Seek the depth of things. Irony never goes down there.
Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 2 (Viareggio, 5 April 1903)
Suchen Sie die Tiefe der Dinge: dort steigt Ironie nie hinab
Seek the depth of things. Irony never goes down there.
Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 2 (Viareggio, 5 April 1903)
What it means
Rilke warns against letting irony rule you. In front of serious, great things it shrinks and falls away. Go deep, and sincerity follows.
The source
"Seek the depth of things. Irony never goes down there." Rainer Maria Rilke said it in Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 2 (Viareggio, 5 April 1903). Translated from the original German by Spartan Surfers.
"Suchen Sie die Tiefe der Dinge: dort steigt Ironie nie hinab"Original German, Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 2 (Viareggio, 5 April 1903). Text read at mybook.ru.
Who said it
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926). Poet born in Prague who wrote in German. Letters to a Young Poet (1929) collects ten letters he sent to a young cadet who asked if his poems were any good.
Questions
- What does "Seek the depth of things. Irony never goes down there." mean?
- Rilke warns against letting irony rule you. In front of serious, great things it shrinks and falls away. Go deep, and sincerity follows.
- Who said "Seek the depth of things. Irony never goes down there."?
- Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926). Source: Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 2 (Viareggio, 5 April 1903).
- What is the original German?
- Suchen Sie die Tiefe der Dinge: dort steigt Ironie nie hinab. Translated from the original German by Spartan Surfers.
- Is "Seek the depth of things. Irony never goes down there." on a shirt?
- Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.
Cite this line
"Seek the depth of things. Irony never goes down there." (Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 2 (Viareggio, 5 April 1903), translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/seek-the-depth-of-things-irony-never-goes
Filed under Quotes about calm.
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More from Rainer Maria Rilke
- Go into yourself.Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 1 (Paris, 17 February 1903)
- In your stillest hour, ask yourself: must I?Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 1 (Paris, 17 February 1903)
- Build your life around what you must do.Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 1 (Paris, 17 February 1903)
- Your days seem poor? Be poet enough to call up their riches.Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 1 (Paris, 17 February 1903)
- Ripen like the tree. Summer comes, but only to the patient.Letters to a Young Poet, Letter 3 (Viareggio, 23 April 1903)