Duino Elegies: a New and Complete Translation

A new translation of Rilke s classic elegies - ten mystical, radiant poems that bring together the beautiful and the sacred.

Rainer Maria Rilke s Duino Elegies are one of the great literary masterpieces of the twentieth century. Begun in 1912 while the poet was a guest at Duino Castle on the Adriatic Sea and completed in a final bout of feverish inspiration in 1922, the ten elegies survey the mysteries of consciousness, whether human or animal, earthly or divine.

Poet and translator Alfred Corn offers a fresh take on this cornerstone of German lyric poetry, bringing us closer to Rilke s meaning than ever before and illuminating the elegies celebration of life and love. Also included are a critical introduction exploring the nuances of the translation, several thematically linked lyrics, and two of the Letters to a Young Poet to complete the volume.