Rudyard Kipling was a British writer and poet who was born in India in 1865 and lived through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During his lifetime, Kipling gained widespread fame for his poetry and short stories, which often explored themes of imperialism, colonialism, and the British Empire. In this essay, we will explore some of the major themes found in Kipling's work and how they reflect the social and political climate of the time.
One of the most prominent themes in Kipling's work is the idea of imperialism and the British Empire. Many of his poems and stories celebrate the expansion of the British Empire and the role of the British as "rulers" and "civilizers" of other nations. For example, in his poem "The White Man's Burden," Kipling encourages the United States to take up the mantle of imperialism and "civilize" the Philippines, which were then a colony of the United States. This poem reflects Kipling's belief in the superiority of Western culture and the duty of the Western world to spread its values to other parts of the world.
Another theme that appears frequently in Kipling's work is the idea of duty and responsibility. Kipling often portrays characters who are willing to sacrifice their own personal interests for the greater good, and he often emphasizes the importance of following one's duty and fulfilling one's responsibilities. For example, in his story "The Man Who Would Be King," the main characters, Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnehan, embark on a quest to become kings of a distant land, but they ultimately fail because they are unable to fulfill their responsibilities as rulers.
A third theme that can be found in Kipling's work is the concept of the "law of the jungle." In his famous poem "The Jungle Book," Kipling explores the idea that animals in the jungle have their own set of laws and codes of conduct that they must follow in order to survive. This theme reflects Kipling's belief in the importance of order and hierarchy in society, and the idea that there are natural laws that govern the behavior of individuals and groups.
In conclusion, Rudyard Kipling was a writer and poet who explored a variety of themes in his work, including imperialism, duty and responsibility, and the "law of the jungle." These themes reflect the social and political climate of the time in which Kipling lived and offer insight into the values and beliefs of the British Empire.
The Jungle Book Themes
As an orphan, he is doomed to whatever fate will support his survival, and eventually, it's fun enough that he learns to do it well, and before you know it—boom, he's a spy. To even be quiet about who one truly is and not put it on display with arrogance. Thou will surely return? Reading About Characters and Theme Have you ever struggled to understand a story? Vickery also abruptly informs Pycroft that he is not a murderer, for his wife had died during childbirth after Vickery had shipped out. James, and Kipling and the new American empire, etc. Respect for the "other" It is certainly no surprise to detect the racism and notions of cultural supremacy in Kipling's poems about colonial subjects and Eastern peoples, but Kipling's poems are more nuanced than many readers suspect. He is also advised neither to be too good nor to be hateful but to keep a balance. It has also been argued that, at times, the use of dialect gets in the way of the reading and understanding of the story itself, although this is more true of his early stories than his later ones.
If Rudyard Kipling Analysis
The reader is encouraged to have a balance of humility, along with having wisdom and understanding. Throughout the novel, Singh portrays the experience of conflict that each character, including Juggut Singh, Iqbal Singh, and Hukum Chand, has to deal with. Kipling tried to signify the importance of cast system during that time. Kim had been an orphan who …show more content… Kim has been loyal to all the persons who made a remark in his life but it is often seen that his level of loyalty depended upon the person he is meeting with and the purpose for he is meeting. When a law is broken, steps must be taken to hold the violator accountable and dole out punishment if necessary.
Kim Themes
The poet is saying that you must make the most of every minute of your life. That's because it is fate, it seems to him, because that's how he eats. His autobiography, Something of Myself was written in 1937. GradeSaver, 28 April 2013 Web. If each contradiction be set down as a lie and retailed at breakfast, life is not easy.
What is the message of If by Rudyard Kipling?
A father gives advice to his son in a friendly and rather unemotional way but he does care for his son and wants him to achieve success in life and to become a better human being. He can achieve nothing in life. What is the summary of Whatif? He finds the climate, the girls, the scents, the animals, and the ease of life appealing, especially in contrast with the cold, rainy, and coarse world of London. He does not know how to feel, how to behave or how to be. Retrieved 11 June 2022. One of his famous works Kim was also written about life in British India.
What was Rudyard Kipling cause of death?
It seems as if the poem is a long sentence that ends on a high note. What statement best describes the main theme of the poem? Carroll and Graf Publishers Inc. This is likely because he was basically a street urchin, and he was probably traumatized by that experience of people, so when people are kind to him, he gives those people his loyalty—not to a government or dogma. She is involved in important battles with Rikki-Tikki. Examples of how significant this historical context was for the development of his tales can be seen in: 1 the lauding of the law, seen as a British colonial construction; 2 the hierarchy present in the world of the animals that corresponds to the hierarchy of English "good" native and "bad native" ; 3 the primacy of whiteness in "The White Seal" ; 4 the echoes of the 1857 Mutiny and the punishment of rebel Indians in "The Undertakers" ; 4 the fear of native "madness" and contamination; and 5 the eradication of Shere Khan, the dangerous outlier representative of bad natives. The New York Times. I hope it will help you.