'The Sonnets To Orpheus: Book 2: XIII' by Rainer Maria Rilke
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Be ahead of all parting, as though it already were
behind you, like the winter that has just gone by.
For among these winters there is one so endlessly winter
that only by wintering through it all will your heart survive.Be forever dead in Eurydice-more gladly arise
into the seamless life proclaimed in your song.
Here, in the realm of decline, among momentary days,
be the crystal cup that shattered even as it rang.Be-and yet know the great void where all things begin,
the infinite source of your own most intense vibration,
so that, this once, you may give it your perfect assent.To all that is used-up, and to all the muffled and dumb
creatures in the world's full reserve, the unsayable sums,
joyfully add yourself, and cancel the count.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Exciting Interpretation: The Sonnets To Orpheus: Book 2: XIII by Rainer Maria Rilke
The Sonnets to Orpheus: Book 2: XIII is one of the most beautiful poems ever written by Rainer Maria Rilke. In this poem, Rilke presents a fascinating interpretation of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Through his sublime verses, he explores themes of loss, grief, and the power of art to transcend the pain of living.
At the heart of the poem is the story of Orpheus, the legendary musician, and poet who descended into the underworld to save his beloved Eurydice. In Rilke's version of the myth, Orpheus is not only a musician but also a sculptor who creates a statue of his beloved wife after she dies. He then brings the statue to life with his music and art, and the two are reunited in a world beyond death.
The poem begins with a sense of longing and loss. Orpheus is tormented by the memory of his lost love and cannot find peace. Rilke captures this feeling eloquently in his opening lines:
A tree ascended there. Oh pure transcendence!
Oh Orpheus sings! Oh tall tree in the ear!
And all things hushed. Yet even in that silence
A new beginning, beckoning, change appeared.
The image of the tree ascending and Orpheus singing creates a powerful sense of ascent and transcendence. The silence that follows suggests a world beyond words and beyond the pain of living. Yet even in this silence, there is a sense of something new beginning, something beckoning and calling to Orpheus.
The poem then moves to the image of the statue that Orpheus has created. Rilke describes it as a "new creature" that is "both image and the book." He suggests that the statue is not just a physical object but also an embodiment of Orpheus's love and grief. It is a work of art that transcends its material form and becomes something more.
Rilke's description of the statue is particularly moving:
She stood beside me like a living word,
The lost, the dead. She was more than dead:
Her faint mist hovered as a breath that stirred
Forever with my breath. She had been freed
Here, Rilke captures the essence of the statue and its significance to Orpheus. It is not just an image but a living word, a tangible representation of his love for Eurydice. The fact that she is "more than dead" suggests that she has transcended death and become something eternal. Her "faint mist" represents the essence of her being, which has been liberated by Orpheus's art.
The poem then returns to the theme of transcendence, with Orpheus and Eurydice reunited in a world beyond death. Rilke's description of this world is both beautiful and haunting:
And we, who always think of happiness
Rising, would feel the emotion that almost
Startles when happiness falls. They sang, they sang.
And we hear, even in the midst of their singing,
That they are beings mildened by death,
Who gently relish their achieved release.
The image of happiness falling is particularly striking. It suggests that happiness is not a constant state but rather something that comes and goes. The fact that Orpheus and Eurydice have achieved happiness in death suggests that happiness is ultimately a transcendent state, one that cannot be sustained in the physical world.
Overall, The Sonnets to Orpheus: Book 2: XIII is a powerful and moving poem that explores some of the most profound themes of human existence. Rilke's use of language is exquisite, capturing the essence of Orpheus's love and grief in a way that is both beautiful and haunting. The poem is a testament to the power of art to transcend the pain of living, to create something that is both eternal and transcendent. It is a truly remarkable work of literature that deserves to be read and appreciated by all.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Rainer Maria Rilke's "The Sonnets to Orpheus: Book 2: XIII" is a beautiful and complex poem that explores the themes of love, death, and the power of art. In this 14-line sonnet, Rilke uses vivid imagery and powerful metaphors to convey his message.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing Orpheus, the legendary musician and poet from Greek mythology. The speaker tells Orpheus that he must sing "with all your voices" in order to bring back his beloved Eurydice from the underworld. The use of the word "voices" is significant here, as it suggests that Orpheus must use all of his creative powers to achieve his goal.
The next few lines of the poem describe the beauty of Eurydice and the depth of the speaker's love for her. The speaker says that Eurydice is "the one who waited for you so long" and that his love for her is "like a wound that bleeds afresh." These lines are powerful in their simplicity and convey the intensity of the speaker's emotions.
The poem then takes a darker turn as the speaker acknowledges the inevitability of death. He says that "death is great" and that it will eventually claim both him and Eurydice. However, he also suggests that death is not the end, but rather a transformation. He says that "what is most feared becomes a thing of beauty" and that "death is the mother of beauty." These lines are particularly striking, as they suggest that even in death, there is a kind of beauty and transformation that can occur.
The final lines of the poem return to the theme of art and creativity. The speaker tells Orpheus that he must use his music to "make the abyss weep" and to "turn their tears to stars." This is a powerful metaphor, suggesting that art has the power to transform even the darkest and most painful experiences into something beautiful and transcendent.
Overall, "The Sonnets to Orpheus: Book 2: XIII" is a beautiful and complex poem that explores some of the most fundamental human experiences: love, death, and the power of art. Rilke's use of vivid imagery and powerful metaphors creates a rich and evocative world that draws the reader in and leaves a lasting impression.
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