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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. In letter five, what statue does Rilke mention is near his place of residence?
(a) A statue by Rodin.
(b) An equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius.
(c) A statue of Ovid.
(d) An equestrian statue of Julius Caesar.

2. What does Rilke imply about losing God?
(a) Once found, God cannot be lost.
(b) God does not exist.
(c) Losing God is necessary if one is to find God.
(d) Losing God is part of growing up.

3. In letter seven, what does Rilke say that love should be?
(a) A balance of mental and physical.
(b) A union of one with another.
(c) A selfless act.
(d) A motivation for each person to become wholly him or herself.

4. What does Rilke encourage the young poet to believe about God?
(a) That he is everywhere.
(b) That he has not yet come.
(c) That he does not exist.
(d) That he is in art.

5. What does Rilke assert about the nature of human existence that he claims is a fact whether we think so or not?
(a) We are solitary.
(b) We are built to love.
(c) We are creative beings.
(d) We are made in God's image.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what season is Rilke writing the seventh letter?

2. What does Rilke claim a sadness indicates about a person's life or self?

3. What holiday is Rilke marking with his sixth letter?

4. Why does Rilke believe that Rome makes one sad for the first few days of visiting it?

5. What does Rilke advise the young poet to do if he cannot connect with people?

Short Essay Questions

1. Rilke comments on the young poet's profession and compares the young poet's profession to other professions. What is Rilke's general idea about professions?

2. What is Rilke's view of God?

3. In letter six, what does Rilke tell the young poet he should do if he is lonely?

4. What does Rilke say about fear?

5. In letter seven, Rilke compares an ideal romantic relationship to "two solitudes [that] protect and border and salute each other." What does he mean by this?

6. In letter five, Rilke comments on Rome and says that the first few days one is in Rome have "an oppressively sad effect" because everything in Rome is old and looking backward toward the past. How does this sentiment reflect Rilke's life philosophies as he has expressed them thus far in the book?

7. Why does Rilke believe that women are responsible for a future change in humans' approach to romantic love?

8. What does Rilke say that the average person will continue to do in regards to love?

9. Rilke says that young people can't understand love. What reason does he give?

10. What can be inferred about the mental and emotional state of the young poet from Rilke's reply in letter six?

(see the answer keys)

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