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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Rilke advise the young poet to seek in regard to his sexuality?

2. Where is Rilke when he writes the third letter?

3. Rilke challenges the young poet to ask himself a question regarding his writing. What is that question?

4. What writer and personal acquaintance does Rilke discuss in letter three?

5. How does Rilke suggest one knows if one should not be a poet?

Short Essay Questions

1. Rilke says that artists remains unaware of their best qualities. Why is this?

2. What does Rilke mean when he says in letter three that sex "is not sufficiently human, [but] is only male"?

3. What does Rilke say about the reading and re-reading of works by Jens Peter Jacobsen?

4. How does Rilke advise the young poet to approach works of art?

5. What does Rilke imply about irony?

6. What does Rilke mean when, in letter four, he says that physical pleasure is not bad, but that physical pleasure is often "misuse[d] and squander[ed]"?

7. What do letters two and three suggest about the young poet's interest in Rilke's advice?

8. What can be inferred about Rilke's health from letters two and three?

9. What does Rilke mean when, in letter four, he says that man "might be more reverent toward his fruitfulness, which is but one, whether it seems mental or physical..."?

10. What type of writing does Rilke advocate for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the first letter, Rilke suggests that the critical assessment of literary works is not a valuable practice. Do you agree with Rilke's statement? Why or why not? Do you think literary works should not be critically assessed?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the advice Rilke presents to the young poet and the way Rilke takes his own advice based on research into Rilke's life.

Essay Topic 3

What is Rilke's view of the ideal sexual relationship? The ideal romantic relationship? The ideal parent-child relationship?

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