Reviews

Duino Elegies, by David Young, Rainer Maria Rilke

ccarneiro0707's review against another edition

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2.0

2017 Read Harder Challenge: Read a collection of poetry in translation on a theme other than love

O amor até aparece nessa obra de Rilke, porém o principal foco da obra é a crise existencial do homem diante da grandeza do universo, da vida e de Deus.

Uma pena que a poesia de Rilke não tenha ressoado muito em mim.

2017 Read Harder Challenge: 3/24

paolushon's review against another edition

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5.0

Se ha convertido en mi biblia, el epítome del lenguaje.

richie_h20's review against another edition

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4.0

I am very surprised I liked this book as much as I did because in the beginning when I read the first elegy I was so confused.
But soon as I went on to read it, I found that Rilkes mentality and view on the world was intriguing to me. It might be because I relate to some of the words he spoke but it also might be because of how he wrote them.
One of my favorite quotes is from the second elegy where Rilke wrote:

“I know why you do blissfully touch: because the caress persists, because it does not vanish, the place you so tenderly cover; because you perceive there under pure duration. Until your embraces almost promise eternity.”

It is sweet yet bittersweet in the same way when you read the rest of the second elegy. Overall I would like to read more from him and also if you do read these poems, I highly suggest it because they aren’t long but they are also full of insightful views.

~4.5 stars~

ellies_edition's review against another edition

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5.0

Rilke is a poet I absolutely adore.

alghesny's review against another edition

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5.0

Autumn and Rilke go very well together

kitty20's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

wanderlustlover's review against another edition

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4.0

Not a penultimate favorite, but this kind of poetry definitely sucks you deep inside the marrow of the bones of its message. It's a very flowing format and the words wrap around you slowly like ribbons to take into every sensation of it.

I almost devoured the whole thing in one sitting.

clarajp5's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

4.5

spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition

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3.0

Pour traduire les Élégies de Duino, Maximine (Maximine Lagier-Durand, mieux connue par son nom de plume), elle-même poète depuis de nombreuses années, s'est attachée à faire entendre au plus juste la voix de Rilke. Son texte se révèle léger, chantant, tendu comme un fil au-dessus de l'aime. C'est une langue attentive et soumise à la forme, aux harmonies, aux rythmes, aux mystères rilkéens, qui rend à chacune des élégies l'amplitude de l'originale. Limpide et complice, cette traduction se place ainsi sous le signe d'une double fidélité : à Rilke et à la poésie.

spacestationtrustfund's review against another edition

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2.0

Translation by David Young. I've had a bit of a mixed experience with Young's translations; his translation of Xu Yuanji was excellent, but his translation of selected Tang dynasty poets was bad.