The White Man's Burden by Rudyard Kipling

"The White Man's Burden" is a poem by Rudyard Kipling. It urges the United States to assume colonial control over the Filipinos. It also mentions racism and anaphora. Read this article to learn more about the poem. It is recommended for readers who are interested in culture and social issues.

Rudyard Kipling's poem

"The White Man's Burden" is a poem written by Rudyard Kipling. It urges the United States to assume colonial control over the Philippines. It is widely regarded as a classic piece of literature. However, it has been a controversial subject for years.

"The White Man's Burden" is a classic example of a racist poem. Kipling, who lived during the Victorian age, published his poem during the celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. It was later revised to advocate the conquest of the Philippines by the United States, which Kipling thought would bring "great wealth" to white people. Kipling described colonialism and imperialism as moral obligations of the white people.

In the poem, Kipling focuses on the Philippines, a group of islands in the South China Sea ruled by the Spanish empire until the U.S. Navy won them. The poem also implicitly includes Egypt. Kipling uses phrases like "slowly toward the light" to suggest that racism and imperialism are inextricable.

Racism in the poem

The poem "The White Man's Burden" by Rudyard Kipling was published on February 4, 1890. It is often used as a parable of racism, class, and racial prejudice. While the poem was popular for its time, it has been attacked and misinterpreted by critics. This article will explore the poem's themes and its relationship to race.

Despite its simplicity, this poem is rife with racism. In one line, the speaker exhorts his audience to "take up the White Man's burden." The poem is filled with racist references and ethnocentrism, a form of discrimination that is harmful to the other races. Kipling's racism is not limited to the poem's language, as it is often found in other works.

In the poem's first line, the speaker issues a harsh command to the reader. He assumes the reader must be white, and calls on all white people to answer their destiny in regard to their whiteness. He also uses the definite article, as if readers already knew the burden. If a white man refuses to answer his destiny, then he is defying his moral duty to the rest of the world.

Anaphora in the poem

Anaphora is a type of poetic device used to connect ideas. It is the repetition of an opening line that acts like the chorus of a song and gives a poem structure. Although some readers may not classify this as a true anaphora, it is an important element of the poem.

"The White Man's Burden" is a metaphor for imperialism. It is an implicit call to action from the speaker, who presumes the reader to be white. The speaker also addresses white people as a group and calls on them to answer their destiny as whites. This use of the definite article suggests that the reader already knows that the burden they have is heavy. However, if they do not take up the burden, they will be denying their moral duty to the rest of the world.

The speaker suggests that white men should not be lazy, complain, or cry out, "Freedom." The speaker also points out that white men should be prepared to deal with judgment from native peoples and the complexities of different religions. To get rid of these obstacles, white men should work hard and act like men, rather than just acting like a slave.

References to the poem

The poem makes reference to the "white man's burden," the burden of the white man on the world. The speaker describes this burden as one that requires patience and persistence, and one that must be completed for the benefit of mankind. This metaphor is repeated several times throughout the poem, reinforcing the speaker's point and building emphasis.

Although Kipling's "White man's burden" often comes under fire for its racist message, it does not imply that the world has fallen into a totalitarian state. The poem is also a reminder that racism has long been present in the civilized world.

While the speaker makes many references to the plight of the white man, he also points out his own problems. For example, he argues that it is the duty of white men to make peace with the natives. Ultimately, this may require savage wars.