Things around it happen but it cannot influence any of them. The soft pace of his powerful, supple stride,
of so much constancy that ennui embraces emptiness. and back to their beginning come. And finally, although it did not occur to me until posting the comment to you, I think perhaps it was in feeling a familiarity and identifying with the poem itself that made it - bolstered by your comments - stand out in my mind. ), http://www.textetc.com/workshop/wt-rilke-1.html, https://www.movfaltin.de/schrieb/the-panther, https://www.reverbnation.com/janhauenstein/song/28711408-the-panther. Its as if a thousand bars were given him: This is the page where I will post the alternate translations. Flash on, obscure, and hide the world beyond.
The garden has existed since 1626 and is the oldest part of the public science department of research and education Muséum national d’histoire naturelle. This translation (and possibly a newer version of it), as well as other Rilke related things, can be found on Mov Faltin's website: https://www.movfaltin.de/schrieb/the-panther. It seems that "The Panther" is a very popular subject for translation, because since then I have received quite a few e-mails containing other translations of the poem (some of those e-mails even berating the translation I use and suggesting another). Aside at times, of any sound too void The soft stride of smooth strong steps in which a mighty will stands stupefied.
a noble will that stands there numb. passes through the silence of his tense limbs
"Literal" translation by Jan Hauenstein, 2018 It fits with terms referring to eyes though, and I thought it From the passing bars, his vision has become
which there would not be a world to unfold. and no more world beyond them than before. A number of years ago, I put Rilke's "The Panther" on my web site.
become so numb that it holds nothing more. I’ve always been a very much “on the surface” (perhaps shallow) person. Only from time to time the pupil's shutter The expression “dass er nichts mehr hält” (line 2) is also an allusion to the following third stanza. In addition, the ending is far too abrupt and not that spins round in the tiniest circle, goes through the flexing silence of his limbs – rotates in smallest circles of a greater loss of will, not recalcitrance. (NOTE: Since sending his translation to me, he has put the poem to music. (6) [L.5-5] The worst change I made, I think, is the complete invention
And through the stillness of tense limbs it glides - This is a revised translation, replacing an earlier version found on this site. Worth mentioning is the metaphor “Herz” in line 12 representing the living being that stops ‘to be’. Dann geht ein Bild hinein, geht durch der Glieder angespannte Stille -. and in that moment, with victim seen,
It might sound a bit odd. His Vision from the Passing by of bars The Panther To him it is as if there are a thousand bars, have with a thousand turned the world to lore. The supple pace of powerful soft strides, But sometimes the curtains of his eyelids part, However, due to its captivity it only moves in circles and its willpower seems to be numb. The majestic walk the padded steps take
dies in the heart for theres nothing possible to do. Only at times, the curtain of the pupils lifts, quietly--. .
For me, it is difficult to put feelings into words (as well as discern feelings around cerebral "thoughts"). Has grown so tired that it holds nothing more. I didn’t get the symbolic aspects or depth - same goes for all literature. The panther is captured inside the cage as is its glance captured inside the animal’s body. and behind a thousand bars no world. But I did also find the poem timely, as yesterday at the zoo I was trying to explain the restless pacing of a cheetah to my kids; trying to liken it to their own often "boredom" as a means of explanation. And only at times the curtain that obscures the sight His gaze, from passing all those bars,
To him, it looks as though, there are thousands of bars which are confusing his vision. He feels there were a thousand bars, He feels as if there were a thousand bars Translation by Steven Rendall. Please make sure you tell me who the translator is.
The poem The Panther by Rainer Maria Rilke depicts the picture of a panther locked in a cage of a zoo. His gait belies a crueler walk of prisoned spirit, as his softly padded steps. Imagine living it, being it.
He turns in smallest circles about his flank of his pupil is drawn: The imagery The contrast between the previous lines and the final one seems tremendous. Just at times the curtain parts of "fiddle away". before him, and behind him nothing merely. circles an inner hub a dance of energy, ~Dead Poet's Society~. Interesting to mention is the fact that the noun “Panther” only appears in the title of the poem. It also energized me and made me eager to know what else lie ahead.3). Occasionally, it perceives something, nevertheless, most of the time the perceiving images do not show any effect as it is not able to react on anything anymore.
