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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Rilke tell the young poet about irony?
(a) Irony should never be used.
(b) Irony should be sparingly used.
(c) Irony should be liberally used.
(d) Irony should only be used for humor.

2. How does Rilke say one can know if a poem is good?
(a) If it moves its readers.
(b) If it reflects human nature.
(c) If it is inspired by necessity.
(d) If it helps readers understand life.

3. What does Rilke ask the young poet to do for him at the end of the first letter?
(a) Tell Professor Horacek of Rilke's esteem for him.
(b) Distribute Rilke's books to the young poet's friends.
(c) Visit his mother.
(d) Write a letter to the young poet's school informing the school of Rilke's success.

4. What does the young poet write about in his third letter to Rilke that Rilke mentions in his letter back to the young poet?
(a) The works of William Shakespeare.
(b) His first publication.
(c) The works of Jens Peter Jacobsen.
(d) His decision to become a sculptor.

5. What novel does Rilke discuss in letter three?
(a) Niels Lyhne.
(b) Jude the Obscure.
(c) Across the World.
(d) Pifer.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the first letter, what does Rilke advise the poet to do to improve his writing?

2. In the fourth letter, what does Rilke say he wishes human beings are more reverent toward?

3. Whose ideas about sex does Rilke advise the young poet to avoid subscribing to?

4. In the third letter, what does Rilke say he wishes he could do for the young poet but is unable to do?

5. Which letter from the young poet is Rilke responding to with his fourth letter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rilke mean when, in the fourth letter, he tells the young poet to "live" his unanswered questions?

2. Rilke places considerable emphasis on the necessary nature of art. What does he mean when he says that a poet is only a poet if he would die if he didn't write?

3. Rilke tells the young poet in the first letter that the only way for the poet to improve his writing is to "go into yourself". What does this mean?

4. What does Rilke imply about the nature of good art when he tells the young poet that if poetry is inspired by the young poet's soul-searching, he does not need to ask anyone else if the poetry is good?

5. What does Rilke mean when he tells the young poet in the first letter that the poet's work has "no individual style"?

6. What does Rilke mean when, in the first letter, he suggests that critical commentary on art results in "happy misunderstandings"?

7. What does Rilke mean when, in letter four, he says that the intellect "lags marveling behind" the consciousness?

8. What reason does Rilke give for advising the young poet against writing love poems?

9. At the end of letter four, Rilke mentions the young poet's new profession. What is this profession?

10. What type of writing does Rilke advocate for?

(see the answer keys)

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