Introduction: “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
“Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling, first appeared in 1897 as part of his reflections on Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, is a hymn-like poem, with its solemn tone and deeply religious undertones, and it cautions against imperial arrogance and reminds readers of the fleeting nature of worldly power. Kipling juxtaposes the grandeur of the British Empire with the impermanence of past civilizations, invoking the biblical imagery of Nineveh and Tyre to emphasize humility before God. The poem’s recurring refrain, “Lest we forget,” underscores a plea for national and spiritual accountability. “Recessional” gained popularity for its poignant message during a time of imperial pride, warning against hubris and encouraging a collective remembrance of moral and divine oversight.
Text: “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
1897
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 Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
Far-called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!
For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Annotations: “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
| Line | Annotation |
| God of our fathers, known of old, | Acknowledges the enduring presence and power of God, revered by ancestors, emphasizing historical continuity and divine authority. |
| Lord of our far-flung battle-line, | Refers to the British Empire’s global military presence, suggesting its vast reach and dependency on divine oversight. |
| Beneath whose awful Hand we hold | Describes the empire’s reliance on God’s mighty and sometimes fearsome protection to sustain its power. |
| Dominion over palm and pine— | Symbolizes the empire’s vast territories, spanning tropical (palm) and temperate (pine) regions. |
| Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, | A plea for God’s continued presence and guidance amidst the challenges and temptations of imperial power. |
| Lest we forget—lest we forget! | Refrain emphasizing the importance of remembering God’s role and the dangers of pride and hubris. |
| The tumult and the shouting dies; | Reflects the fleeting nature of celebratory events, such as military victories or imperial ceremonies. |
| The Captains and the Kings depart: | Suggests the transience of political and military leaders, highlighting the impermanence of human authority. |
| Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, | References God’s eternal presence and the lasting relevance of sacrifice, possibly alluding to Christ’s sacrifice. |
| An humble and a contrite heart. | Calls for humility and repentance, qualities necessary to maintain divine favor and avoid arrogance. |
| Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, | Reiterates the prayer for divine guidance and protection. |
| Lest we forget—lest we forget! | Again emphasizes the need to remember God’s supremacy to avoid disaster or downfall. |
| Far-called, our navies melt away; | Imagines the decline of the British naval power, a metaphor for the potential collapse of imperial strength. |
| On dune and headland sinks the fire: | Suggests the extinguishing of imperial ambition, symbolized by fires on distant shores. |
| Lo, all our pomp of yesterday | Acknowledges the fleeting nature of worldly grandeur and success. |
| Is one with Nineveh and Tyre! | Draws a parallel with fallen ancient empires, Nineveh and Tyre, as a warning against pride. |
| Judge of the Nations, spare us yet, | Appeals to God for mercy and judgment tempered with compassion. |
| Lest we forget—lest we forget! | Continues the warning against neglecting God’s guidance. |
| If, drunk with sight of power, we loose | Warns of the dangers of being intoxicated by power and losing reverence for divine authority. |
| Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe, | Critiques arrogance and disrespectful speech that disregards God’s sovereignty. |
| Such boastings as the Gentiles use, | Refers to excessive pride and arrogance typical of pagan nations in biblical terms. |
| Or lesser breeds without the Law— | A controversial line interpreted as referring to those outside of the Christian moral framework, emphasizing the risks of moral decline. |
| Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, | Reaffirms the plea for divine presence amidst moral and spiritual challenges. |
| Lest we forget—lest we forget! | Consistent refrain reminding of the consequences of forgetting divine oversight. |
| For heathen heart that puts her trust | Criticizes reliance on material strength rather than spiritual faith. |
| In reeking tube and iron shard, | Describes weapons of war (likely cannons or firearms), symbolizing the futility of relying solely on military power. |
| All valiant dust that builds on dust, | Highlights the futility of human achievements and efforts without divine blessing, likening them to temporary and perishable dust. |
| And guarding, calls not Thee to guard, | Criticizes those who attempt to secure their endeavors without seeking God’s protection. |
| For frantic boast and foolish word— | Condemns reckless pride and speech that disregards moral accountability. |
| Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord! | Concludes with a plea for God’s mercy, acknowledging human fallibility and the need for divine compassion. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
| Device | Example | Explanation |
| Alliteration | “Far-flung battle-line” | Repetition of initial consonant sounds in “far-flung” enhances rhythm and cohesion. |
| Allusion | “Nineveh and Tyre” | References fallen ancient cities as symbols of impermanence and divine judgment. |
| Anaphora | “Lest we forget—lest we forget!” | Repetition of the phrase emphasizes the poem’s central warning and plea for humility. |
| Apostrophe | “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet” | Direct address to God invokes divine presence and highlights the speaker’s dependence on a higher power. |
