li2ing in "aris and com1le&ed &he /ork in 19106 :he no2el is semi'a#&obiogra1hical, and he ado1&s &he s&)le and &echniB#e &ha& became associa&ed /i&h &he 4-1ressionism &ha& en&ered 4#ro1ean fic&ion and ar& in &he earl) 20&h cen&#r)6 Rilke /as ins1ired b) .igbIJrn Cbs&felder;s /ork A Priest's Diary and Jens "e&er Jacobsen;s second no2el Niels Lyhne +1880, /hich &races &he fa&e of an a&heis& in a merciless /orld6 Rilke addresses e-is&en&ial &hemes, 1rofo#ndl) 1robing &he B#es& for indi2id#ali&), &he significance of dea&h, and reflec&ion on &he e-1erience of &ime as dea&h a11roaches6 Rilke dra/s considerable infl#ence from &he /ri&ings of Hie&0sche, /hose /ork he became acB#ain&ed &hro#gh his lo2er, Hie&0sche;s former lo2er Eo#'%ndreas .alome6 (is /ork also incor1ora&es im1ressionis&ic &echniB#es &ha& /ere infl#enced b) &he 1ain&er 50anne, and sc#l1&or Rodin +/hom Rilke kne/,6 (e combines &hese &echniB#es and mo&ifs &o conI#re images of mankind;s an-ie&) and aliena&ion in &he face of an increasingl), scien&ific, ind#s&rial, reified /orld6 D#ino 4legies

2ilke be-an writin- t#e ele-ies in 1912 w#ile a -&est o/ Frincess Carie )on 7#&rn &n( 7a6is (18551944) at D&ino Gastle* near 7rieste on t#e %(riatic 1ea0 D&rin- t#is ten$,ear 'erio(* t#e ele-ies lan-&is#e( incom'lete /or lon- stretc#es o/ time as 2ilke s&//ere( /re?&entl, /rom se)ere (e'ressionsome o/ w#ic# was ca&se( b, t#e e)ents o/ <orl( <ar ; an( #is conscri'te( militar, ser)ice0 %si(e /rom brie/ e'iso(es o/ writin- in 1914 an( 1915* 2ilke (i( not ret&rn to t#e work &ntil a /ew ,ears a/ter t#e war en(e(0 <it# a s&((en* renewe( ins'irationwritin- in a /rantic 'ace #e (escribe( as +a sa)a-e creati)e storm+#e com'lete( t#e collection in :ebr&ar, 1922 w#ile sta,in- at G#Mtea& (e C&.ot in >e,ras* in 1wit.erlan(3s 2#one >alle,0 %/ter t#eir '&blication an( #is (eat# s#ortl, t#erea/ter* t#e Duino Elegies were ?&ickl, reco-ni.e( b, critics an( sc#olars as 2ilke3s most im'ortant work0[21![22! 7#e Duino Elegies are intensel, reli-io&s* m,stical 'oems t#at wei-# bea&t, an( e6istential s&//erin-0[24! 7#e 'oems em'lo, a ric# s,mbolism o/ an-els an( sal)ation b&t not in kee'in- wit# t,'ical G#ristian intre'retations0 2ilke be-ins t#e /irst ele-, in an in)ocation o/ '#iloso'#ical (es'air* askin-: +<#o* i/ ; crie( o&t* wo&l( #ear me amon- t#e #ierarc#ies o/ an-elsO+ ( %er& wenn i"h s"hriee& h'rte mi"h denn aus der Engel Ordnungen()[24! an( later (eclares t#at +e)er, an-el is terri/,in-+ ()eder Engel ist s"hre"kli"h)0[25! <#ile labellin- o/ t#ese 'oems as +ele-ies+ wo&l( t,'icall, im'l, melanc#ol, an( lamentation* man, 'assa-es are marke( b, t#eir 'ositi)e ener-, an( +&nrestraine( ent#&siasm0+[21! 7o-et#er* t#e Duino Elegies are (escribe( as a metamor'#osis o/ 2ilke3s +ontolo-ical torment+ an( an +im'assione( monolo-&e abo&t cominto terms wit# #&man e6istence+ (isc&ssin- t#emes o/ +t#e limitations an( ins&//icienc, o/ t#e #&man con(ition an( /ract&re( #&man conscio&sness 000 man3s loneliness* t#e 'er/ection o/ t#e an-els* li/e an( (eat#* lo)e an( lo)ers* an( t#e task o/ t#e 'oet0+
.onne&s &o Cr1he#s

