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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 4.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does the young poet describe the writer and personal acquaintance Rilke mentions?
(a) "Living and writing with true passion."
(b) "Living and writing with blood."
(c) "Living and writing in heat."
(d) "Living and writing among the living."

2. What does Rilke say about Professor Horacek in his first letter?
(a) That the professor helps to nurse Rilke back to health as a boy.
(b) That he holds admiration and gratitude for the professor.
(c) That the professor is a great poet.
(d) That the professor is a great scholar.

3. In what year is Rilke's second letter composed?
(a) 1905.
(b) 1903.
(c) 1902.
(d) 1908.

4. Rilke indicates that in the future, men and women will approach each other differently than they do at the time of his writing. How will they approach each other?
(a) Not as sexual objects, but as human beings.
(b) Not as lovers, but as friends.
(c) Not as enemies, but as friends.
(d) Not as opposites, but as human beings.

5. What does Rilke ask the young poet to do for him at the end of the first letter?
(a) Distribute Rilke's books to the young poet's friends.
(b) Visit his mother.
(c) Write a letter to the young poet's school informing the school of Rilke's success.
(d) Tell Professor Horacek of Rilke's esteem for him.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Rilke advise the young poet to view sex?

2. In the fourth letter, where does Rilke instruct the young poet to look for answers to his deepest questions?

3. In the first letter, Rilke says he cannot offer critical commentary on the young poet's work. Why?

4. If the young poet discovers he should not be a poet, Rilke suggests that his inner examination will not be worthless. Why not?

5. In letter five, to where does Rilke say he is preparing to move?

(see the answer key)

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