Another Rilke quote, because he is so very cool

[gwynhefar]

"Loving does not at first mean merging, surrendering, and uniting with another person (for what would a union be of two people who are unclarified, unfinished, and still incoherent--?), it is a high inducement for the individual to ripen, to become something in himself, to become world, to become world in himself for the sake of another person; it is a great, demanding claim on him, something that chooses him and calls him to vast distances."

--Rainer Maria Rilke

Comments

[dustyskinandall.livejournal.com]

I want my best man/maid of honor to read from that letter at my wedding. :)

[gwynraven.livejournal.com]

It's a great letter for weddings. So many wonderful quotes about love and relationships. I had a hard time picking which one to post here.

[stillsostrange.livejournal.com]

You can never have too much Rilke.

[gwynraven.livejournal.com]

Nope, definitely not. I'm loving his letters even more, perhaps, than I love his poetry, I think I didn't think was possible.

[bookgirlwa.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is lovely. Am going to have to start rereading some Rilke when I take my 3 week break soon.

Just out of curiosity - does anyone know the correct pronuciation of his surname, have never found out. His first name is easy - it's the same as my RL life first name, but mine is spelled differently.

[gwynraven.livejournal.com]

Really? I've always thought it the other way around -- his last name is easy to pronounce, but I have trouble with his first name.

Everyone I've talked to in the English department when I got my degree pronounced it Rilk-uh, with the second syllable almost subsumed into the first. Kind of like the final 'e' in many French words -- it's only half-heartedly pronounced.

How do you pronounce his first name? My guess would be RAIN-er, but that's only a guess.