<it# news o/ t#e (eat# o/ #is (a&-#ter3s /rien(* <era Bnoo' (19==1919)* 2ilke was ins'ire( to create an( set to work on Sonnets to Orpheus0[27! <it#in a /ew (a,s* between 2 :ebr&ar, an( 5 :ebr&ar, 1922* #e #a( com'lete( t#e /irst section o/ 26 sonnets0 :or t#e ne6t /ew (a,s* #e /oc&se( on t#e Duino Elegies* com'letin- t#em on t#e e)enin- o/ 11 :ebr&ar,0 ;mme(iatel, a/ter* #e ret&rne( to work on t#e Sonnets an( com'lete( t#e /ollowin- section o/ 29 sonnets in less t#an two weeks0 7#ro&-#o&t t#e Sonnets* <era a''ears in /re?&ent re/erences to #er bot# (irect w#ere #e a((resses #er b, name an( in(irect as all&sions to a +(ancer+ or t#e m,t#ical 8&r,(ice0[28! %lt#o&-# 2ilke claime( t#at t#e entire c,cle was ins'ire( b, <era* s#e a''ears as a c#aracter in onl, one o/ t#e 'oems0 5e insiste(* #owe)er* t#at +<era3s own /i-&re [000! ne)ert#eless -o)erns an( mo)es t#e co&rse o/ t#e w#ole+0[29! 7#e content o/ t#e sonnets is* as is t,'ical o/ 2ilke* #i-#l, meta'#orical0 7#e c#aracter o/ Kr'#e&s (w#om 2ilke re/ers to as t#e +-o( wit# t#e l,re+ [4=!) a''ears se)eral times in t#e c,cle* as (o ot#er m,t#ical c#aracters s&c# as Da'#ne0 7#ere are also biblical all&sions* incl&(in- a re/erence to 8sa&0 Kt#er t#emes in)ol)e animals* 'eo'les o/ (i//erent c&lt&res* an( time an( (eat#
Ee&&ers &o a Ko#ng "oe& @n 1929, a minor /ri&er >ran0 La2er Ka11#s +1887319**,, 1#blished a collec&ion of &en le&&ers &ha& Rilke had /ri&&en Letters to a Young Poet, co2er of &he 1974 edi&ion

&o him /hen he /as a 19')ear old officer cade& s&#d)ing a& &he :heresian Mili&ar) %cadem) in Wiener He#s&ad&6 :he )o#ng Ka11#s /ro&e &o Rilke, /ho had also a&&ended &he academ), be&/een 1902 and 1908 /hen he /as #ncer&ain abo#& his f#&#re career as a mili&ar) officer or as a 1oe&6 @ni&iall), he so#gh& Rilke;s ad2ice as &o &he B#ali&) of his 1oe&r), and /he&her he o#gh& &o 1#rs#e /ri&ing as a career6 While he declined &o commen& on Ka11#s;s /ri&ings, Rilke ad2ised Ka11#s on ho/ a 1oe& sho#ld feel, lo2e, and seek &r#&h in &r)ing &o #nders&and and e-1erience &he /orld aro#nd him and engage &he /orld of ar&6 :hese le&&ers offer insigh& in&o &he ideas and &hemes &ha& a11ear in Rilke;s 1oe&r) and his /orking 1rocess6 >#r&her, &hese le&&ers /ere /ri&&en d#ring a ke) 1eriod of Rilke;s earl) ar&is&ic de2elo1men& af&er his re1#&a&ion as a 1oe& began &o be es&ablished /i&h &he 1#blica&ion of 1ar&s of Das Stunden Bu!h +The Book of Hours, and Das Bu!h der Bilder +The Book of "#ages,6 RilkeMs li&erar) s&)le