| Assonance | “Reeking tube and iron shard” | Repetition of vowel sounds (“ee” and “oo”) creates a musical quality within the line. |
| Biblical Imagery | “Thine ancient sacrifice” | Evokes religious themes, connecting the poem to Christian traditions and scripture. |
| Contrast | “The tumult and the shouting dies; The Captains and the Kings depart” | Juxtaposes fleeting worldly grandeur with enduring spiritual values. |
| Enjambment | “Far-called, our navies melt away; / On dune and headland sinks the fire” | The continuation of a sentence across lines creates a natural flow and builds tension. |
| Epistrophe | “Lest we forget—lest we forget!” | Repetition of the phrase at the end of stanzas reinforces the central theme. |
| Hyperbole | “All our pomp of yesterday is one with Nineveh and Tyre” | Exaggeration emphasizes the fragility and transience of human achievements. |
| Imagery | “Reeking tube and iron shard” | Vivid description of war materials evokes the harsh realities of militarism. |
| Irony | “All valiant dust that builds on dust” | Highlights the futility of human efforts, contrasting the pride of imperialism with its ephemeral nature. |
| Juxtaposition | “The Captains and the Kings depart: / Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice” | Places transient human authority alongside eternal divine sacrifice to show contrasts. |
| Metaphor | “All valiant dust that builds on dust” | Describes human endeavors as fragile and impermanent, likening them to dust. |
| Personification | “On dune and headland sinks the fire” | Fire is given human qualities, symbolizing the decline of imperial power. |
| Refrain | “Lest we forget—lest we forget!” | The recurring line underscores the moral and spiritual warnings throughout the poem. |
| Religious Tone | “Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet” | The invocation of God and references to sacrifice imbue the poem with a solemn, devotional tone. |
| Symbolism | “Nineveh and Tyre” | Represents fallen civilizations as a warning of potential downfall for the British Empire. |
| Synecdoche | “Dominion over palm and pine” | “Palm and pine” represent the entire British Empire, encompassing tropical and temperate regions. |
| Tone | Solemn and reflective | The reflective tone warns against hubris and calls for humility and divine dependence. |
Themes: “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
- Impermanence of Human Power: In “Recessional,” Kipling highlights the fleeting nature of human achievements and power, warning against arrogance in the face of history. The line, “Lo, all our pomp of yesterday / Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!” directly compares the grandeur of the British Empire to the fallen ancient civilizations of Nineveh and Tyre, suggesting that even the mightiest empires are subject to decay. This theme serves as a reminder that no human dominion, however grand, is eternal, and must be tempered with humility and self-awareness.
- Divine Sovereignty: The poem underscores the supremacy of God over worldly power, presenting Him as the ultimate arbiter of nations. Throughout the poem, Kipling appeals to the “Lord God of Hosts” to guide and protect the British Empire. The refrain, “Lest we forget—lest we forget!” serves as a spiritual plea, emphasizing that the empire’s success and survival depend on its adherence to divine principles and acknowledgment of God’s authority.
- Moral Accountability: Kipling calls for humility and repentance, cautioning against pride and reckless behavior. The line, “If, drunk with sight of power, we loose / Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,” warns of the moral and spiritual dangers of overconfidence and forgetting God. By urging his audience to maintain “An humble and a contrite heart,” Kipling stresses the importance of ethical leadership and personal responsibility in maintaining divine favor.
- Warnings Against Militarism: The poem critiques over-reliance on military strength and material power, symbolized by “reeking tube and iron shard” (weapons of war). Kipling warns that a nation that places its trust in military might alone, without seeking divine protection, is doomed to fail. The phrase “All valiant dust that builds on dust” reflects the futility of building empires on purely material foundations, highlighting the need for spiritual guidance in the pursuit of power.
Literary Theories and “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
| Literary Theory | Application to “Recessional” | References from the Poem |
| Postcolonial Theory | Examines the poem’s reflection on the British Empire, its colonial dominance, and its ultimate impermanence. | The line “Dominion over palm and pine” symbolizes the British Empire’s global reach, while “Nineveh and Tyre” warns of the empire’s decline. |
| Theological Criticism | Focuses on the religious and spiritual undertones, including the poem’s appeals to divine guidance and moral accountability. | Refrains like “Lest we forget—lest we forget!” emphasize dependence on God, while “Thine ancient sacrifice” ties the message to Christian theology. |
| Moral Criticism | Evaluates the ethical warnings and reflections on human hubris, power, and the need for humility and repentance. | “If, drunk with sight of power, we loose / Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe” critiques arrogance and calls for humility. |
Critical Questions about “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
· How does “Recessional” address the theme of imperial hubris?
- Kipling critiques imperial arrogance by emphasizing the transient nature of human achievements and the need for humility before God. The line, “Lo, all our pomp of yesterday / Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!” directly compares the British Empire’s grandeur to the ruins of ancient civilizations, cautioning that unchecked pride leads to downfall. By repeatedly invoking “Lest we forget,” Kipling warns against forgetting the moral and spiritual responsibilities accompanying power, urging the empire to recognize its dependence on divine guidance.
· What role does religion play in shaping the poem’s message?
