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Analysis of If by Rudyard Kipling
- 1. Joseph Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936 was an English short-story writer, poet and novelist. Born in Bombay, India, which at that time belonged to Britain. When he was 5 years old his family moved to England. He was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. Kipling was also offered a knighthood on several occasions, but he declined this honour.
- 2. • Analysis of the poem using: Structure Language Imagery Meaning Effect
- 3. Rhyme scheme of the poem? Looking at stanza 2 If you can dream - and not make dreams your master, If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph with Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools;
- 4. • Enjambment? Enjambment = the continuation of a sentence or clause over a line-break
- 5. • Caesura(e)? Caesura = a strong pause within a line. E.g. a question mark in the middle of a sentence, a hyphen, exclamation mark etc…
- 6. Before we move onto annotating the poem, count how many times the poet uses the word ‘If’. Why do you think he keeps repeating the word?
- 7. 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; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: Imperatives do not feel like an order or commanding, but friendly and good-natured. Giving us advice The repetition of the word ‘If’ in the poem creates suspense. Piling on the conditions while delaying the consequence
- 8. If you can dream - and not make dreams your master, If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools; Personification is used to promote caution against ‘impostors’, such as ‘Triumph and Disaster’.
- 9. If you can make a heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them” “Hold on!” Hints of recklessness in the area of gambling, ‘risk it all’. Chances can be taken and life should not be mundane but lived to the full. Once again a capital letter is used to emphasise the importance of your will power.
- 10. If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And – which is more – you’ll be a man my son! By constant repetition of the second person singular ‘you’, the narrator achieves a direct appeal and maintains our interest. However, by the end of the poem, we are shocked that this is addressed to his son! The final exclamation mark can be seen as encouragement to take his advice. Capital M for Man shows that to be a real man is of great virtue. Words ‘my son’ come as a shock, as we realise that this is a dramatic monologue.
- 11. Poem published in 1910. His son died in 1915 The poet sends us a message: 1. Remain humble 2. Avoid extremes 3. Find goodness even in the darkest circumstances 4. Give us advice/tell us what to do
- 12. • What do you feel when you hear this poem? • What do you think about? Remember to use the text when explaining your feelings.
Editor's Notes
- Wrote his ode to war in 1915. Have a copy to give students… Written and published before his son died.