If poem by Rudyard Kipling Summary & Line by Line Explanation in English

Introduction

Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" is a collection of advice from a parent to his kid. In the poem, the poet instructs his son on how to handle various circumstances in the years to come. The poem is broken up into four sections, each with eight lines. The poem has an ABAB rhyme pattern. Below, we'll go into further depth about each stanza.

About Author

One of the most well-known poets and storytellers of the late Victorian era is Rudyard Kipling. Despite winning the Nobel Prize for literature in 1907, he has always been regarded as having extremely unpopular political ideas that only got more poisonous as he aged. Charles McGrath wrote in The New Yorker that "Kipling has been variously labelled a colonialist, jingoist, racist, anti-Semite, misogynist, and a right-wing imperialist warmonger; and-though some scholars have argued that his views were more complicated than he is given credit for-to some extent he really was all those things. It scarcely matters now that he was also a phenomenally talented writer who produced works of unquestionable grandeur, at least not in many schools where Kipling remains politically poisonous. However, because of the numerous film adaptations produced and reproduced since the 1960s, Kipling's children's books-most notably his 1894 classic The Jungle Book-remain ingrained in popular culture.

In 1865, Kipling was born in Bombay, India. According to Charles Cantalupo in the Dictionary of Literary Biography, his father, John Lockwood Kipling, was the head of the Jeejeebyhoy School of Art. He was an architect and artist who had immigrated to the colony "to encourage, support, and restore native Indian art against the incursions of British business interests." Cantalupo goes on to say that he intended to make an effort "to preserve, at least in part, and to copy styles of art and architecture which, representing a rich and continuous tradition of thousands of years, were suddenly threatened with extinction." Through her sister's marriage to the artist Sir Edward Burne-Jones, Alice Macdonald had links to significant Pre-Raphaelites in British arts and literature.

Theme

The poem's central topic is about the obstacles and situations we must encounter and get through in order to thrive in life and make a lasting impression. While the poem offers valuable lessons for all people, it has particular value for leaders who want to improve their leadership abilities by embracing the guidelines for creating a strong, durable, and enduring leadership style that inspires respect.

Character Description

Narrator

Rudyard Kipling, the author, is most likely the narrator and is addressing his audience, who he presumes to be young British males, personally. Instead of sharing his personal experiences, the narrator gives counsel using metaphorical language that might be used in a variety of contexts. The narrator reveals a lot of bad things, yet he is ultimately optimistic. The last verse makes it clear that he believes his audience will overcome their obstacles and merit the title of man.

Despite not having a name, the listener is suggested to be the narrator's son.

Summary

Stanza 1

When others fail and place the blame on him, the poet advises his son to be composed and patient. When others question him, he should have faith in himself. He should, however, also allow for their scepticism and make an effort to comprehend what prompted it.

The poet advises waiting patiently for success and not growing weary while waiting in the fifth line since those who work hard and are persistent will succeed.

The poet then warns his kid that other people will frequently mislead him. He should, however, always be genuine and should never lie in his life. People will despise him. But instead of returning their hatred, he ought to show them love.

In the final line, the poet cautions him against seeming or sounding too knowledgeable or superior to others since, if he follows all the advice given above, his kid would appear and sound superior to others and appear too intelligent.

Stanza 2

The poet advises him to have huge aspirations but to never let those dreams rule his life. Similarly to this, he ought to have positive ideas (about his objectives, the future, etc.), but he shouldn't make them the focus of his life because success in life requires effort.

Simply daydreaming and pondering won't get you anywhere in life. Therefore, it is important to set objectives, envision a better future, and work diligently towards achieving those goals.

The poet advises meeting Triumph and Disaster and treating those two imposters equally in the third sentence. The words "Triumph and Disaster" have their initial letters capitalised. These two extremes characterise existence. The poet refers to them as fakes or impostors. They either bring immense happiness or terrible misery. However, because they are short-lived, one should not take them seriously.

The poet advises speaking just the truth and having the guts to confront it when it is being used to deceive people in the fifth line. He should also have the fortitude to rebuild things he has built that are broken using outdated tools, that is, using the energy or abilities you now possess.

Stanza 3

The poet advises making a pile of all one's accomplishments before taking significant risks. In other words, one shouldn't be frightened to try new things because they may either help them succeed or end up being disastrous (pitch-and-toss). If one fails after taking significant risks, he should retry from the beginning without reflecting on or discussing the setback with others. You should keep trying until you succeed.

The poet advises using one's heart, nerve, and sinew, or bravery, when one grows weary or fails, in the fifth stanza of the poem. When there is nothing left in life, one should possess a strong will that may inspire them to "Hold on!"

Stanza 4

According to the poet, one must maintain their qualities among ordinary people (and never act like them), but vanity and ego are never appropriate among monarchs or other powerful individuals. In other words, the poet is advising people to maintain their qualities while they are poor and to never become conceited while they are wealthy.

Next, the poet asserts that one's beliefs in one's ideas and goals prevent one from being harmed by either loving friends or adversaries. They should never be abandoned. Although others will frequently depend on him, he shouldn't ever let them become wholly dependent on him. The poet could be implying that one should never place too much value on other people since doing so will cause one to become emotionally connected to them and cause future harm.

The poet discusses the value of time in the following verse. He believes that time is limited and will never be given back. Therefore, one should start making the most of every single second of existence. The poet informs his son in the final two lines that if he (his son) follows all the counsel he gave above, he will be able to do everything he wants and will be a Man, or a genuine human.

Conclusion

Kipling informs his audience in the poem "If-" that success comes from not taking life too seriously. He counsels staying loyal to oneself, taking risks, and not letting emotions control one's actions. Kipling basically tells his kid to have enough trust and confidence in himself to stay loyal to himself. He also appears to imply that his son will have faith and confidence since he knows himself. It is a self-sustaining loop. Cycles are endless. According to Kipling, success is measured by the 60-second run rather than by accomplishments-the journey, not the destination. What is important is how we spend our lives, not when we die.

FAQ's

1. 'If-' was written when?

Rudyard Kipling wrote the poem "If" in 1895. In 1910, "Rewards and Fairies" published the poem for the first time. It may be found in the book's chapter titled "Brother Square-Toes".

2. 'If-' was written by Rudyard Kipling for what reason?

In his autobiography, which is a life story written under the persona of Leander Starr Jameson, The song "Something of Myself" Kipling claimed that Leander Starr Jameson's persona had a big impact on him. He was inspired to create the poem "If-" by this individual. Additionally, he composed this poem to provide his beloved son with some guidance.

3. If-' is the poem's title, but why?

This poem's lines generally start with the phrase "If." Readers must accept and internalise such concepts in order to become "Men." They can only prosper in life after that. The option is constrained. The listener can choose to adopt them or not. As a result, the poem's title is "If-." One can only succeed if they read the poem carefully and follow its instructions.

4. In lines 11 and 12, which poetic device is employed? Describe your response.

The words "personified" appear in lines 11 and 12. 'Triumph' and 'Disaster' are written in capital characters, indicating that they are names. The following phrase also refers to them as "imposters."