In the Image of Orpheus tells the inner story of Rilke's literary
career, tracing--step by step--the mythopoetic journey inscribed in the
interweaving lines of the poet's life and art. Blending biography with
in-depth analyses of Rilke's poetry and prose (from his little-known
Visions of Christ through the Sonnets to Orpheus), the lively
narrative draws upon Hillman and Jung, Plato and Petrarch, Apuleius, Ibn
Arabi and Lou Andreas-Salomé, as it unfolds the poet-seer's vision of
the nature and destiny of the human soul--a vision as timely as it is
timeless.
"A profound book....The splendid style of the writing, the breadth of
cultural erudition, the coherence of the biographical narrative all
contribute, but these reflect something of larger import. By focusing
the powerful lens of depth psychology on Rilke's life and work, In the
Image of Orpheus carries us deeper into the interior of the poet's
imaginative landscape than ever before. It is difficult to conceive of a
study that might bring greater psychological subtlety and spiritual
insight to the evolution of this deep-souled poet. One ends with new
appreciation of both the power of art in forging a soul, and the
centrality of the soul in the creation of great art."
-Richard Tarnas, author of The Passion of the Western Mind and Cosmos
and Psyche
"Equal parts incisive literary criticism and powerful spiritual
reflection....Meticulously charting the progress of Rilke's remarkable
and complex poetic achievement, Polikoff traces also Rilke's passage
through a life's and the soul's passions....A book for any and every
admirer of Rilke's poetry."
-David St. John, University of Southern California
Poet, translator, and independent scholar Daniel Polikoff received
his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from Cornell University and his
Diploma in Waldorf Education from Rudolf Steiner College. In addition to
work in numerous literary journals and anthologies, he has published two
collections of poetry (Dragon Ship and The Hands of Stars) as well
as Parzival/Gawain: Two Plays, his edited translation of a dramatic
version of the Grail legend. Dr. Polikoff has taught literature in
Waldorf schools and shared his passion for Rilke in a wide variety of
venues, including the Festival of Archetypal Psychology at Notre Dame
(where the idea for In the Image of Orpheus was born); the San
Francisco Jung Society; and seminars in literary circles. He resides
with his wife Monika and two children in the San Francisco Bay area.
