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A review by marathonreader
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
This is more than a compendium of essays. Collated, they form an (at-times disparate) essay on the solitudinal path less taken, in the internal search to create true art.
I must, here, clarify a few things:
INTERNAL: Rilke urges Mr. Kappus to create from within and not judge based on externals. This is the fault of literary criticism, he says. For our truest responses come from feelings
, which are not things which others can tell us, nor can be found by looking at what other people are doing/ saying.
SEARCH: While not an overt theme, I use search here to describe the active endeavour of doing. Rilke status multiple times that what is easy is not what is meaningful, or worthwhile. Solitude for the purpose of introspection and art is difficult, but important. To love another is the hardest thing on earth, but also the most necessary.
TRUE ART: in his final letter here, Rilke goes so far as to say three quarters of what passes as literature is not true art. He says that art is what we are driven to create, what is NECESSARY for us to do..it reminds me of Neil Gaiman, who has spoken about writing the stories you'd tell just to yourself, to write that which you cannot help but write. Rilke says to write that which we must.
The theme of solitude is the most prominent, conveyed in the most beautiful language. I teared up at so many different letters - because of the pandemic and lockdown? because of my first breakup? because I am an introvert learning not to be ashamed of my needs? - and went to Book Depository partway through the seventh letter, and clicked PURCHASE (for $6.65, I might add). I had had this book on hold for nearly a year, and perhaps might have enjoyed it in 2020 at a different level - but I also believe books come to us at a certain time, for a certain reason. And I am so grateful for this tiny compendium.
I must, here, clarify a few things:
INTERNAL: Rilke urges Mr. Kappus to create from within and not judge based on externals. This is the fault of literary criticism, he says. For our truest responses come from feelings
, which are not things which others can tell us, nor can be found by looking at what other people are doing/ saying.
SEARCH: While not an overt theme, I use search here to describe the active endeavour of doing. Rilke status multiple times that what is easy is not what is meaningful, or worthwhile. Solitude for the purpose of introspection and art is difficult, but important. To love another is the hardest thing on earth, but also the most necessary.
TRUE ART: in his final letter here, Rilke goes so far as to say three quarters of what passes as literature is not true art. He says that art is what we are driven to create, what is NECESSARY for us to do..it reminds me of Neil Gaiman, who has spoken about writing the stories you'd tell just to yourself, to write that which you cannot help but write. Rilke says to write that which we must.
The theme of solitude is the most prominent, conveyed in the most beautiful language. I teared up at so many different letters - because of the pandemic and lockdown? because of my first breakup? because I am an introvert learning not to be ashamed of my needs? - and went to Book Depository partway through the seventh letter, and clicked PURCHASE (for $6.65, I might add). I had had this book on hold for nearly a year, and perhaps might have enjoyed it in 2020 at a different level - but I also believe books come to us at a certain time, for a certain reason. And I am so grateful for this tiny compendium.