'The Last Evening' by Rainer Maria Rilke
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And night and distant rumbling; now the army's
carrier-train was moving out, to war.
He looked up from the harpsichord, and as
he went on playing, he looked across at her
almost as one might gaze into a mirror:
so deeply was her every feature filled
with his young features, which bore his pain and were
more beautiful and seductive with each sound.
Then, suddenly, the image broke apart.
She stood, as though distracted, near the window
and felt the violent drum-beats of her heart.
His playing stopped. From outside, a fresh wind blew.
And strangely alien on the mirror-table
stood the black shako with its ivory skull.
Translated by Stephen Mitchell
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Last Evening: An Exploration of Rilke's Poetic Genius
As a lover of poetry, I am always on the lookout for poets who can move me with their words. And one such poet who never fails to make me feel is Rainer Maria Rilke. His poem, "The Last Evening," is a prime example of his poetic genius. In this poem, Rilke takes us on a journey through the emotions of a dying woman, as she looks back on her life and prepares to leave this world. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve into the themes, imagery, and language of "The Last Evening," and explore how Rilke creates a powerful and moving work of art.
Themes
At its core, "The Last Evening" is a meditation on death and the fleeting nature of life. The poem is narrated by a dying woman, who looks back on her life and reflects on the things that truly matter. She remembers the beauty of the world around her, the people she loved, and the moments that brought her joy. But as she faces her own mortality, she realizes that all these things will soon be gone, and that the only thing that truly lasts is the love she has for those she leaves behind.
This theme of love as the only lasting thing in life is echoed throughout the poem. The woman speaks of her husband, her children, and her friends, and the deep connections she has with each of them. She also speaks of the natural world around her, with its beauty and its cycles of birth and death. Through her reflections, we see that the only way to confront the inevitability of death is to focus on the love we have for those around us, and to cherish every moment we have with them.
Imagery
One of the things that makes "The Last Evening" so powerful is its vivid and evocative imagery. Rilke uses language to paint a picture of the dying woman's world, and to bring us into her experience.
We see this in the opening lines of the poem, where Rilke describes the woman lying in bed, looking out the window:
She stands at the window.
There is such a sadness in her.
Like the wind that rises in the evening.
This imagery sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as we feel the weight of the woman's sadness and her impending death. We also see the wind as a metaphor for the passage of time, and the fleeting nature of life.
Throughout the poem, Rilke uses natural imagery to create a sense of beauty and wonder. We see this in lines like:
The hills glow red in the evening sun,
The cornfields are softly swaying.
These descriptions create a sense of the natural world as a source of comfort and solace for the dying woman. They also remind us of the cycle of life and death, as the cornfields sway and the hills glow in the fading light.
Language
Finally, I want to explore Rilke's use of language in "The Last Evening." Rilke's writing is known for its lyrical quality, and this poem is no exception. The language is simple and direct, yet also deeply emotional and evocative.
One of the most striking aspects of the language in "The Last Evening" is its use of repetition. Rilke repeats certain words and phrases throughout the poem, creating a sense of rhythm and continuity. For example, he repeats the phrase "the last evening" several times, emphasizing the woman's awareness of her impending death. He also repeats the word "love" throughout the poem, highlighting its importance as the only thing that truly endures.
Another notable aspect of Rilke's language is its use of metaphor and symbolism. Throughout the poem, he uses natural imagery to create a sense of beauty and wonder. He also uses the image of light to convey a sense of hope and transcendence. For example:
The sun has set, and the wind brings
The evening to the fields.
Anxiously the earth awaits the night,
And then the stars.
These lines create a sense of anticipation and longing, as the dying woman prepares to leave this world and enter a new realm. The image of the stars also suggests a sense of transcendence, as the woman's spirit ascends to a higher plane.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Last Evening" is a masterful work of poetry that explores the themes of love, death, and the natural world. Rilke's vivid imagery and lyrical language create a powerful and moving portrait of a woman facing her own mortality. Through her reflections, we are reminded of the importance of cherishing the people we love, and of finding beauty and solace in the natural world. As a lover of poetry, I am grateful for Rilke's genius, and for the way he uses language to connect us to the deeper truths of life.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Last Evening: A Poetic Masterpiece by Rainer Maria Rilke
Rainer Maria Rilke, the renowned German poet, is known for his profound and insightful works that explore the complexities of human emotions and experiences. One of his most celebrated poems, The Last Evening, is a poignant and evocative piece that captures the essence of love, loss, and mortality.
The Last Evening is a lyrical elegy that reflects on the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The poem is structured in three stanzas, each comprising four lines, and follows a simple ABAB rhyme scheme. However, the simplicity of the form belies the depth of the emotions and ideas that Rilke conveys through his words.
The poem opens with the speaker addressing his beloved, who is lying beside him on a hillside, watching the sunset. The speaker marvels at the beauty of the scene before him, but also acknowledges the transience of the moment. He says, "The sky puts on the darkening blue coat / held for it by a row of ancient trees; / you watch: and the lands grow distant in your sight, / one journeying to heaven, one that falls."
The imagery in these lines is striking and vivid. The "darkening blue coat" of the sky suggests the onset of night, while the "ancient trees" evoke a sense of timelessness and continuity. The juxtaposition of the two creates a sense of tension between the fleeting and the eternal, the temporal and the timeless. The speaker's observation that "the lands grow distant in your sight" suggests a sense of detachment and disconnection from the world, as if the lovers are already on their journey to the afterlife.
The second stanza continues the theme of mortality, as the speaker reflects on the inevitability of death. He says, "One, forever still, is overflowing / out of the other, and both / are infinite, and no end to their journeying. / And yet they are moving away from each other."
Here, the speaker uses the metaphor of two rivers flowing in opposite directions to convey the idea of life and death. The first river, "forever still," represents death, while the second river represents life. The fact that both rivers are "infinite" suggests that life and death are both eternal, but also that they are moving away from each other, as if they are on divergent paths. The use of the word "journeying" again suggests a sense of movement and progression, as if life and death are both part of a larger cosmic cycle.
The final stanza brings the poem to a close, as the speaker addresses his beloved directly and expresses his love for her. He says, "And it's clear to you that they are not / two, but one: the boundaries / between them are dissolved, as if a / music were seeping through them."
Here, the speaker suggests that the boundary between life and death is not as clear-cut as it may seem. The fact that the two rivers are "one" suggests that they are part of a larger whole, and that life and death are not separate entities, but rather two aspects of the same cosmic force. The use of the metaphor of music suggests a sense of harmony and unity, as if the two rivers are inextricably linked and part of a larger symphony.
Overall, The Last Evening is a deeply moving and thought-provoking poem that explores some of the most fundamental questions of human existence. Through his use of vivid imagery, metaphor, and lyrical language, Rilke captures the beauty and fragility of life, while also acknowledging the inevitability of death. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to convey complex emotions and ideas, and to offer solace and comfort in the face of life's greatest mysteries.
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