Analysis Of Rainer Maria Rilke's Letters To A Young Poet

In Rainer Maria Rilke 's writing, Letters to a Young Poet “Letter One” Rilke’s word choice keeps his tone steady as he builds on his two central ideas. Rilke, an early 1900’s poet, was asked to give advice to a young poet named, Frank Kappus. Rilke gives his advice through a series of letters. However, Rilke does not believe that criticism should have anything to do with art, so he castigates Kappus for asking for criticism. He focuses on trying to make Kappus realize he must look inside himself to discover who he really is so that he can unlock his purpose and make true art. As Rilke focuses on giving Kappus tips on how to discover who Kappus really is, Rilke’s word choice keeps the tone the same through his two central ideas. Throughout

Which is that beauty comes from within. His purpose is teaching the poet that in order to create true and inspiring art he must look deep inside of himself. He starts to develop this idea with an extended metaphor as he explains that even if you have come to your lowest point in life “you still have your childhood, that jewel beyond all price, that treasure house of memories” (3) to inspire you and give you life again. This statement shows that even when you have been beat up and are lost you still have your priceless jewels of your past. Memories are something so beautiful and priceless that can not be taken away from you, because it comes from within you. Rilke continues to use heartfelt and thought out words with his extended metaphor that the young poet must raise up the sunken feelings” (3) to grow stronger in his personality and to truly become who he is meant to be. He is saying that your past experiences fill up this gigantic treasure chest deep within you. It is heavy and hard to pull out but when it comes to the surface the beauty of it will start to change you for the better. It will start you on the right path to unlocking your purpose. The reader can now infer that Rilke used the extended metaphor to help the young poet see that he was searching for beauty in the wrong place and that he needed to search within himself to uncover