View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. In Rilke's description of supplication, from whom does the man expect to receive assistance?

2. How does Rilke make up for writing in generalized poetic form?

3. In the second stanza of the first elegy in Book 1, Chapter 7, "A ____ rolled toward you."

4. How many elegies are contained in Chapter 7?

5. How are the poems in Book 1, Chapter 5 written?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rilke mean when he refers to "pampered favorites"?

2. Describe "To Holderlin."

3. What is "Faces" about?

4. Describe Orpheus as Rilke describes him in his sonnets.

5. How does Rilke give in to tradition while writing, as exemplified in his elegies?

6. What frustrations does Rilke mention in his sonnets?

7. Describe the subject of the poem "Ariel."

8. What is "The Prodigal Son" about?

9. Describe "To Music."

10. Who does the invisible 'you' reference in the first poem in "Sonnets to Orpheus"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Rilke honor the ancient Greeks? Do you think that this is his intention? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Orpheus is so important to Rilke? How do you know that Orpheus is so important to Rilke? What literary devices are used in Rilke's references to Orpheus? What does the importance of Orpheus to Rilke say about poet?

Essay Topic 3

What is the message of "For the Sake of a Single Poem"? What literary devices are used in the poem, and what effect do they have?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 617 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample