If by Rudyard Kipling

IF by Rudyard Kipling
Review
 A Psalm of Life
 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
 A psalm is a religious or sacred song
or hymn, in the biblical Book of Psalms
and used in Christian and Jewish worship
 The poem is didactic (containing a
political or moral message) in tone.
 the speaker (a young man) responds to
Biblical teachings
Rudyard Kipling (1865-
1936), English writer and
Nobel laureate, who wrote
novels, poems, and short
stories, mostly set in India
and Burma (now known as
Myanmar) during the time
of British rule.
Kipling was born December

30, 1865, in Bombay (now
Mumbai), India, and at age
six, was sent to be
educated in England.
IF by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
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 you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
1st Stanza
 Be true to oneself.
 Understand people who think differently
from you and provoke you in committing
negative actions.
 Always do what is right and just.
 Know the value of your self-worth without
being too proud of your own qualities.
 Overcome obstacles in life.
If you can dream—and not make dreams your
master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your
aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
2nd Stanza
 Overcome challenges and obstacles in
life; don’t let them beat you.
 Follow your dreams. Set up your goals.
 Be realistic.
 Continue ( keep going; don’t stop even if
there are many challenges in your way).
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
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
3rd Stanza
 Do what is best.
 Have hope in life even if it is hard
 Don’t give up.
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common
touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
1. it means “misfortune” or “ bad luck” - DISASTER
2. in other words, they are your “enemies” or “opponents”
-FOES
3. it means “stack” or “bundle” - HEAP
4. they are called “pretenders” or “fakes” - IMPOSTOR
5. they are also called the” playing cards” - KNAVES
6. it means “strength” - SINEW
7. this means “ to bow” or “to bend” - STOOP
8. it is a “ trick” or set up” or “deception” -TRAP
9. this calls for “good quality” or “morally good” - VIRTUE
10. in other words, these are your “ achievements”,
accomplishments”, or “success” - TRIUMPH
4th Stanza
 We are all equal and no one is above
anyone else.
 Do not waste time. Use your every minute
of your time wisely.
Rudyard Kipling's wonderful poem “If” supplies a
guide for how to live an honorable, successful life.
"If—" is a poem by English Nobel laureate

Rudyard Kipling, written circa 1895 as a tribute to
Leander Starr Jameson. It is a literary example of
Victorian-era stoicism (admirable patience and
endurance shown in the face of adversity). The
poem, first published in Rewards and Fairies, is
written in the form of paternal advice to the poet's
son, John
1 whole/ copy and answer
 Answer “Vocabulary Game” p107
 Answer “Always do the positive” p108
write 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th stanza

If by Rudyard Kipling

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

If by Rudyard Kipling

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

IF by Rudyard Kipling

Kipling was born December

"If—" is a poem by English Nobel laureate

You might also like