I need the paraphrase of the poem- if , by Rudyard Kipling
Answers
Through the first stanza of If, the poet Rudyard Kipling offers us his opinion on how to operate during times of crisis. The poet urges readers that when the going gets difficult and things stop to work in our favor we must not lose our composure and deal with the situation at hand in a calm fashion in order to salvage it. It is human nature to save oneself the blame for failures and put it on others. The poet asks us to combat this basic human frailty and harbor within ourselves the courage to take responsibilities for our actions that have produced the undesired results just like Jameson did during the raid. During times of crisis, it is expected that people are going to lose their rationality and indulge in blame games. The poet urges us to not give to the same.
The poet asks us to garner enough confidence to believe in oneself and our potential even if the others around us have given up on us. Hence, we see that self-faith is a virtue which Kipling puts forward with high regard. However, the poet warns us against getting over-confident. He says we must have confidence but not blind faith in ourselves as the latter will stop us from giving ears to the valuable suggestions and recommendations of others. In other words, we must make enough room in our heads for opposing ideas from others if they seem legit.
In the second stanza, If engulfs within its scope, the correct way to pursue one’s goals in life. Through the first two lines the poet very succinctly explains to us the difference between being ambitious and a megalomaniac. He says that it is all right to have ambitions and dreams in life. However, we must not get over ambitious, i.e., we must not let our dreams and desires take the better of us, such that they end up controlling our every waking moment and change who we are. It is known that ambition can drive men crazy and hence Kipling asks us to practice moderation when it comes to being ambitious. A lot of us suffer from the problem of assuming that our outlook and way of thinking are the ‘be all and the end all’.This syndrome is referred to as ‘making thoughts our aim’ by Kipling. He says that we must not be very rigid in the way we think and must be open to good influences upon our thinking process. According to the poet these values are important in getting us closer to our goals in life.
In the third stanza, Kipling furnishes his readers with the very important life advice of never giving up! Life is unpredictable and filled with ups and downs. Trying to make one’s mark in the world is nothing short of a gamble. The poet asks us not to be shy away from challenges just because we are scared that we might lose what we already have. He says that the ideal man is the one who can put all of his life’s achievements at risk, while aiming towards bigger goals. It takes immense strength of mind to shake off a loss in order to keep going but a complete man is the one who does not cry over spilt milk and starts afresh from scratch even after being completely snubbed and broken.
Towards the end of the stanza, Kipling adds that will power is the only key to persistence in spite of loss. If a man is determined, he can make his heart, nerve and sinew serve him even in the most down trodden and bleakest of times when everything seems to be going against his favor.
The poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling is classical poem packed with rare optimism, motivation, and practical wisdom meant for his son. The poet advises his son to have complete trust in themselves. He advises the readers not to indulge in any self-doubt, lies, hating, and stay humble and moderate.
Continuing his advice he asks his son not to depend so much on dreams, thoughts; and stay composed and stable in victory and loss; and have the courage to speak the truth and face the consequences for having spoken the truth; and be prepared to rebuild the dreams from scratch after they are broken and shattered.
The poet advises his son to risk all life’s winnings for one more winning without the slightest fear of loss, and be ready to start again after incurring the loss without complaining or blaming. The poet advises the son to hold on against the most agonizing ordeals.
The poet explains his son the qualities of a man of true character in the last stanza. He says if he can keep his virtues intact in the company of kings and ordinary people; if he has learnt to stay unhurt from friends and foes; if men and women have trust in him; if he can live truly for even a minute holding on to the virtues mentioned above, he will be remembered for eternity and will be a true Man.