Book ReviewLetters To A Young Poet
Todays book is a little tiny one, but theres
quite a bit to dig in to. Also there's a lot of German names that I'm
probably going to mispronounce. Hello everyone, Im Victoria of One Book
To Another! Letters To A Young Poet was never intended
to be released as a book, and it wasn't intended to be read as a collective whole either. Its a book of letters, and only ten of
them at that.
The letters in question are written by a poet
called Rainer Maria Rilke, I think I've pronounced that right, replying to a man called Franz
Xavar Kappus in the early 20th century. Kappus had written to Rilke asking for some
critique on poems of his own. Both Rilke and Kappus were young men when
these letters were being sent back and forth, so the book could have easily been called
Letters From a Young Poet. Rilke doesnt comment on Kappuss poetry
outside of a few token observations though.
Instead, he advises him on the nature of artistic
creation, on being an artist, on love and sex, and even advice itself. In Kappuss introduction to the letters,
he says that the reason for writing to Rilke was because he felt like he was going into
a profession that directly opposed what he wanted to do. Although a keen poet, Kappus had just graduated
from Military School and was preparing himself for a career in the army. Although he was writing to Rilke under the
guide of poetry mentorship, Kappus probably wanted some sort of understanding advice from
Rilke.
Although these letters were written over a
hundred years ago, and they do address some concerns of the time, the idea of doing what
you love versus doing what is going to earn you money is something people still struggle
with today. Rilke had left Military School due to his
lack of resilience and his weakened condition, and instead he decided to pursue poetry. He was keenly aware of having a wife and daughter
to support, and was often pestered by his parents to join a respectable career. He does not directly advise Kappus on the
dilemma of any future career path, but instead instructs him to look inside himself instead
of seeking external answers.
He tells him to answer to question: must I
write? If after all of that soul searching his answer
is yes, I must, then do that with your life. I am an artist by trade, and I can relate
pretty heavily to this, as clich as that might be. Although, I actually chose my artistic career
because it was more likely to be the profitable path. But even if I did have a soul sucking 9 till
5 desk job, I would still need to create art.I.
Just can't not be creating. Rilke calls the creation of art a necessity,
and the creation of good art a product of that need. I found it an interesting comparison to the
art for arts sake movement which was going on around the same era. This is perhaps most famously laid out in
the Preface to Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray.
The final summery of All art is quite useless
might seem to directly oppose Rilkes declaration of necessity, but who said a personal necessity
has to be a useful one? Amongst all ten of the letters, the state
of intense personal solitude is something that is discussed multiple times. When advising Kappas to ask himself if writing
is a necessity for him, he says he must do this through self imposed, deep solitude. This is the sort of solitude that goes beyond
just being alone. Instead it is characterized as a landscape
to be discovered and explored.
Reflecting on his own sense of aloneness,
Rilke has turned perpetual solitude into a positive, a curse into a blessing. Its common for writers and artists to remove
themselves from society when they're writing their next great novel or finishing their
masterpiece, and Rilke frames this as something to embrace, not fear. And this is a very literal sense of solitude. Although I personally love being a stranger
in a bustling city, Rilke hated his time in Paris.
Over the course of the ten letters, he is
visibly relieved to have left the city and gone to the great northern plains. He calls Paris an immense din which sets
things trembling and in his sensitivity he cant cope with the mass of humanity
that lives there. The very things that made him a noteworthy
poet his sensitivity and ability to identify with others kept him anxious and tense
when faced with the teeming mass of humanity in the city. Im not going to suggest we all leave to
go and live in the wilderness, but I think that periods of quiet solitude and introspection
can be a good thing.
Most Western societies are very outward facing,
where solitude is often outright discouraged. If we all took a page out of Rikles book
and learned to embrace it, or at least not fear it, then we might find a little more
balance in our lives. This book also contains The Letter To The
Young Worker which is sort of a bonus at the end. I haven't talked about it here but I recommend
you go read it for yourself.
Rilke also talks about a lot of other subjects
that I dont have time to cover in this video. Its a short read, and Id suggest you
pick it up if you have any interest in art or discussions around that. Id love to hear what you thought about
the subjects that I've touched on, and if youve read this book as well. If you want more reviews and discussion and
essays on lots of fun book stuff then don't forget to subscribe and if you liked this
video then give it a thumbs up, its the easiest way to let me know that youre enjoying
it.
