René Karl Wilhelm Johann Josef Maria Rilke, better known as Rainer Maria Rilke, was an Austrian poet often considered a transitional figure between traditional and modern poets. He was famous for his lyrically rich language and wrote both lyrical prose and verse. Born to a couple stuck in an unhappy marriage, he had a difficult childhood and troubled relationships with his parents. His parents wanted the artistically-inclined youngster to join the military. However, Rainer Maria Rilke went on to study literature and philosophy before beginning his literary career. He mainly wrote in the German language and is best known for his contributions to German literature. He also wrote extensively in French, composing over 400 poems in the language. Translations of his works have been popular among English-language readers and he remains a well-known, best-selling poet in America. Even though he mostly wrote poetry, he published one semi-autobiographical novel during his lifetime. He traveled extensively to different countries in Europe, spending several years in Paris, where he developed a new style of lyrical poetry. He eventually settled in Switzerland in his later years. He was married to sculptor Clara Westhoff and had a child with her. He died at the age of 51 and his reputation continued to grow steadily even after his death.