Sonnets to Orpheus
A New Translation (Bilingual Edition)
(Author) Rainer Maria RilkeOn the centennial of the first appearance (1923) of Rilke's Sonnets to Orpheus, award-winning translator Mark Burrows reveals their depth and meaning with a brilliant new introduction and translation. This new translation captures the lyric beauty of Rilke's poems, honoring their syntactic peculiarities and grammatical complexities as few translators have dared to do. Burrows' versions maintain the essential strangeness of language and abruptness of metaphor by which the sonnets attain their distinctive character in German. Burrows' approach replicates what one reviewer describes as the poems' "dazzling obscurity," refusing to resolve the deliberate difficulties Rilke's formulations present. The effect invites readers to linger with these sonnets, allowing themselves to be shaped in their encounter with them.
Rainer Maria Rilke
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was a Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist known for his lyrical and introspective writing style. His most notable works include "Letters to a Young Poet" and "Duino Elegies." Rilke's poetry often explores themes of love, loss, and the search for meaning in a fragmented world. He is considered a pioneer of modernist poetry and has had a significant influence on the development of 20th-century literature. His most famous work is "The Sonnets to Orpheus." Rilke's unique perspective and profound insights continue to resonate with readers around the world.
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