:i-&res /rom Greek m,t#olo-, (e0-0 %'ollo* 5ermes* Kr'#e&s) rec&r as moti/s in #is 'oems an( are (e'icte( in ori-inal inter'retations (e0-0 in t#e 'oem Orpheus* Eur+di"e* ,ermes* 2ilke3s 8&r,(ice* n&mbe( an( (a.e( b, (eat#* (oes not reco-ni.e #er lo)er Kr'#e&s* w#o (escen(e( to #ell to reco)er #er)0 Kt#er rec&rrin- /i-&res in 2ilke3s 'oems are an-els* roses an( a c#aracter o/ a 'oet an( #is creati)e work0 2ilke o/ten worke( wit# meta'#ors* meton,m, an( contra(ictions (e0-0 in #is e'ita'#* t#e rose is a s,mbol o/ slee' rose 'etals are reminiscent o/ close( e,eli(s)0 2ilke3s little$known 1898 'oem* +>isions o/ G#rist+ (e'icte( Car, Ca-(alene as t#e mot#er to Ies&s3 c#il(0[44![44! P&otin- 1&san 5askins: +;t was 2ilke3s e6'licit belie/ t#at G#rist was not (i)ine* was entirel, #&man* an( (ei/ie( onl, on Gal)ar,* e6'resse( in an &n'&blis#e( 'oem o/ 1894* an( re/erre( to in ot#er 'oems o/ t#e same 'erio(* w#ic# allowe( #im to 'ortra, G#rist3s lo)e /or Car, Ca-(alen* t#o&-# remarkable* as entirel, #&man0+ +!he Wal + C, e,es alrea(, to&c# t#e s&nn, #ill* -oin- /ar a#ea( o/ t#e roa( ; #a)e be-&n0 1o we are -ras'e( b, w#at we cannot -ras'H it #as its inner li-#t* e)en /rom a (istance an( c#an-es &s* e)en i/ we (o not reac# it* into somet#in- else* w#ic#* #ar(l, sensin- it* we alrea(, areH a -est&re wa)es &s on* answerin- o&r own wa)e 000 b&t w#at we /eel is t#e win( in o&r /aces0 +7#e <alk+ b, 2ainer Caria 2ilke (1924) 7ranslate( b, 2obert "l,

Eegac)

;n t#e @nite( 1tates* 2ilke is one o/ t#e more 'o'&lar* best$ sellin- 'oetsalon- wit# 14t#$cent&r, 1&/i m,stic 2&mi

)ears af&er his dea&h b) Eeonid "as&ernak

(12=71274)* an( 2=t#$cent&r, Aebanese$%merican 'oet B#alil Gibran (18841941)0[8! ;n 'o'&lar c&lt&re* 2ilke is /re?&entl, ?&ote( or re/erence( in tele)ision 'ro-rams* motion 'ict&res* m&sic an( ot#er works w#en t#ese works (isc&ss t#e s&bEect o/ lo)e or an-els0 [46! "eca&se o/ #is work bein- (escribe( as +m,stical*+ 2ilke3s works #a)e also been a''ro'riate( /or &se b, t#e 9ew %-e comm&nit, an( in sel/$#el' books0[4! 2ilke #as been reinter'rete( +as a master w#o can lea( &s to a more /&l/ille( an( less an6io&s li/e0+[5![47! 2ilke3s work* an( s'eci/icall,* t#e Duino Elegies #a)e been claime( as a (ee' in/l&ence b, se)eral 'oets an( writers* incl&(in- Galwa, Binnell*[48! 1i(ne, Be,es*[49![4=! 1te'#en 1'en(er*[22! 2obert "l,*[22![41! <0 10 Cerwin*[42! Io#n %s#ber,*[44! no)elist 7#omas F,nc#on[44! an( '#iloso'#ers A&(wi- <itt-enstein[45! an( 5ans$Geor- Ga(amer0[46![47! "ritis# 'oet <0 50 %&(en (19=71974) #as been (escribe( as +2ilke3s most in/l&ential 8n-lis# (isci'le+ an( #e /re?&entl, +'ai( #oma-e to #im+ or &se( t#e ima-er, o/ an-els in #is work0
Works

