Angels from the "Elegy in Duino"

Author: Rilke
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Rilke and Eliot are highly esteemed in the literary history of the 20th century. The Waste Land and The Duino Elegies are regarded as two "heavenly books" in the history of modern poetry, with both linguistic creativity and profound thought reaching an unattainable level. Rilke began writing The Duino Elegies in 1912 at Duino Castle on the Adriatic coast and completed it in 1922 at Muzot Castle in Switzerland, a work spanning ten years. This collection consists of ten elegies and, together with The Sonnets to Orpheus, forms the crystallization of Rilke's philosophical thought, captivatingly presenting the confusion over the basis of individual survival's meaning in the modern world. Philosophers like Heidegger see the modern problem of metaphysics in Rilke's poetry, while theologians see the modern problem of Christian theology—Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar once said that Rilke's poetry is imbued with transformed traditional theological motifs. The purpose of compiling this collection is to provide basic documents for a deeper understanding of the theological thought in Rilke's poetry. In addition to translations of The Duino Elegies and The Sonnets to Orpheus, Lescure's "Rilke's Religious Views" offers a comprehensive and critical analysis of Rilke's theological thought. Some religious materials from Rilke's diaries and letters provided in the article are particularly rare and suitable for introductory study. The essay by Guattini, the second chapter of his book on interpreting The Duino Elegies, focuses on the concept of the "angel," which is a decisive element in Rilke's theological thought. Guattini's analysis helps us delve deeper into understanding Rilke's poetry.