- Religion is central to the poem, serving as both a warning and a moral foundation for the British Empire. Kipling’s invocation of “Lord God of Hosts” throughout the poem frames God as the ultimate authority and protector, reinforcing the idea that human power is subordinate to divine will. Lines like “Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, / An humble and a contrite heart” highlight the importance of repentance and humility as a path to divine favor, underscoring the moral accountability tied to faith.
· How does “Recessional” reflect anxieties about the decline of the British Empire?
- The poem conveys a deep unease about the empire’s longevity, using imagery and historical parallels to stress its vulnerability. Lines such as “Far-called, our navies melt away; / On dune and headland sinks the fire” symbolize the eventual decline of British naval and military dominance. By invoking the fate of “Nineveh and Tyre,” Kipling links the empire’s potential decline to the cyclical nature of history, where even the most powerful nations fall if they succumb to pride and moral failure.
· How does “Recessional” critique reliance on military and material strength?
- Kipling criticizes over-reliance on military power through lines such as “In reeking tube and iron shard,” referring to weapons of war. He suggests that trusting in material strength alone, without spiritual and moral guidance, leads to futility. The phrase “All valiant dust that builds on dust” underscores the ephemeral nature of such endeavors, warning that nations built solely on material foundations are destined to collapse, reinforcing the need for faith and divine oversight.
Literary Works Similar to “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
- “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Similar in its reflection on the fleeting nature of human power and grandeur, the poem highlights the impermanence of empires. - “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
Shares themes of decline and the moral chaos that accompanies the collapse of civilizations, with a prophetic and cautionary tone. - “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling
While also by Kipling, this poem similarly explores imperial responsibilities but contrasts “Recessional” by focusing on the justification of colonialism. - “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick
Though focused on individual mortality, it resonates with “Recessional” in its meditation on the inevitability of decline and the urgency of humility. - “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray
Reflects on the transient nature of human lives and achievements, echoing Kipling’s themes of humility and remembrance.
Representative Quotations of “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “Lest we forget—lest we forget!” | A repeated refrain warning against arrogance and the abandonment of moral and spiritual values. | Moral Criticism: Emphasizes humility and ethical responsibility to avoid hubris. |
| “Lo, all our pomp of yesterday / Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!” | Compares the British Empire to fallen ancient civilizations, illustrating the transience of power. | Postcolonial Theory: Reflects anxieties about imperial decline and critiques overconfidence in empire-building. |
| “The tumult and the shouting dies; / The Captains and the Kings depart:” | Describes the fleeting nature of celebratory events and the impermanence of political and military leadership. | Historical Criticism: Captures the fleeting triumphs of empire in the context of Victorian Britain’s grandeur. |
| “Beneath whose awful Hand we hold / Dominion over palm and pine—” | Acknowledges divine control over the vast territories of the British Empire, spanning tropical and temperate zones. | Theological Criticism: Asserts the supremacy of divine will over human achievements. |
| “Far-called, our navies melt away; / On dune and headland sinks the fire:” | Conveys the gradual decline of British naval and imperial power, warning of eventual loss of dominance. | Postcolonial Theory: Foresees the empire’s inevitable decline, emphasizing historical cycles of rise and fall. |
| “If, drunk with sight of power, we loose / Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,” | Critiques arrogance and unrestrained pride, warning against dismissing the reverence for divine authority. | Moral Criticism: Focuses on the moral consequences of unchecked hubris and pride in positions of power. |
| “Such boastings as the Gentiles use, / Or lesser breeds without the Law—” | Critiques those who act outside the moral framework of divine guidance, linking arrogance to spiritual ignorance. | Cultural Criticism: Reflects Victorian attitudes toward other cultures, invoking a complex mix of moral superiority and imperial ideology. |
| “Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, / An humble and a contrite heart.” | Highlights the enduring value of humility and repentance as central to divine favor. | Theological Criticism: Reinforces the importance of spiritual humility over worldly power. |
| “All valiant dust that builds on dust, / And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,” | Critiques the futility of relying solely on human strength and material achievements without divine protection. | Metaphysical Criticism: Suggests that human endeavors are inherently ephemeral without spiritual foundations. |
| “Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!” | Concludes with a plea for divine mercy, recognizing human fallibility and dependence on God for guidance and survival. | Theological Criticism: Emphasizes the need for divine grace and forgiveness in the face of human limitations and moral failures. |
Suggested Readings: “Recessional” by Rudyard Kipling
- Varley, H. L. “Imperialism and Rudyard Kipling.” Journal of the History of Ideas, vol. 14, no. 1, 1953, pp. 124–35. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2707499. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
- Williams, Gordon. “Rudyard Kipling and His Critics.” The Australian Quarterly, vol. 8, no. 30, 1936, pp. 65–70. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/20629328. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
- Yeats, Alvice Whitehurst. “The Genesis of” The Recessional”.” The University of Texas Studies in English 31 (1952): 97-108.
- Schofield, Victoria. “Gilmour, D. The Long Recessional. The Imperial Life of Rudyard Kipling.” Asian Affairs 33.2 (2002): 349-396.