Happy Reading!.
quite a bit to dig in to. Also there's a lot of German names that I'm
probably going to mispronounce. Hello everyone, Im Victoria of One Book
To Another! Letters To A Young Poet was never intended
to be released as a book, and it wasn't intended to be read as a collective whole either. Its a book of letters, and only ten of
them at that.
The letters in question are written by a poet
called Rainer Maria Rilke, I think I've pronounced that right, replying to a man called Franz
Xavar Kappus in the early 20th century. Kappus had written to Rilke asking for some
critique on poems of his own. Both Rilke and Kappus were young men when
these letters were being sent back and forth, so the book could have easily been called
Letters From a Young Poet. Rilke doesnt comment on Kappuss poetry
outside of a few token observations though.
Instead, he advises him on the nature of artistic
creation, on being an artist, on love and sex, and even advice itself. In Kappuss introduction to the letters,
he says that the reason for writing to Rilke was because he felt like he was going into
a profession that directly opposed what he wanted to do. Although a keen poet, Kappus had just graduated
from Military School and was preparing himself for a career in the army. Although he was writing to Rilke under the
guide of poetry mentorship, Kappus probably wanted some sort of understanding advice from
Rilke.
Although these letters were written over a
hundred years ago, and they do address some concerns of the time, the idea of doing what
you love versus doing what is going to earn you money is something people still struggle
with today. Rilke had left Military School due to his
lack of resilience and his weakened condition, and instead he decided to pursue poetry. He was keenly aware of having a wife and daughter
to support, and was often pestered by his parents to join a respectable career. He does not directly advise Kappus on the
dilemma of any future career path, but instead instructs him to look inside himself instead
of seeking external answers.
He tells him to answer to question: must I
write? If after all of that soul searching his answer
is yes, I must, then do that with your life. I am an artist by trade, and I can relate
pretty heavily to this, as clich as that might be. Although, I actually chose my artistic career
because it was more likely to be the profitable path. But even if I did have a soul sucking 9 till
5 desk job, I would still need to create art.I.
Just can't not be creating. Rilke calls the creation of art a necessity,
and the creation of good art a product of that need. I found it an interesting comparison to the
art for arts sake movement which was going on around the same era. This is perhaps most famously laid out in
the Preface to Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray.
The final summery of All art is quite useless
might seem to directly oppose Rilkes declaration of necessity, but who said a personal necessity
has to be a useful one? Amongst all ten of the letters, the state
of intense personal solitude is something that is discussed multiple times. When advising Kappas to ask himself if writing
is a necessity for him, he says he must do this through self imposed, deep solitude. This is the sort of solitude that goes beyond
just being alone. Instead it is characterized as a landscape
to be discovered and explored.
Reflecting on his own sense of aloneness,
Rilke has turned perpetual solitude into a positive, a curse into a blessing. Its common for writers and artists to remove
themselves from society when they're writing their next great novel or finishing their
masterpiece, and Rilke frames this as something to embrace, not fear. And this is a very literal sense of solitude. Although I personally love being a stranger
in a bustling city, Rilke hated his time in Paris.
Over the course of the ten letters, he is
visibly relieved to have left the city and gone to the great northern plains. He calls Paris an immense din which sets
things trembling and in his sensitivity he cant cope with the mass of humanity
that lives there. The very things that made him a noteworthy
poet his sensitivity and ability to identify with others kept him anxious and tense
when faced with the teeming mass of humanity in the city. Im not going to suggest we all leave to
go and live in the wilderness, but I think that periods of quiet solitude and introspection
can be a good thing.
Most Western societies are very outward facing,
where solitude is often outright discouraged. If we all took a page out of Rikles book
and learned to embrace it, or at least not fear it, then we might find a little more
balance in our lives. This book also contains The Letter To The
Young Worker which is sort of a bonus at the end. I haven't talked about it here but I recommend
you go read it for yourself.
Rilke also talks about a lot of other subjects
that I dont have time to cover in this video. Its a short read, and Id suggest you
pick it up if you have any interest in art or discussions around that. Id love to hear what you thought about
the subjects that I've touched on, and if youve read this book as well. If you want more reviews and discussion and
essays on lots of fun book stuff then don't forget to subscribe and if you liked this
video then give it a thumbs up, its the easiest way to let me know that youre enjoying
it.
Happy Reading!.
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