The keyword “If” is repeated to emphasize that we need to work hard to reap the rewards of life. A Critical Summary of If by Rudyard Kipling The poem "If" is a beautiful insight into human intelligence and wisdom's way taking shape. Each of the four stanzas deals with different life situations and the best way to act during them. In the final two lines, the poet tells his son if he (his son) acts upon all the advice he gave above, he will be able to achieve whatever he likes and he will be a Man i.e. Q. However, after reading the poem one can visualize a scene in which a father is speaking to his … If (Poem) About the Author: – Rudyard Kipling. In a 1995 BBC opinion poll, "If—" was voted the United Kingdom's favorite poem. It helps one to lead a successful life. In the fifth line, the poet says that one should wait patiently for success and should never be tired by waiting because success comes to those who work hard and remain patient. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. b. when you lose a game don’t be a sore loser. What, according to the speaker, are the qualities of a Man? The poet as a father prepares his son to achieve his dreams. It reminds me of what a challenge it was to do things on my own, and it took me a very long time to become confident and start maturing. - The Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting American poets. Rudyard Kipling. He must be optimistic and trust in himself, but he must do his utmost to accept their reservations. Kipling provides this instruction not by specifying specific features, but by offering detailed illustrations of the complex actions that a man should or should not take to match those features. Figurative language uses words and phrases that are not meant to be taken for real in a literal way. Through a series of paradoxes, Kipling advises his son John how to lead a successful life. To whom does it seem Kipling wrote this poem? courage when one becomes tired or fails. He has to hold on to the golden mean in all situations. 2. One should try again and again until one succeeds. Common touch represents humility. He would have to face criticism, resistance, lies, and hate. If. More by Rudyard Kipling. He should still be hopeful as he sees the fruits of his hard work ruined. 12. However, he should also make a room for their doubts and try understanding what made them doubt him. Q. Poem #2 IF By Rudyard Kipling Summary : Throughout the poem, the speaker provides the reader with many contexts, both positive and negative, as well as the perception of how one should behave. Q. 1. Talk with crowds refers to mixing with all kinds of people. Consider speaker, symbols, comparisons, contrasts and conflicts. He also remains the youngest recipient of the award to this date. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Central idea: The key idea of the poem is that success comes through self-control and a true sense of the values of life. What feelings does the poem awaken in you? If he does, he’ll own the world, and even better, he’ll reach the highest status of manhood for his personal reward. Others will hate him. The poet calls them impostors i.e. 1. donkeytime.org - Rudyard Kipling: Poems “If-” Summary and Analysis | GradeSaver ‘Unforgiving minute’ refers to the time that waits for no man. These are the two extremes of life. We give Rudyard Kipling's classic poem a modern-day - and English - slant. We should not lose our temperament even if others are blaming us for their fault.Losing the temper does not solve a problem, rather intensifies that. The poet tells his son that he should keep calm and patient when others do fail and put the blames on him. People will often remain dependent on him but he should never allow them to remain completely dependent on him. The poem seems to be a long list of ‘ifs’. Dreams assume the human role to control our lives. Q. IF Poem Art Print IF Poem by Rudyard Kipling Art Print IF Poster If Poem Poster If Poem Print If Poem Wall Art If you can If by Kipling Poem (Ivory, 5 x 7) 4.9 out of 5 stars 14 £7.00 £ 7 . By Rudyard Kipling (). He was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. If he can do all these things, so the world, and all that is therein, will be his own. Next, the poet tells his son that other people will often tell him lies. In the fifth line, the poet says that one should use his heart and nerve and sinew i.e. Dreams: masters who can control our lives. Hence one should start utilizing each and every second of life. 11. 00 How do your feelings connect with those of the poet?This poem awakens a number of emotions inside me such as inspiration and a sense of happiness. There are a lot of symbols and figures of speech, especially personification. Walk with Kings means to socialize with important people. The one thing that was never possible, if one had read him at all, was to forget him. When people blame him, he shouldn’t lose his faith. Kipling lived from December 30, 1865, to January 18, 1936. 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. 