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Historical Context
‘If—’ was written in 1895 and first published in 1910 in “Brother Square Toes,” a chapter of Rewards and Fairies. Today, the poem’s philosophical outlook is considered to be one of the best examples of Victorian stoicism. It provides traditional advice about how to live a good life with the understanding that one has to make the most of every minute they have. It requires self-discipline and a good moral character. But, no matter when the poem was written, it is still resonant today.
Kipling wrote the poem after he was inspired by Leander Starr Jameson’s actions, leader of the Jameson Raid, to overthrow the Boer Government of Paul Kruger. Although the raid failed, Kipling was still struck by his tenacity.
FAQs
When was ‘If—’ written?
‘If—’ by Rudyard Kipling was written in 1895. The poem was first published in “Rewards and Fairies” in 1910. It appears in the chapter titled, “Brother Square-Toes” of the book.
Why did Rudyard Kipling write ‘If—’?
In his autobiography, “Something of Myself” Kipling said he was greatly influenced by the character of Leander Starr Jameson. This character influenced him to write the poem, ‘If—’. Besides, he wrote this poem as a piece of advice to his dear son.
Why is the poem titled ‘If—’?
Most of the lines of this poem begin with the word, “If”. To become a “Man,” readers have to incorporate those ideas into their minds. Only then, they can succeed in life. The choice is conditional. Whether to adopt them or not, is up to the listener. Therefore, the poem is titled, ‘If—’. If one reads the poem wholeheartedly and obeys those principles, only then he or she can get success.
What type of poem is ‘If—’?
Kipling wrote ‘If—’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John. It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to be an ideal human being.
What is the meaning of ‘If—’?
Kipling’s poem is all about how to be an ideal human being. The text presents a series of advice following which one can become a “Man”. That’s why this poem does not have a single meaning. Readers can find a variety of ideas in it.
Why are “Triumph” and “Disaster” called impostors?
In this poem, Kipling’s speaker personifies triumph and disaster. He calls them imposters as both of these events don’t last long. The small triumphs of life indeed taste sweet. But, staying in the hallucination of victory is an addiction and enslavement. When disaster or failure comes, the mind remains in such a state that it becomes tough to face it. Interestingly, defeat doesn’t last for a long time too. That’s why both triumph and disaster are traps in themselves.
What does the phrase “unforgiving minute” mean?
Why did Rudyard Kipling write ‘If—’?
In his autobiography, “Something of Myself” Kipling said he was greatly influenced by the character of Leander Starr Jameson. This character influenced him to write the poem, ‘If—’. Besides, he wrote this poem as a piece of advice to his dear son.
Why is the poem titled ‘If—’?
Most of the lines of this poem begin with the word, “If”. To become a “Man,” readers have to incorporate those ideas into their minds. Only then, they can succeed in life. The choice is conditional. Whether to adopt them or not, is up to the listener. Therefore, the poem is titled, ‘If—’. If one reads the poem wholeheartedly and obeys those principles, only then he or she can get success.
What type of poem is ‘If—’?
Kipling wrote ‘If—’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John. It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to be an ideal human being.
What is the meaning of ‘If—’?
Kipling’s poem is all about how to be an ideal human being. The text presents a series of advice following which one can become a “Man”. That’s why this poem does not have a single meaning. Readers can find a variety of ideas in it.
Why are “Triumph” and “Disaster” called impostors?
In this poem, Kipling’s speaker personifies triumph and disaster. He calls them imposters as both of these events don’t last long. The small triumphs of life indeed taste sweet. But, staying in the hallucination of victory is an addiction and enslavement. When disaster or failure comes, the mind remains in such a state that it becomes tough to face it. Interestingly, defeat doesn’t last for a long time too. That’s why both triumph and disaster are traps in themselves.
As a branch of linguistics which observes how sounds form patterns, phonology is often conducted on certain communities speech production. Phonological rules can be figured out through the observation of sound changes, such as in assimilation and dissimilation. Studies on those two matters are commonly found in linguistic analyses. What is interesting in studying linguistics, to be particular in phonology, is the type of data to analyze. Instead of observing speech production by certain communities, phonology is also applicable in comprehending literary work, particularly poetry. Poetry is known for its unique language patterns, as defined by Leech (1969:4) that ―poetic language may violate or deviate from the generally observed rules of the language in many different ways‖. This present paper is intended to present phonological features in poetry analysis: supra-segmental features (rhyme and meter) and segmental features (assonance, consonance, and alliteration). The choice of certain sound patterns in a poem reflects the poet‘s intention in choosing such construction. Therefore, meaning interpretation which is based on the linguistic analyses can be attained, which is in line with Leech‘s statement that the significance of a piece of language can be used to figure out meanings in reference to literature (1969: 40). Keywords: phonology, stylistics, poetry 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. 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. Iambic Pentameter invests an ambiance of control and order to any poem.
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