The poem If does not have a conspicuous physical setting. The over-arching theme of the poem If is successful virtuous living based on values pertaining to integrity, rightful behavior and self-development. It appears that Kipling had met Jameson and befriended him through Cecil Rhodes, the Prime Minister of Cape Colony at the time of the raid. (`Why did you write that stuff? Each of the four stanzas deals with different life situations and the best way to act during them. For him the true measure of a man is his humility and his stoicism. Read the Study Guide for Rudyard Kipling: Poems…, Metaphors of Man and Colony in Victorian Literature, Darwin Meets Kipling: The Context of Modern Civilization in "The White Man’s Burden", View our essays for Rudyard Kipling: Poems…, View Wikipedia Entries for Rudyard Kipling: Poems…. The token of personal philosophy and wisdom which the father imparts to his son has universal validity. The poem is a paean to British stoicism and masculine rectitude; almost every line in each stanza begins with "If". It was first published in the "Brother Square-Toes" chapter of Rewards and Fairies, a 1910 collection of verse and short stories. Structure and Form of If—. The poem is divided into four stanzas having eight lines each. Time Management: The unforgiving nature of Time comes out in the last stanza of the poem. The form creates a tone of redundancy, or unnecessary repetition. The more you decode one, the better you understand the other. The rhyme scheme of the poem is … “If—” is a poem by English Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936), written in 1895 as a tribute to Leander Starr Jameson. The raid was intended to start an uprising among the British expatriate workers in the South African Republic, but there were complications and it was a failure. This poem celebrates the stereotypical concept of manhood. A young kid reading about life. PART 1: Invictus and PART 3: O me! Did you have a question about the phrase you've cited in the category? It is a literary example of Victorian-era … This gives the form of the poem a sense of cohesion and order which is very much in keeping with the central idea of the poem which advocates an ordered and controlled lifestyle. How to Crack Your CompTIA 220-1001 with Practice Tests? An older man giving advice. The raid was intended to start an uprising among the British expatriate workers in the South African Republic, but there were complications and it was a failure. The poem If can be viewed as a set of guidelines on how to live and act with integrity and right values such that one becomes the ideal human. This is the second part of my ‘Poetic Justice’ saga. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. The virtues expressed in "If-" are devoid of showiness or glamour; it is notable that Kipling says nothing of heroic deeds or great wealth or fame. Rudyard Kipling’s “If” is perhaps his most famous poem. The poet urges his readers to practice modesty upon getting successful in life so that he can fit in seamlessly with the kings as well as the common masses. The 'Jameson Raid' was later considered a major factor in starting the Boer War (1899-1902). The boy and his mother took him home to care for him. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. life is an important theme which the poem, IF Line by Line Summary and Analysis by Rudyard Kipling- Stanza 3. Instead we must understand the temporary nature of the ups and downs in life and go about our business in a steadfast, unaffected fashion. "If—" is a poem by English Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling, written in 1895 as a tribute to Leander Starr Jameson. He also wrote many children's stories. In his autobiography Something of Myself, Kipling wrote of Jameson and "If-": "Among the verses in Rewards was one set called `If-', which escaped from the book, and for a while ran about the world. Also, Google+ this post to encourage us to write more such poem summaries and solved answers. SURVEY . Hence, the poem has thirty two lines in total. A list of poems by Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling is best known for his novels The Jungle Book, The Second Jungle Book, and Kim, and his most famous poem, "If—". These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of poetry by Rudyard Kipling. If is undoubtedly one of the most beloved poems written by Rudyard Kipling. Rudyard Kipling’s If is a blueprint for all those qualities and virtues which we must inculcate within us to be able to call ourselves complete human beings and also in order to attain true success in life. Once started, the mechanization of the age made them snowball themselves in a way that startled me. The poem's line, "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same," is written on the wall of the players' entrance at Wimbledon. The poem's speaker says that if you can keep your head while those around you lose theirs; if you can trust yourself when others doubt you; if you can be patient and not lose your temper; if you can handle being lied about but not lie yourself, and being hated but not hating yourself; if you do not look too good or talk too wise: If you can dream but not let those dreams cloud your reason; if you can think but still take action; if you can deal with both triumph and disaster; if you can handle it when others twist