9. Examples: patience, confidence, coolness under pressure, levelheadedness, imaginative, intelligent, caring, judicious, persistent, strong, loyal, and brave. I will be comaparing ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling to … In the poem, the poet tells his son how to cope with different situations in the life ahead. What is the significance of the word ‘for’in the beginning of the last stanza? Here is a summary, review, and analysis of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’, a didactic poem on the specific traits of a good leader.. Review: Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If’ is a dissertation on the virtues of model leadership and exemplary manhood. A man must not lose heart due to suspicions or opposition, but he must make every effort to see the grounds for both. Symbols also make the poem more attractive. Kipling’s parents considered themselves Anglo-Indians and the complex issue of identity and nationality was a prominent feature in his works as the writer himself wrote in his autobiography. Give the meaning of “Lord! It also makes me think of how much more I have to develop in order to grow up completely.This poem reminds me of when I was younger in life and everything was new to me. The poet in his poem is providing an inspirational insight for the readers to remain humble, soft, and tender and avoid the extremes and live up to all the opportunities of life wherever one can muster any joys of life. Make one heap of all your winnings is compared to a pile of money won at the gambling table. He should also have the courage to see the things build by him in broken conditions and try rebuilding them with worn-out tools i.e. According to the last few lines of this poem, what does the speaker feel is the most important goal in a young boy’s life? However, he should never lie in his life and always remain truthful. Learn how your comment data is processed. Kipling was awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. Nonetheless, this stanza also advises against a self-confidence that does not allow alternative views to be considered. Line 5 recommends patience, line 6 advises honesty and line 7 advises moral fortitude. He Failure is personified as a disaster. Shout questions, submit your articles, get study notes and smart learning tips and much more...! Will is personified as a person who encourages us to succeed. 1. Joseph Rudyard Kipling 1865-1936 was an English short-story writer, poet and novelist. In these this, he must maintain his integrity, his beliefs and his principles, but he must not look too good or smart. Explain. It is important to remain humble and live with pride. In line 8, however, Kipling is swift to validate his advice, telling the reader “yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.” That is, a person must avoid smugness when acting righteously. In this case, dreams assume a human role/quality, that of being a master. What is the ‘then’? If he takes his advice, he will have a life that is satisfying and enriching. The poem If can be viewed as a set of guidelines on how to live and act with integrity and right values such that one becomes the ideal human. It was first published in the “Brother Square-Toes” chapter of Rewards … I think some of the feelings that I experienced are also the feelings of the poet. The Jungle Book has had lasting popularity, both as a story and in film adaptations. Launch Audio in a New Window. She has prepared him for the first flight by modelling, coaxing and instructing. The poem encourages the reader to be patient, frank, truthful, trustworthy and humble. big personalities) one should never have pride and ego. According to him, time is precious and will never come back. a true human. Knaves represent scoundrels, liars or conmen. The rhyme scheme of the poem is … By using the second-person point of view, the reader feels that the poet is speaking directly to him. “If” by Rudyard Kipling: Poem Analysis The emotional and advising lines of Kipling are often considered a set of rules for moral and personal integrity, self-improvement and achievement in life. Kipling wrote the poem during his stay in Great Britain in 1909. Answers may vary. The poet brings his own observations into this and tells us about the high and low ends and conflicts that we face, like not giving in even though everyone else does. If by rudyard kipling pdf answers - If. ‘Knaves’ represent scoundrels, liars or common people. book. Success is personified as a triumph. If - By Rudyard Kipling. The conflict is a child that can not grow up and who is facing many difficulties. 8. Unforgiving minutes refer to time that waits for no man, it is like a race where every second is important. If one fails after taking big risks, he should start again from the beginning without thinking or saying anything about the loss to others. By Rudyard Kipling. It includes advice from a father to a son on how to grow up to be a better person and a true man. In the poem, the poet tells his son how to cope with different situations in the life ahead. Q. The first stanza of the poem illustrates self-confidence and expresses that in being confident; the reader must have the courage to face unpopularity and disagreement. The mood is one of joy and optimism. Peril lies in extremes. Hence one should dream of goals and think of a better future and at the same time should work hard to achieve them. Kipling travelled widely and wrote travel articles as well as poetry. The Night has a Thousand Eyes Poem by Francis William Bourdillon Summary, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Critical Analysis, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Analysis by Dylan Thomas, Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa TS Summary by Nissim Ezekiel, Breezy April Poem Summary & Analysis by Rabindranath Tagore, The Quality of Mercy by William Shakespeare – Summary & Analysis. 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 White Man’s Burden’ by Rudyard Kipling is a seven stanza poem that is separated into sets of eight lines. It cannot wait for you for a second. The tone of the poem centres on human qualities. In his lifetime, Kipling was widely regarded as the unofficial Poet Laureate, and he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907. (‘Brother Square-Toes’ —Rewards and Fairies) If you can keep your head when all about you. Note: the penultimate verse, whch we have italicised, was included in the first publication in the St James' Gazette, but was omitted from the collected versions. If Summary. The line, “If you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings,” means: a. when you take a risk and lose everything, start over. 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