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Question: Can you help my analyze this Poem!?
The Neighbor
by Rainer Maria Rilke
Strange violin, why do you follow me!?
In how many foreign cities did you
speak of your lonely nights and those of mine!.
Are you being played by hundreds!? Or by one!?
Do in all great cities men exist
who tormented and in deep despair
would have sought the river but for you!?
And why does your playing always reach me!?
Why is it that I am always neighbor
to those lost ones who are forced to sing
and to say: Life is infinitely heavier
than the heaviness of all things!.
I need help here!. It's for an English Literature class tomorrow! If you could tell me what it's about, what it might symbolize, I'd be very grateful!. Thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I'll have a go!.!.!.it would appear the violin and 'him' who he refers to as the neighbour have an affinity of some sort!.!. although the violin has a life that is unknown to the 'neighbour' as he asks are you played by 'one' or 'many' 'hundreds' but it is a soother as it prevents 'men to have 'sought the river' in 'deep despair' but if it were not for the violin!.!.there is a saying 'music soothes the savage beast' and I recall this as I read thus poem!.!.it also seems that he is resentful of his role as the 'neighbour' commiserating that 'life is infinitely heavier!.!.!.'the violin plays and moves on after penetrating the soul;but he is forced to interact on a different level!.!.I think there is a somewhat resentfulness from the neighbour towards the violin!.!.both could be symbolic of partners in a relationship!.!.or symbolic of two differing situations!.!.quite a challenging poiece!.!. might be helpful to read some of there other poetry!.!.!.sometimes they write these at a particular time in their life and it represents that!.!.!.let me know with this how you get on!.!.I would be interested!.!.good luck Li b x xWww@QuestionHome@Com