René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke (4 December 1875 – 29 December 1926), known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was an acclaimed Austrian poet and novelist. His idiosyncratic and expressive style has earned him a place as a significant writer in the German language. Rilke's work often carries undertones of mysticism and explores themes of subjective experience and disbelief, positioning him as a transitional figure between traditional and modernist poets.

Rilke traveled extensively throughout Europe before finally settling in Switzerland, which provided the inspiration for much of his poetry. Despite being best known for his contributions to German literature, he also wrote in French. His most recognized works among English-language readers include the poetry collections Duino Elegies and Sonnets to Orpheus, the semi-autobiographical novel The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge, and the posthumously published Letters to a Young Poet. In the later 20th century, his work found new audiences through citations by self-help authors and frequent quotations in various media.

Rilke's verse is marked by mystic lyricism and precise imagery. His collections, such as The Book of Hours (1905) and The Duino Elegies (1923), profoundly influenced 20th-century German literature. His haunting images focus on the difficulty of communion with the ineffable in an age of disbelief, solitude, and profound anxiety. Among his most famous sequences are the Sonnets to Orpheus, and his notable prose works include Letters to a Young Poet and The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge.