Die Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge

"Die Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge" is a novel written in diary form by Rainer Maria Rilke and published in 1910. It is Rilke's only novel and consists of 72 entries, resembling prose poems, which are often disjointed. Rilke referred to the work as a "prose book" rather than a novel. The entries have a deliberately fragmentary and diary-like quality, lacking a continuous plot. However, they are connected through the inner conflicts of the protagonist, Malte. The story begins in 19th to 20th century Paris and includes Malte's experiences in the city, his childhood memories, and his reflections on historical events and stories. Themes explored in the novel include death and illness, fear and despair, poverty and misery, language and reality, fate and life, identity and roles, artists and society, and love and loneliness.