Compare And Contrast Shelley And Rilke

Shelley and Rilke use contrasting syntax to describe the impact of environment on a child’s development. Whereas structure provides a child with basic social skills, a child in an unstructured environment does not learn these skills and consequently faces problems communicating with others as he grows up. In his poem, Rilke favors short, commanding sentences, writing “Embody me” (l. 6), “Just keep going” (l. 10), and “Give me your hand” (l. 14). Though the commands are short and fragmented, they allow Rilke to convey his message to the reader clearly and with ease. Additionally, the structure of the commands demonstrates the importance of a nurturing environment for children. Rilke places the creator in a position of power, allowing him to
Shelley and Rilke use contrasting allusions to portray the created as either kind or cruel, however, both argue that a kind creator is essential to the healthy development of the created. As noted previously, without such a creator, the child faces loneliness and isolation throughout his life. In his poem, Rilke speaks as the creator, instructing the created to “flare up like flame/ and make big shadows I can move in” (l. 7-8). The words “flare up” take on a positive connotation, eliciting images of connectivity by linking light and dark, brightness and shadow. When this image is paired with the word “flame,” it alludes to ancient knowledge. The Greek legend of Prometheus details the story of the titular Prometheus and the way he steals fire from the gods to give to humans, with images of “flame[s]” to emphasize the importance of individual curiosity. Without such curiosity, humans cannot truly find future success. Nevertheless, Rilke insists that the created “make big shadows I can move in,” I being the creator. Whereas Prometheus steals the fire alone, Rilke argues that this is not necessary for a child raised by an authoritative parent, as the parent should give the child fire. Instead of punishing children for curiosity, Rilke mandates that a parent must honor that individual curiosity as well as help the child navigate it. A parent who performs this service for their child is kind, as he has fostered an appropriate balance independence and dependence in his child. Should the parent give the child too much “fire,” the child will not learn to think for himself, and thus will be unable to succeed in the future. However, should the parent be too absent from the child’s life, not providing enough “fire,” the child will become too independent, as well as unable to interact productively with others, thus preventing future success.