Art Quote by Edward Hirsch
““Rainer Maria Rilke sacrificed everything For his art he dedicated himself To the Great Work I admired his single-mindedness All through my twenties I argued his case Now I think he was a jerk For skipping his daughter's wedding For fear of losing his focus He believed in the ancient enmity Between daily life and the highest work Or Ruth and the Duino Elegies It is probably a middle-class prejudice Of mine to think that Anna Akhmatova Should have raised her son Lev Instead of dumping him on her husband's mom Motherhood is a bright torture she confessed I was not worthy of it Lev never considered it sufficient For her to stand outside his prison Month after month clutching packages And composing Requiem for the masses””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Great Work” (published 2023)
Critiques Rilke’s extreme dedication to art at the expense of personal relationships, highlighting the tension between artistic ambition and familial duties.
In simple terms: Rilke’s focus on art caused personal neglect.
Key Takeaway
Consider the cost of single‑minded ambition.
Themes
art
family
sacrifice
ambition
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- artist’s life
- parenting
- career choices
- personal sacrifice
Key Concepts
creative obsession
ethical dilemma
Questions to Reflect On
- Is it possible to honor both art and family?
- How do we define “great work”?
A Different Perspective
Artistic pursuit can harm loved ones.
![“[Rainer Maria Rilke] speaks of absorbing Earth's phenomena with the full frenzy of human relish and insight as our destiny: "It is our task to imprint this temporary, perishable earth into ourselves so deeply, so painfully and passionately, that its essence can rise again... We are the bees of the…” quote by Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a8f/diane-ackerman-1035_nature_rainer-maria-rilke-speaks-of-absorbing-e_1894666.jpg)
