What’s Letters to a Young Poet?

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Letters to a Young Poet is a collection of letters written by Ranier Maria Rilke, the famous 20th century German poet, to a young man named Franz Kappus. Kappus had attended the same school that Rilke had attended a few years earlier, and he wrote to Rilke asking for criticism of his own poetry and a little guidance on how best to pursue his life. Rilke responded with an energy and prose beauty that make Letters to a Young Poet a leading treatise on the act of writing and creative inspiration, interspersed with Rilke’s philosophy on a variety of subjects.

Letters to a Young Poet contains only ten letters to Mr. Kappus and none of Kappus’ letters to Rilke. Yet even without Kappus’ letters, Rilke’s answers are cherished by generations of readers and any writer looking for inspiration. Rilke not only encourages Kappus to continue writing, but also to consider why he has to write and to think for him in the world and what it means to be part of the human experience.

Introductions to Letters to a Young Poet almost always mention that Kappus’ first letter made Rilke uneasy, reminding him of his experiences at Rilke’s military boarding school, and that Kappus, at least at the beginning of their correspondence, was present. Rilke had had a terrible and isolated time at the school, and eventually left, very ill and directionless.

Since Rilke’s father was in the military, Rilke assumed this would be his career path as well. Instead he became a writer, although there was certainly some suffering in making that decision. Yet Letters to a Young Poet never chides Kappus for making contact with Rilke, and instead generously encourages Kappus to keep up the correspondence, even though his choice of subjects would sometimes hurt Rilke.

Surprisingly, Letters to a Young Poet has very little to do with literary criticism. In fact, Rilke urged Kappus to ignore the criticisms and to keep aiming for what was best and true in his poetry. Instead, the letters suggest some books that Rilke believes are essential for all writers, and he offers a great deal of advice.

There is a very interesting subject in the letters as Rilke talks about feminism discourses, imagining a time in the not too distant future – she wrote in the early 20th century – when women would become full equals with men. He also approaches topics such as sexuality and atheism with a light touch, offering sound advice to his younger correspondent. A recurring theme in Letters to a Young Poet is about loneliness and how loneliness can ignite creativity.
If you know a teenage writer or young adult writer who is looking for guidance, Letters to a Young Poet is the perfect gift. Rilke is better known for these ten short letters, especially outside Germany, than for much of his triumphant poetry. Writers often praise Letters to a Young Poet as a special insight into Rilke’s writing process and his gentle genius.

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