In his fourth letter, Rilke expresses how much he enjoyed Kappus’s last response. By focusing too much on lustful passion, Rilke thinks Dehmel diminishes human sexuality to little more than a narrow, burning desire, which he feels is reductive. Rilke then discusses the relationship between art and sex, responding to something Kappus said about the author Richard Dehmel and how it seems like he writes while “in heat.” Rilke agrees, finding Dehmel’s work interesting but too lustful. Instead, he should trust his own opinions even if they’re wrong, Kappus will most likely come to the right conclusion eventually, so he should just be patient. He tells Kappus to rarely read literary criticism. Kappus disagrees with the person who wrote the introduction, and Rilke praises him for his skepticism. The third letter responds to a thought Kappus had regarding the introduction to one of Jacobsen’s books.

Rilke also urges Kappus to read the work of the Danish writer Peter Jacobsen, noting that he himself has learned a lot from artists like Jacobsen and the sculptor Auguste Rodin. Once he masters when and how to use it, though, irony will become a powerful tool that will enhance his writing. If Kappus finds himself overusing it, he should think about great works of art and other “serious” things, since irony falls short in such circumstances. Rilke’s second letter to Kappus warns the young poet about irony. Through close attention to everyday existence, his poetry will improve-and so will his life. He should take an interest in the world, appreciating all its beauty and splendor. Would he die if he couldn’t? If so, then he should do everything in his power to create favorable conditions for writing. Instead of thinking about such things, Kappus should simply ask himself if he needs to write. Nobody can tell him if his work is good-not even Rilke. On the whole, Rilke advises Kappus not to seek out approval from others. Two of them show promise, but they still feel generic. Nonetheless, Rilke can tell Kappus that his poems lack a unique style. People think most things in life can be described in words, but Rilke disagrees-so much of life is “inexpressible,” and analytical writing often fails to grasp the true nature of poetry. He did read them, but there’s not much to say, since literary criticism pales in comparison to poetry itself. In his first response, Rilke thanks the young poet for his letter but says he can’t provide much insight into Kappus’s poems.

A long, in-depth correspondence ensued, and Letters to a Young Poet comprises ten of Rilke’s letters to the young man. As a 19-year-old student, Franz Xaver Kappus wrote to the poet Rainer Maria Rilke to ask for advice about his own poetry.

Letters to a young poet