The Archaic Torso of Apollo
Rilke Log #8: YOU ARE THE EXPERT!!!
Read the Rilke introduction and poem. Select a favorite poem.
1. Based on the introduction, list some important ideas that Rilke brings into his poems. * Rilke is an observant individual in whom he observes his surroundings, which include objects, people and gestures, and then is noted in the words of his poems in which is clear that they have become part of who he is. Rilke also introduces the idea of viewing the “fleeting world” with a fresh outtake and translates it to a language in which it relates to human emotions. Rilke is someone who also questions our relation to the universe and is translated into his poems.
2. Reread your favorite poem. Does it tell a story? What is it? * The Archaic Torso of Apollo is indeed my favorite poem from Rainer Maria Rilke. It tells the story of a Greek statute in which it was fascinating because it was a torso with no limbs or head, but yet, despite this Rilke seemed to bring the torso to life. He gave description on how the torso looked and as well as talked about how amazing and prominent this torso is. With five sentences, Rilke gave life to this Apollo statute using similes and descriptive words like dazzle, brilliance and translucent.
3. What are important images in the poem? Write and discuss using quotes and details. * “And yet his torso is still suffused with brilliance from inside, like a lamp, in which his gaze, now turned to low, gleams in all its power.” (Rilke p.1894) Here it is evident that the torso, although made out of stone, it is brilliant and shines from within. “His gaze now turned to low” means that since it is a torso it has no head which therefore, his gaze is turned to low. “Otherwise this stone would seem defaced beneath the translucent cascade of the shoulders, and will not glisten like a wild beast’s fur.” (p.1894) Because the torso has neither head nor limbs, normally the statue would seem defaced, however, Rilke makes this torso
Read the Rilke introduction and poem. Select a favorite poem.
1. Based on the introduction, list some important ideas that Rilke brings into his poems. * Rilke is an observant individual in whom he observes his surroundings, which include objects, people and gestures, and then is noted in the words of his poems in which is clear that they have become part of who he is. Rilke also introduces the idea of viewing the “fleeting world” with a fresh outtake and translates it to a language in which it relates to human emotions. Rilke is someone who also questions our relation to the universe and is translated into his poems.
2. Reread your favorite poem. Does it tell a story? What is it? * The Archaic Torso of Apollo is indeed my favorite poem from Rainer Maria Rilke. It tells the story of a Greek statute in which it was fascinating because it was a torso with no limbs or head, but yet, despite this Rilke seemed to bring the torso to life. He gave description on how the torso looked and as well as talked about how amazing and prominent this torso is. With five sentences, Rilke gave life to this Apollo statute using similes and descriptive words like dazzle, brilliance and translucent.
3. What are important images in the poem? Write and discuss using quotes and details. * “And yet his torso is still suffused with brilliance from inside, like a lamp, in which his gaze, now turned to low, gleams in all its power.” (Rilke p.1894) Here it is evident that the torso, although made out of stone, it is brilliant and shines from within. “His gaze now turned to low” means that since it is a torso it has no head which therefore, his gaze is turned to low. “Otherwise this stone would seem defaced beneath the translucent cascade of the shoulders, and will not glisten like a wild beast’s fur.” (p.1894) Because the torso has neither head nor limbs, normally the statue would seem defaced, however, Rilke makes this torso