If is undoubtedly one of the most beloved poems written by Rudyard Kipling. About Rudyard Kipling. 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; ‘If’is a poem of 4 stanzas made up of 8 lines respectively. This is, without a doubt, Kipling's most beloved poem, and, along with "The White Man's Burden", his most famous. The various values and codes of conduct imparted through the poem form the different sub-themes of the poem, which are as follows: Rightful Behavior: Most of what this poem advocates deals with rightful behavior such as keeping a calm head and maintaining composure during times of crisis instead of indulging in blame games. Patience: There is also the theme of patience in the poem. The meter of the stanzas is iambic pentameter, which means each line can be divided into five feet with one unstressed and stressed syllable each in that order. The theme of Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" revolves around the coming of age of his son and the poem lists different virtues that would help his child become a man. If- Poem by Rudyard Kipling. The poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling is a bundle of suggestions from father to his son. "If-" contains a multitude of characteristics deemed essential to the ideal man. The Question and Answer section for Rudyard Kipling: Poems is a great The poet asks us to give our maximum effort to our goals in life but at the same times asks us to not make our ambition and dreams our be all and end all. Life only has meaning when it has been lived meaningfully and our identity as human beings can only be ratified in the real sense of the term if we live virtuously by following a set of high moral codes and conduct. Through a series of paradoxes, Kipling advises his son John how to lead a successful life. It is a well-known poem. It has been divided into four identical stanzas of eight lines each. "The Ballad of East and West" Summary and Analysis. Persistence: The ‘never-give-up’ outlook towards life is one major theme of the poem. Money often comes in suit with arrogance. Iambic Pentameter invests an ambience of control and order to any poem. Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’ is a didactic poem on the virtues of model leadership and typical manhood. O life! An older man giving advice. This group of ideal characteristics is similar to those expressed in "The Thousandth Man", another poem dealing with manhood. 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 … Each of the four stanzas deals with different life situations and the best way to act during them. The poet also adds that we must not deal with lies or brew hatred in our hearts even if the ones around us are doing the same. Of course this attitude... Rikki Tikki was washed out of his home be a summer flood and founf by a little boy. The poet asks us to not lose faith in our beliefs and convictions even if the ones around us begin to lose hope in us. Before researching him for this post I always just thought he was the ‘Jungle Book dude’ without realising how prolific and important he was. 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. He also wrote many children's stories. Tags: Question 10 . Structure and Form of If—. The more you decode one, the better you understand the other. It was first published in the “Brother Square-Toes” chapter of Rewards and Fairies , as a collection of verse and short stories. Kipling composed the poem in 1909 while living in Great Britain. 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. Each of the four stanzas deals with different life situations and the best way to act during them. It gives sound advice to young people for a successful life. 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. Self-belief: Belief in the self is one another sub-theme in the poem. Hence, the poem has thirty two lines in total. Twenty-seven of the Nations of the Earth translated them into their seven-and-twenty tongues, and printed them on every sort of fabric.". Some Important Facts About Cisco 300-425 Exam Questions, The New Colossus Analysis by Emma Lazarus, Invictus Analysis by William Ernest Henley. Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist. Penned by the British Nobel Laureate, Rudyard Kipling, If, is a self-help book in itself.It was first published in 1910 in a collection of poems and short stories called Rewards and Fairies. It is a literary example of Victorian-era … Balance: Maintaining balance and control in all aspects of life is an important theme which the poem forwards. For him the true measure of a man is his humility and his stoicism. PART B: How does the structure of the poem, as indicated in Part A, contribute to the poem's tone? Jameson was arrested and tried, but he was already being hailed a hero by London, which was filled wit… This poem is the like a rule book to perfect the art of living and being human. It is subtitled "'Brother Square-Toes' – Rewards and Fairies". 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.". Rudyard Kipling's poem "If — " contains a thoughtful message about how to live a successful, principled, and happy life despite the challenges that … Please like/share the post if you found it useful. Once started, the mechanization of the age made them snowball themselves in a way that startled me. This poem which is a dictum for meaningful living had for its inspiration the ‘Jameson Raid’ of 1895 which was a military … Not affiliated with Harvard College. McKeever, Christine ed. The over-arching theme of the poem If is successful virtuous living based on values pertaining to integrity, rightful behavior and self-development. The poem speaks to each and every reader on what it means to become a complete man and how he operates through the thick and thins of life. 