Rudyard Kiplings Poem \"If\" Rudyard

¶ … Rudyard Kiplings Poem "if"

Rudyard Kipling's "If" is an inspirational poem which was first published in his collection "Rewards and Fairies" in 1909. The poem "If" is structured into four stanzas and has a total of thirty-two lines. It is conceived as a fatherly address and contains a set of 'rules' for living. The poem is both inspirational and motivational, and provides the imaginary son the poet addresses with a set of norms - expressed as advice - that one must follow in life. "If" contains mottos and maxims for life, but also a blueprint for integrity and self-development during adulthood. The themes of the poem are both personal and private values. In order to fully understand what Kipling is trying to convey through his poem, "If," one must reflect upon the meaning of the term 'value' as well as its significance within both the private and the public spheres. People's behavior is guided by the values that they have been educated to believe in. some values are social - or public, others are private. Public values are those ensuring social acceptance, e.g. honesty, loyalty, tolerance, respect for the law, religious faith, and so on. Private values are those that are important to the individual only, such as those inoculated through education, and family background, e.g. self-respect, self-assertion, the ability to communicate, etc. However, in the case of Kipling, the values belonging to these two realms - public and private - are intertwined. Kipling holds that in order to be a man in the true sense of the word, one must find a perfect balance between the values that govern the public self and those which belong to the public self.

In the first stanza, Kipling refers to the ideals of humility and responsibility, two social values that any man must have in order to lead a life of integrity and dignity. He advises his son - a metaphor for his audience, perhaps especially the younger part of it - not to lose their head i.e. not to forget their responsibilities and duties: "If you can keep your head when all about you / Are losing theirs" (Kipling: lines 1-2). In Kipling's vision, self-respect and self-confidence are two of the most important qualities. He argues in favor of the capacity to trust yourself even when others blame and accuse you. However, Kipling does not invite his readers to adopt an attitude of arrogance, but to consider what their opponents are saying. Patience is a virtue, and Kipling openly refers to it as such: "If you can wait and not be tired by waiting" (Kipling: line 5); not being tired of waiting is a metaphor which refers to the fact that through patience and endurance, anything is possible and achievable in life. Lies and deceit can only give rise to more lies and deceit, thus Kipling advises his audience to treat others as they would like to be treated; in this sense, he argues that even when treated with lying and hatred, one must learn how to avoid "dealing in lies" and "giving way to hating."

The theme of following one's dreams despite all adversities is extensively explored in the second stanza. Dreams are positive and inspirational, and it is only through dreaming that one can set, then pursue, and ultimately achieve, one's goal. However, being solely a dreamer does not entail any kind of success, as it is only through action that dreams can come true. The word "master" refers precisely to this idea, that being governed solely by dreams is not the recipe for success. Life is a rollercoaster which offers both ups and downs, and one must learn how to handle both. In this sense, the lines "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster / and treat those two impostors just the same" (Kipling: lines 11-12) support the idea that one must be ready for both success and failure. Triumph and Disaster are two nouns that are written in capital letters in order to have deeper meaning and to resonate with the audience; the two words become the names of the "impostors" that everyone is faced with at some point. Here, "impostors" is a metaphor for the deceitful appearances that certain events can have. Consequently, it is safe to assume Kipling's intention here is to blur the line between failure and success in the sense that Triumph and Disaster are presented as two impostors which often switch places, or simply change their appearance, hence be misleading. Dreams also involve endurance and perseverance: "... watch the things you gave your life to, broken, / and stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools" (Kipling: lines 15-16).

Kipling also explores the theme of new beginnings, and invites his audience not to be afraid of taking chances in life. In the third stanza, he tackles the issue of losing and being forced to start over: "And lose, and start again at your beginnings" (Kipling: line 19); his vision incorporates loss; however he encourages his audience not to talk about it, but to resume their efforts and start over without looking back or crying over spilt milk. Strength is another key quality in Kipling's vision of a true man: "And so hold on when there is nothing in you / Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'" (Kipling: lines 23-24).

The final stanza deals with the concept of virtue. Virtue is a quality philosophers and writers have dealt with since ancient times; although there is no fixed definition of virtue, the concept is associated with the realm of ethics, and is considered to refer to doing what is morally right while avoiding what is labeled as wrong. The discussion is very ample, but Kipling narrows it down to a matter of being able to preserve one's individuality in all circumstances. He advises his son to "walk with kings" without losing "the common touch" i.e. To preserve his humility and modesty irrespective of the crowds he is part of; to be strong enough to endure betrayal and hurt from both friends and enemies, and to be merciful and empathetic without allowing anyone to become the center of his existence: "If all men count with you, but none too much" (Kipling: line 28).