If—

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1910

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Background

Historical Context

“If—” is one of Kipling’s most famous poems and one of the most famous poems in the English language. Unlike Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden,” which is often referred to as a hymn to US Imperialism, the message in “If—” remains relevant in the 21st century, although not without controversy of its own. George Orwell, author of the novels Animal Farm and 1984, called “If—” “sententious,” which means that the poem is prone to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner. He considered Kipling a “jingo imperialist” and “morally insensitive” (Orwell, George. “Rudyard Kipling.” Horizon. London, Sep. 1941). However, he added, “[Kipling] dealt largely in platitudes, and since we live in a world of platitudes, much of what he said sticks.”

Kipling’s reputation has changed as political and social climates have evolved. It may be easy by today’s standards to judge the harsh patriarchal tone of the poem. “If—” is often overshadowed by “White Man’s Burden,” Kipling’s imperialistic poem of 1899. According to Peter Womack, “the imperial theme of “The White Man’s Burden” is at home in the ethical environment of “If—.” He continues, “Imperialism is not an autonomous value which is simply present or absent; rather, it is embedded in the images of masculinity, adulthood, responsibility, and virtue that make up Kipling’s distinctive poetic” (Womack, Peter. “‘If—’ not: Poetry in Use.” Critical Quarterly, vol. 61, no. 2, 2019, pp. 41-55).

Today, critics consider “If—” prototypical of “British” or “Victorian Stoicism.” Its traditional advice about how to live a good life through self-discipline and with moral character illustrates the “stiff upper lip” trait that became a hallmark of the British national psyche (consider the “Keep Calm and Carry On” motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for World War II). Some consider this “stiff” lip an indication of stunted emotions, while others see it as steadfastness and optimism despite the circumstances. Keeping calm in the face of adversity, keeping your emotions in check, and maintaining control of how you react to the environments you encounter are virtues that not only apply to stoicism but to everyone who considers Kipling’s poem.

Literary Context

T. S. Eliot famously referred to Kipling’s poetry “as verse and not as poetry” (Eliot, T. S. A Choice of Kipling’s Verse, New York, Scribner’s, 1943, p 35). This often-quoted remark is taken out of context unless we consider Eliot’s additional comment: “What fundamentally differentiates his ‘verse’ from ‘poetry’ is the subordination of musical interest” (Eliot 35). This sentiment stood for all of Kipling’s poetry and not necessarily just for “It—”; however, since Eliot focuses on “musical interest,” then the literary devices discussed elsewhere in this guide speak to “If—” as among Kipling’s greatest verse.

The alternating masculine and feminine rhymes, as one example, create a dance of pairs. Consider these two lines that discuss dream and thought: “If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; / If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim” (Lines 9-10). This back-and-forth structure gives the poem an almost chant-like quality. According to T. S. Eliot, “The metrical form must be of a simple kind which will not call attention to itself, but repetitions and refrains may contribute to an incantatory effect” (Eliot 9). This concept of not calling attention to itself works both in the meaning of the lines and in the composition of the lines.

On the one hand, “If—” is communicated simply enough so that analysis is not necessary to understand it, but on the other hand, the syntactical and rhetorical rhythms, as well as the patterns on display in the poem, are worthy of deeper interpretation.

This incantatory effect creates a mantra, or as writer and historian Khushwant Singh suggested, a sort of Bhagavad Gita in English. Singh noticed that “If—” “comprises” and even “transmits the message” of the Bhagavad Gita, the best-known and most famous of Hindu texts: “More precisely, the concept of true man developed by Kipling in the poem “If—” astonishingly conforms to Lord Krishna’s definition of ‘Sthitapragna’ in chapter 2, sankhya yoga” (Sarkar, Suchismita. “Influence of Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’s Concept of ‘Sthitapragna’ and ‘Nishkamkarmayoga’ on Kipling’s True Man in ‘If.’” The Criterion, vol. 5, no. IV, 2014, p. 332). According to translator Winthrop Sargeant, the Bhagavad Gita explores questions about the “purpose of life, crisis of self-identity, human Self, human temperaments, and ways for spiritual quest” (Sargeant, Winthrop. Christopher Key Chapple (ed.), The Bhagavad Gita: Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition. New York, State University of New York Press, 2009). Having lived and worked in India, Kipling would certainly have been acquainted with the Bhagavad Gita.

Eliot points out that with Kipling’s poetry, “The metrical form must be of a simple kind which will not call attention to itself, but repetitions and refrains may contribute an incantatory effect” (Eliot 9). This can be seen with any of Kipling’s poetry, all of which utilizes traditional metrical forms. Poems such as “If—” “are best when read aloud,” Eliot adds, “With this simplicity of purpose goes a consummate gift of words, phrase, and rhythm” (Eliot 11). Kipling’s use of iambic pentameter, the conventional meter of English poetry, paces the poem in the tradition of poets who are also best read aloud, most notably William Shakespeare, William Wordsworth, and Alfred, Lord Tennyson.