A Vessel to Navigate a Terrifying World. Rilke’s «Stunden-Buch»
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13130/1593-2508/4027Abstract
This essay is a reading of Rainer Maria Rilke’s Stunden-Buch, particularly the first book, «Das Buch vom mönchischem Leben» from 1905. Throughout the essay, I develop the question of what prayer means in this cycle of poems, and the relationship of prayer to poetry in general. I argue that Rilke surpasses the usual limitations of language, using poetic techniques that instead of merely indicating objects in the world, have the ability to speak things into being. Furthermore, I argue that Rilke uses language as a protective layer that allows one to transform oneself and face a world that is increasingly hostile to poetic sensibility.Downloads
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