your truths into lies, or take the things you devoted your life to and turn them from broken into alive again: If you can take all of your winnings and bet them in one fell swoop and lose them all and then keep it a secret; if you can use your heart and muscles and nerves to hold on even when there is only Will left: If you can remain virtuous among people and talk with Kings without becoming pretentious; if you can handle foes and friends with ease; if you see that men count on you but not too much; if you can fill every minute with meaning: Then you have all the Earth and everything upon it, and, as the speaker exultantly ends, "you'll be a Man, my son!". The poem's most famous line is the one that's inscribed on the wall above the players' entrance to the Centre Court at Wimbledon: If you can meet with Triu… Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Pack be diminished by war. The poet wants us to be willing to take that risk in life as it will bring us closer to our final goals in life. Rudyard Kipling’s best-known work, The Jungle Book was published in McKeever, Christine ed. About the Poem IF: The poem If was published in 1910 in Kipling’s collection of short stories and verses named ‘Rewards and Fairies’. Before researching him for this post I always just thought he was the ‘Jungle Book dude’ without realising how prolific and important he was. PART B: How does the structure of the poem, as indicated in Part A, contribute to the poem's tone? They are being brought toward the light, but act indignant and ungrateful toward those who want to better them. "The Ballad of East and West" Summary and Analysis. This is, without a doubt, Kipling's most beloved poem, and, along with "The White Man's Burden", his most famous. I've had to write it out twice as an impot. As a boy, he took pleasure in the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Wilkie Collins. Rudyard Kipling was an English poet who lived from 1865-1936. The poem’s final words, ‘you’ll be a man, my son’, suggest that the poem is addressed to Kipling’s actual son, and ‘If—’ should first and foremost be interpreted as a poem addressed to a younger man, listing the necessary characteristics a man should acquire or cultivate in order to be a paragon of manly virtue. In particular, a man must be humble, patient, rational, truthful, dependable, and persevering. Modesty: Modesty is one theme which shines out in the poem. Shall we lose all we have while trying to get ahead in life, we must not back down but muster enough will power and determination to start again from scratch. It is considered as the most beloved poem of Kipling. The poem is addressed to Kipling’s son John.… O life! Risk Taking: The poem often showcases life as a gamble in which all our achievements might get washed away. While the poem is addressed to Kipling's son John, it was inspired by a great friend of his, Leander Starr Jameson, the Scots-born colonial politician and adventurer responsible for what has been deemed the Jameson raid that led to the Second Boer War. Written by Rudyard Kipling and was awarded a Nobel Prize for Literature; Work based on his knowledge of the Middle East; The poem “If” is addressed to his son, John, who died in WWI; Presents opposite values – “keep…lose” etc – suggesting a central part of life’s achievements are steering a … However, after reading the poem one can visualize a scene in which a father is speaking to his son and giving him the most valuable life less… By Rudyard Kipling. Rudyard Kipling: Poems essays are academic essays for citation. It was first published in Kipling's 1910 collection of short stories and poems called Rewards and Fairies.The poem is quite inspirational so it's been widely quoted over the years and is still very popular today. Read about Tommy by Rudyard Kipling..Read about Tommy by Rudyard Kipling..Read about Tommy by Rudyard Kipling..Read about Tommy by Rudyard Kipling.. What is If by Rudyard Kipling? "If-" contains a multitude of characteristics deemed essential to the ideal man. In the poem, the poet tells his son how to cope with different situations in the life ahead. ‘If’is a poem of 4 stanzas made up of 8 lines respectively. Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son! One day, a high summer flood washed him out of the burrow where he lived with his father and mother, and... Rudyard Kipling: Poems study guide contains a biography of Rudyard Kipling, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis of select poems. It was first published in the “Brother Square-Toes” chapter of the book Rewards and Fairies, a 1910 collection of poetry and short stories set in historical times with a linking contemporary narrative. If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; Kipling's biographer, Andrew Lycett, considers the poem one of the writer's finest and notes in 2009 that "If-" is absolutely valuable even in the complicated postmodern world: "In these straitened times, the old-fashioned virtues of fortitude, responsibilities and resolution, as articulated in 'If-', become ever more important.". The poem "If—" by Ruyard Kipling is about how to live a good life and be a good man. The poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling is a bundle of suggestions from father to his son. A son reflecting on his life. 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