Author Description
'Nowhere, beloved, can world be but within us' Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) is one of the leading poets of European Modernism, and one of the greatest twentieth-century lyric poets in German. From The Book of Hours in 1905 to the Sonnets of Orpheus written in 1922, his poetry explores themes of death, love, and loss. He strives constantly to interrogate the relationship between his art and the world around him, moving from the neo-romantic and the mystic towards the precise craft of expressing the everyday in poetry. This bilingual edition fully reflects Rilke's poetic development. It contains the full text of the Duino Elegies and the Sonnets to Orpheus, selected poems from The Book of Images, New Poems, and earlier volumes, and from the uncollected poetry 1906-26. The translations are accurate, sensitive, and nuanced, and are accompanied by an introduction and notes that elucidate Rilke's poetic practice and his central role in modern poetry. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
Rainer Maria Rilke’s poetry captures the tension between the internal human experience and the external world through a rigorous interrogation of existence. The protagonist of these verses is often the poet himself, acting as an observer who attempts to reconcile the ephemeral nature of life with the permanence of art. His objective is to translate the complexities of death, love, and loss into precise linguistic structures. The narrative framework is primarily lyrical and introspective, moving from neo-romantic mysticism toward a disciplined, modern aesthetic that seeks to define the everyday through symbolic imagery.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Bilingual presentation with original German text and English translations
- Inclusion of the complete Duino Elegies
- Inclusion of the complete Sonnets to Orpheus
- Selection of poems from The Book of Images and New Poems
- Coverage of uncollected poetry from 1906-1926
- Scholarly introduction detailing Rilke’s poetic development
- Explanatory notes clarifying specific imagery and context
- Chronological arrangement reflecting the poet's stylistic evolution
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
Discussion often centers on Rilke’s transition from early romanticism to the stark, precise craft of his later years. Readers frequently highlight the effectiveness of the bilingual format, which allows for a deeper appreciation of the original German cadence alongside the English interpretations. Critics often note that the collection serves as a comprehensive entry point for those interested in the evolution of European Modernism. The thematic focus on the relationship between the self and the external world remains a primary subject of analysis for scholars and casual readers alike. This edition is widely regarded as a standard resource for understanding the breadth of Rilke’s contribution to twentieth-century literature.
Page Count:
416
Publication Date:
2011-01-01
ISBN-10:
0191617717
ISBN-13:
9780191617713
Poetry
Classics
Modernism
English
German
English & College Success
European
Lyric poetry
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