The Connection Between Rainer Maria Rilke's Elegías de Duino and the Deconstruction of Phrase Hechas in Social Poets

The Connection Between Rainer Maria Rilke's Elegías de Duino and the Deconstruction of Phrase Hechas in Social Poets

Rainer Maria Rilke's Elegías de Duino is a collection of ten poems published in 1923. The title of the book comes from the castle of Duino, near Trieste, owned by Rilke's friend and patron, Princess Marie von Thurn und Taxis-Hohenlohe. Rilke began composing the first two elegies during his stay at Duino from October 1911 to May 1912. The rest of the elegies were written during his travels between Duino, Munich, Paris, and Muzot. In the summer of 1921, he settled permanently in Switzerland, where he completed his poetic work. The Elegías de Duino explores the theme of the limitations and insufficiency of the human condition, the fracture of human consciousness, the loneliness of humanity, the perfection of angels, life and death, love and lovers, and the task of the poet.

One of the elegies, the fifth one, is inspired by Pablo Picasso's painting Les saltimbanques from the Rose Period, which depicts six figures "in the middle of a desert landscape, and it is impossible to tell if they are arriving or leaving, starting or finishing their performance." Rilke uses them as a symbol of "human activity... always traveling and without a fixed address, even in a more fleeting tone than the rest of us." Furthermore, Rilke suggests "the loneliness and definitive isolation of man in this incomprehensible world, practicing his profession from childhood to death as toys of an unknown will."

In his earlier works, Rilke had a more sentimental and romantic style, influenced by the fin de siècle romanticism. However, with the Elegías de Duino, he moved towards a more transcendental theme, exploring the unity of life and death, expressing the tragic feeling caused by the brevity of existence. Through bold and expressive mythopoetic metaphors, Rilke presents his unique vision of the world.

The deconstruction of phrase hechas, or clichés, was a common phenomenon among social poets. They used these familiar phrases to give their compositions a colloquial tone. Carlos Bousoño, a poet and critic, analyzed the "rupture of the phrase hecha" in the work of Blas de Otero. Bousoño based his analysis on linguistic analysis, considering the formulation of the message and its decoding by the reader.

Blas de Otero, like many other poets of his generation, was interested in wordplay and puns. These were not mere games but motivated by the totality of their work. The modification of the phrase hecha highlights a stylistic choice. The immediate identification of the omitted element by the reader does not mean that the full meaning of the previous phrase is recovered, but only partially. The "recovered" semantic element takes on meaning by amalgamating with the interpolated element, resulting in a translation of meaning in our reading of the new phrase.

This procedure allows for the renewal of clichés. One example of this is found in the work of Gil de Biedma, where the appearance of each passing moment and each suffering body does not announce death but rather reveals that death was already among us without us knowing it. The dislocation of the fixed structure or the use of gloss can also achieve the deconstruction of phrase hechas. The use of gloss relies on intertextuality and can imitate the structure, rhythm, and universal content of the proverb, only to negate it from a personal discourse perspective. This creates a parodic or ironic character in certain poems by A. González, highlighting the tensions between the worn-out formulation of social use and the return of the poetic subject, who only simulates the orality of the phrase hecha.

In conclusion, Rainer Maria Rilke's Elegías de Duino and the deconstruction of phrase hechas in social poets may seem unrelated at first. However, upon closer examination, we can identify common points. Both explore the limitations and insufficiency of the human condition, the fracture of human consciousness, and the loneliness of humanity. While Rilke's elegies express these themes through mythopoetic metaphors, the social poets achieve it through the deconstruction and renewal of clichés. This connection highlights the diversity of poetic expression and the exploration of the human experience.

Actionable Advice:

1. Embrace the power of metaphor: Metaphors can convey complex ideas and emotions in a concise and powerful way. Experiment with metaphors to express your unique perspective on the world.
2. Challenge clichés and phrase hechas: Instead of relying on familiar phrases, try deconstructing and renewing them to bring new meaning and depth to your compositions. This can add a fresh and personal touch to your work.
3. Explore intertextuality: Incorporating elements from other texts, whether through modification or direct reference, can enrich your writing and create new layers of meaning. Experiment with intertextuality to create unique connections within your work.

By combining the themes and insights from Rainer Maria Rilke's Elegías de Duino and the deconstruction of phrase hechas in social poets, we can gain a deeper understanding of the human condition and the diverse ways in which it is expressed through poetry.