Rudyard Kipling: Imperialism

5 Pages 1130 Words

Rudyard Kipling’s relation to India has greatly influenced his works. Born in Bombay, India, on December 30, 1865, Rudyard moved to a lodge in England at the age of six to receive his education. At the age of seventeen, he returned to India to start his writing career as a journalist. Within four years his first volume of poetry, Departmental Ditties, was privately published but quickly became a success. As seen in Departmental Ditties, Kipling’s use of various themes has helped him to gain poetic notoriety. His subjects, including nature and social topics, usually relate to India. Besides poetry, Mr. Kipling’s attempt at short stories and novels has been successful as well. Rudyard Kipling’s works are greatly known for their sociological references, use of language, and influences from India.
Many of Kipling’s verses teem with political references. These references relate to issues encompassing the former British Empire and its military. Mr. Kipling has a history of being a strong and loyal supporter of Britain’s imperialism. “Recessional,” one of Kipling’s more political hymns, fronts as a caution to England’s empire (Middle 1). One main worry of Kipling’s stems from England’s possession of its territories, shown in the first stanza of “Recessional”:
God of our fathers, known of old
Lord of our far-flung battle line
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine
Lord God of Host, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget! (1-6)

Loss of control of the Empire’s territories is Kipling’s fear. The contentment that England is in at the time does not settle well with Kipling as he fears that the Empire will lose “all our pomp of yesterday,” (15). Kipling’s image as an imperialist was brought upon from “Recessional”, especially seen in these lines.
If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe
Such boastings...