"omplete #or s

2ainer Caria 2ilke* S-mtli"he %erke in ./ B-nden (0omplete %orks in ./ 1olumes)* '&blis#e( b, 2ilke %rc#i)e in association wit# 2&t# 1ieber$2ilke* e(ite( b, 8rnst Linn0 :rank/&rt am Cain (1976) 2ainer Caria 2ilke* %erke (%orks)0 %nnotate( e(ition in /o&r )ol&mes wit# s&''lementar, /i/t# )ol&me* '&blis#e( b, Can/re( 8n-el* @lric# :Qlleborn* Dorot#ea Aa&terbac#* 5orst 9alewski an( %&-&st 1ta#l0 :rank/&rt am Cain an( Aei'.i- (1996 an( 2==4)

$olumes of poetry

Leben und Lieder 2Life and Songs3 (1894) Larenopfer 2Lares4 Sa"rifi"e3 (1895) Traumgekr'nt 2Dream50rowned3 (1897) #d6ent 2#d6ent3 (1898) Das Stunden5Bu"h (The Book of ,ours)
o o o o

Das Bu"h 6om m'n"his"hen Leben 2The Book of Monasti" Life3 (1899) Das Bu"h 6on der Pilgers"haft 2The Book of Pilgrimage3 (19=1) !eldbaum (19=1) Das Bu"h 6on der #rmut und 6om Tode 2The Book of Po6ert+ and Death3 (19=4)

Das Bu"h der Bilder (The Book of 7mages) (4 'arts* 19=219=6) Neue !edi"hte (New Poems) (19=7)

Duineser Elegien (Duino Elegies) (1922) Sonette an Orpheus (Sonnets to Orpheus) (1922)

Prose collections

!es"hi"hten 6om Lieben !ott (Stories of !od) (Gollection o/ tales* 19==) #uguste $odin (19=4) Die %eise 6on Liebe und Tod des 0ornets 0hristoph $ilke (The La+ of the Lo6e and Death of 0ornet 0hristoph $ilke) (A,ric stor,* 19=6) Die #uf8ei"hnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge (The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge) (9o)el* 191=)

%etters
"ollected letters

!esammelte Briefe in se"hs B-nden (0olle"ted Letters in Si9 1olumes)* '&blis#e( b, 2&t# 1ieber$2ilke an( Garl 1ieber0 Aei'.i- (19461949) Briefe (Letters)* '&blis#e( b, t#e 2ilke %rc#i)e in <eimar0 7wo )ol&mes* <iesba(en (195=* re'rinte( 1987 in sin-le )ol&me)0 Briefe in :wei B-nden (Letters in Two 1olumes) (5orst 9alewski* :rank/&rt an( Aei'.i-* 1991)

Other &olumes of letters

Briefe an #uguste $odin (;nsel >erla-* 1928) Briefwe"hsel mit Marie 6on Thurn und Ta9is* two )ol&mes* e(ite( b, 8rnst Linn wit# a /orwar( b, 2&(ol/ Bassner (8(itions Ca6 9ie#ans* 1954) Briefwe"hsel mit Thankmar 6on M;n"hhausen .<.= bis .</> (1&#rkam' ;nsel >erla-* 2==4) Briefwe"hsel mit $olf 6on ?ngern5Sternberg und weitere Dokumente 8ur @bertragung der Stan"es 6on )ean MorAas (1&#rkam' ;nsel >erla-* 2==2)