Duino meetings continue and conclude with Elegy # 10. This is the final poem in the official Duino cycle. Rilke treated it as a conclusive poetic vision on the purpose of pain, suffering and death. We will live read the text but feel free to research the themes and images that interest you prior to our meeting.
Context for the reading series:
Join me again for another deep dive into the Duino Elegies by Rainer Maria Rilke. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the death of the poet, and the time is very ripe to revisit what is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest pieces of writing to come from Europe. For it is very Continental and is a crowning glory of what is best in Western intellectual and artistic quest of the past 3000 years or so. Together with the Ancients, Dante, Milton, and Shakespeare, Rilke is the fulcrum on which so much of modern writing turns and pivots.
I am relying primarily on David Young translation, because it is admirably sensitive to the modern Anglo linguistic demand. For the backup, I recommend the Mitchell translation - this is more 19th century informed. We are going to read out of the Young during the meeting and reference Mitchell only if needed.
Duino Elgies is a demanding read. It is one of those unequalled flights of poetic fancy: inspired, wise, archaic, genuine, and mysterious. Proceed accordingly.
We will read all the Elegies over as many meetings at it takes to complete the text.