This is of course highly commendable and most encouraging. Example: Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers. in which, numbly, a great will stands. Translation of 'Der Panther' by Rainer Maria Rilke from German to English (Version #5) Its gaze grown tired from passing The Panther His gaze has been so worn by the procession Of bars that it no longer makes a bond. in which benumbed a greater will is bound. You can here it at the following link: https://www.reverbnation.com/janhauenstein/song/28711408-the-panther). then from his being - to heart - to gone. “Would you not wish for freedom’s return; would you not pine away in melancholy at the loss of those former years?” Regardless of how blessed my life is and how I marvel at the miracle I am honored to be a part of, yes, there are times (not often) when I am wistful for former “freedoms.”But is it that, or could it really be in identifying with held hope in the face of the hopeless?“Only at times, the curtain of the pupilslifts, quietly--. — Then an image enters, The supple pacing muscled steps When humans trust and respect each other, they show this by having eye contact. prescribed by bars and walls glazen"), I included "His glazen" where there is no such content in But I'll have to think about it and why I find it different, as it is something I feel and not something I think. The Panther
That turns in the tiniest of circles The subject of “Der Panther”, which was written in 1903, is a captured panther and his life in a cage. His glance has become so weary from pacing The poem “Der Panther“ by Rainer Maria Rilke refers to a panther that Rilke met in Jardin des Plantes, a botanic garden in the southeast of Paris. the circles tighten, taut steps like a drill. has grown so blunt that it sees nothing more. Passing by, that it can hold no more. has grown so blunt that it sees nothing more.
There is, it seems to him, a thousand bars, His concept is overwhelmed by bars
At times, the curtain of his vision 100,000 bars, and behind the bars, nothing. reaches his heart, Wherein a mighty will stands, paralyzed. Any such inclusion of new He did not have a happy childhood and he was later on made to join a military academy following his parents’ separation.
Has grown so weary, there´s no image it can see. soundlessly opens ....then one image fills And ceases completely in the heart. (Translator's comments: I have read many 'translations' of 'The Panther' in English, and some are better than others. rises silently. The garden has existed since 1626 and is the oldest part of the public science department of research and education Muséum national d’histoire naturelle. For my favorite translation, and for interpretations of the poem by myself and others, please go to THIS PAGE. The third stanza describes the perception of the animal. If you have a translation that you prefer that is not displayed here, please send it to me and I will post it. In which a greater will stands paralysed. The following translation is by Walter Arndt: His gaze has been so worn by the procession
*View comments area for Der Panther in German **Quote from Rilke's Duino Elegies. and works upon his formidable will. The first sentence wrapping from the first line to the second - and emphasized by lack of capitalization - catapulted me into the belly of it. and beyond those thousand bars no world.
grown so tired that nothing it can hold Actually, these movements are caused by the walking of the panther. Is like a dance of strength around a center
The Panther An image enters in, is lifted -- then an image will indart, Yet at times, all noiseless, the pupil Those thousand no world. It feels as if there were a thousand bars It seems to him there are a thousand bars
The poem is made of iambic pentametres except of the final line which is written in iambic tetrametres.
until, stopped in the heart, its still. Every once in a while, the curtain Translation by Tommy Stroller. I easily lose patience when it doesn’t make instant sense. and past a thousand bars, no world in store.
He had been lecturing biomathematics in the academic setting until he became a biometrician in the pharmaceutical industry where he is involved in the clinical development of new drugs, presently in cancer research. His gaze is from the passing of the bars his gaze so weary, now nothing holds him so müd geworden, dass er nichts mehr hält. By using this personification, the passivity of the animal is stressed. His gaze from passing by the bars DER PANTHERIm Jardin des Plantes, ParisSein Blick ist vom Vorübergehen der Stäbeso müd geworden, daß er nichts mehr hält.Ihm ist, als ob es tausend Stäbe gäbeund hinter tausend Stäben keine Welt.Der weiche Gang geschmeidig starker Schritte,der sich im allerkleinsten Kreise dreht,ist wie ein Tanz von Kraft um eine Mitte,in der betäubt ein großer Wille steht.Nur manchmal schiebt der Vorhang der Pupillesich lautlos auf—. in which a dazed great will does moan its lot. Another rhetorical device that is used are personifications3. dives into the heart and dies. is like a dance of power around a center His gaze grown worn to just a bare stare,
The quiet gait of smooth, yet mighty strides, only to cease to be, to die within his heart. Only incidentally does the nictitation fail; Interesting to notice is that the animal still has its smooth walk (“weicher Gang” line 5).
and dies.
Translation by Christopher Laue. moves through the silent tenseness of his limbs,
A tiredness grown so nothing holds him here To him, there is no world behind the cage.
While the first two stanzas might be written by a spectator, the third stanza focuses on the animal’s inner feelings which cannot even be seen by an outside observer.
travels through his limbs into a tense quiet, goes through the members' quiet tension, At times, the curtain of the pupil lifts, without a sound,