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. This poem discusses life's challenges and how the ideal man deals with them. The stories of Mowgli, a man-cub who was the central character in The Jungle Book, brought Kipling great popularity in England and the United States. Rudyard Kipling’s best-known work, The Jungle Book was published in Rudyard Kipling separates his poem into four stanzas of equal length; each stanza contains eight lines. 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. The poet asks us to keep striving towards our goals, against all odds, even if it involves putting all of our life’s achievements at stake. The 'Jameson Raid' was later considered a major factor in starting the Boer War (1899-1902). "Rudyard Kipling: Poems “If-” Summary and Analysis". As a boy, he took pleasure in the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Wilkie Collins. Although he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1907, his political views, which grew more toxic as he aged, have long made him critically unpopular. Instead we must understand the temporary nature of the ups and downs in life and go about our business in a steadfast, unaffected fashion. Rudyard Kipling: Poems essays are academic essays for citation. “If—” is a poem by English Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936), written in 1895 as a tribute to Leander Starr Jameson. Read below and refer to additional links for If summary-, Setting and Mood of the Poem IF by Rudyard Kipling. It is considered as the most beloved poem of Kipling. 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 … The rhyme scheme of the poem is … Rudyard Kipling’s “If” is perhaps his most famous poem. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of poetry by Rudyard Kipling. If — by Rudyard Kipling is a poem written by the English author in 1895. Time Management: The unforgiving nature of Time comes out in the last stanza of the poem. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. Modesty: Modesty is one theme which shines out in the poem. The poem "If—" by Ruyard Kipling is about how to live a good life and be a good man. A Poet's Main Point: The main point, or theme, of a poem is the thread that runs throughout the work and keeps the reader on track. 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—". GradeSaver, 28 April 2013 Web. His poems became famous for their lively, swinging rhythm. answer choices . 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!". Kipling is said to have written the poem 'If' with Dr Leander Starr Jameson in mind, who led about five-hundred of his countrymen in a failed raid against the Boers, in southern Africa. Kipling composed many of his poems while living for several years in the United States in the mid-1890s. 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. Although T.S. "If—" is a poem by English Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling, written in 1895 as a tribute to Leander Starr Jameson. 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; The poem is addressed to Kipling’s son John.… In the poem, the poet tells his son how to cope with different situations in the life ahead. About the Poem IF: The poem If was published in 1910 in Kipling’s collection of short stories and verses named ‘Rewards and Fairies’. 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. They were drawn from Jameson's character, and contained counsels of perfection most easy to give. They are being brought toward the light, but act indignant and ungrateful toward those who want to better them. Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was an English author and poet. A son reflecting on his life. The poem is divided into four stanzas having eight lines each. 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… Keeping the head cool makes us think wisely to face those tough situations, and ultimately a solution comes out.We should have the faith in ourselves, even when other… In particular, a man must be humble, patient, rational, truthful, dependable, and persevering. Launch Audio in a New Window. His behavior in response to deleterious events and cruel men is important; he must continue to have faith in himself when others doubt him, he must understand that his words might be twisted and used for evil, he must be able to deal with the highest and lowest echelons of society, and he must be able to withstand the lies and hatred emanating from others. The form creates a tone of redundancy, or unnecessary repetition. Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Pack be diminished by war. I've had to write it out twice as an impot. In course of the thirty two lines of the poem, Kipling advocates the virtues of composure, patience, integrity, modesty, control, perseverance, tolerance determination, confidence – for a few to cite. Poem has thirty two lines in total of 4 stanzas made up of 8 lines part of the poem if by rudyard kipling startled. They were drawn from jameson 's character, and novelist all our achievements get. 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