"Tell me? Who are these drifters..." 5th Duino Elegy - Rilke

Written last, yet beginning the 2nd movement in the Duino series, the acrobats are a troupe Rilke knew in Paris and whom Picasso painted in 1905 "La famille des Saltimbanques" (at 3:40 mins here).
They symbolize the persona we thrust into the world driven by some relentless will. The artist is toyed with by an irresistible power, and to what end? Entertainment, yes but only a joyless false fruit.
Rilke describes the old mans faded husk, the young man in his naive prime, and the boy of the 4th elegy whose smile is worthy of the angels preservation. Likewise the young woman compelled to perform publicly but all too much
The infinite showplace with no place for truth the elegy has become a lament for the emptiness of display.
It ends with a turn to the angel (archetype) for the deeper truth - the place where the lovers perform the bold and high of their hearts swinging for a more appreciative audience of the dead.




Music - from Stravinsky's Petrushka - written about the same time and with similar theme.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Rainer
• Maria
• Rilke
• Duino
• Elegy
• Poem
• Picasso
• Angel
• archetype

[galanbrown]

I am so grateful for the video postings. ... As a former Pastor with the usual 'Theology' Degrees ... I now consider myself just "spiritually hungry"... Though I may not understand all being taught ... I truly sense the 'Spirit' in which it is being taught, and I am learning ... Thank You! G.Brown

[EmmaCox21]

Wow, what a beautiful layering of images and words. So evocative.

[9macrina9]

beautiful, Graham...just such a gift.

[9macrina9]

@mojomanhand...... the wish itself is the whisper of beauty

[dewinthemorning]

We are forced to perform. Can we force ourselves to perform truthfully?

[TheSkepticalAtheist]

Always deeply impressed by your videos.

[Idlinfarm]

@Idlinfarm Oh I see, I had it playing twice. You Tube baffles me sometimes.

[Idlinfarm]

Beautiful video. I will save it to my favorites. The first time I viewed it the voice was echoed and reverberated----interesting but distracting from the words. Then when I replayed it was clear. I see they took your music off.

[mojomanhand]

Such a beautiful performance of words. Thank you for sharing with others. I could only wish to find beauty as you do. Perhaps someday.