“The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

“The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling was first published in 1899, though it was written a few years earlier to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The poem didn’t appear in a specific collection at first, but it later found its way into various compilations of Kipling’s work. While praised for its rhythm and Kipling’s characteristic storytelling, the poem is heavily criticized for its colonialist viewpoint. It promotes the idea that Western nations have a moral obligation to “civilize” non-Western cultures, reflecting the prevailing attitudes of the time but considered offensive and outdated in today’s world.

Text: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

1
Take up the White Man's burden— 
    Send forth the best ye breed— 
Go bind your sons to exile
  To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness
 On fluttered folk and wild—
Your new-caught sullen peoples,
  Half devil and half child. 
2
Take up the White Man's burden— 
    In patience to abide
To veil the threat of terror
    And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
    An hundred times made plain,
To seek another's profit,
    And work another's gain. 
3
Take up the White Man's burden—
    The savage wars of peace—
Fill full the mouth of famine
    And bid the sickness cease; 
And when your goal is nearest
    The end for others sought,
Watch Sloth and heathen Folly
    Bring all your hopes to nought.
4
Take up the White Man's burden—
    No tawdry rule of kings, 
But toil of serf and sweeper— 
    The tale of common things. 
The ports ye shall not enter, 
    The roads ye shall not tread, 
Go make them with your living, 
    And mark them with your dead! 
5
Take up the White Man's burden—
    And reap his old reward, 
The blame of those ye better, 
    The hate of those ye guard— 
The cry of hosts ye humour 
    (Ah slowly!) toward the light— 
"Why brought ye us from bondage, 
    "Our loved Egyptian night?" 
6
Take up the White Man's burden—
    Ye dare not stoop to less— 
Nor call too loud on Freedom 
    To cloak your weariness; 
By all ye cry or whisper, 
    By all ye leave or do, 
The silent sullen peoples 
    Shall weigh your Gods and you. 
7
Take up the White Man's burden—
    Have done with childish days— 
The lightly proffered laurel, 
    The easy, ungrudged praise. 
Comes now, to search your manhood 
    Through all the thankless years, 
Cold-edged with dear-bought wisdom, 
    The judgement of your peers.

Annotations: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

Stanza	Annotation
1	The poem opens with a call for Western nations to send their “best” people to colonize foreign lands. “Captives’ need” suggests a paternalistic view where colonized people are seen as needing help. The colonized are described as “sullen peoples” and “half devil and half child,” reflecting racist stereotypes.
2	This stanza emphasizes the “burden” of colonialism, requiring patience and restraint. “Veil the threat of terror” suggests a potential for violence to maintain control. The colonizers are seen as working for the “profit” and “gain” of the colonized, but the poem doesn’t mention the benefits accruing to the colonizers.
3	The “savage wars of peace” is a euphemism for the violence inherent in colonialism. The colonizers are seen as bringing civilization and ending famine and disease. However, the poem acknowledges the potential for the colonized to resist and “bring all your hopes to nought.”
4	This stanza clarifies that the “White Man’s Burden” is not about glory or riches, but the hard work of building infrastructure and institutions in the colonies. The colonizers will die in these endeavors but leave a legacy.
5	The poem acknowledges the resentment the colonized may feel towards the colonizers who took them from their “loved Egyptian night” (a metaphor for their traditional way of life). The colonizers are portrayed as slowly bringing the colonized “to the light” of civilization.
6	This stanza suggests the colonizers cannot abandon their mission or claim to be oppressed themselves. The colonized will judge the colonizers’ actions and their “Gods” (beliefs and values).
7	The poem concludes by urging the colonizers to mature and accept the challenges and lack of appreciation that come with colonialism. They will be judged by their “peers” (other Western nations) for their success in colonizing.

Literary and Poetic Devices: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

Device	Definition	Example from Poem (Line)	Explanation
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of lines	* “Take up the White Man’s burden-” (1, 3, 4, 7) * “The ports ye shall not enter, The roads ye shall not tread,” (9)	Creates a sense of urgency and reinforces the concept of the “burden.”
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words	“Take up the White Man’s burden—” (1)	Creates a sense of unity and flow.
Euphemism	Use of a mild or indirect word or phrase for something harsh or unpleasant	“Savage wars of peace” (6)	Softens the brutality of colonial violence.
Hyperbole	Exaggeration for emphasis	“A hundred times made plain” (5)	Suggests the futility of trying to explain colonialism to the colonized.
Imperative Mood	Verb form used to give a command or instruction	* “Take up the White Man’s burden—” (1, 3, 4, 7) * “Go send your sons to exile” (2)	Creates a sense of urgency and obligation.
Juxtaposition	Placing two contrasting ideas or images close together	* “Your new-caught, sullen peoples,/ Half devil and half child.” (3) * “The blame of those ye better/ The hate of those ye guard” (8)	Highlights the tension between the colonizer’s self-perception and the colonized people’s perspective.
Metaphor	Comparison between two things that are not alike but share a similar feature	“Our loved Egyptian night” (8)	Compares the colonized people’s traditional way of life to the darkness before dawn, implying it is primitive.
Metonymy	Substituting a word or phrase closely associated with something for the thing itself	“The White Man’s Burden” (Title & Poem)	Refers to the act of colonialism as a burden, but one that is seen as noble.
Parallelism	Similar grammatical structure in successive phrases or clauses	* “To wait in heavy harness/ On fluttered folk and wild” (3) * “By open speech and simple/ An hundred times made plain” (5)	Creates a sense of rhythm and emphasizes key ideas.
Personification	Giving human qualities to something non-human	“Watch Sloth and heathen Folly Bring all your hopes to nought.” (7)	Makes abstract concepts like laziness and ignorance seem like active agents working against the colonizers.
Rhetorical Question	Question asked for effect, not expecting an answer	“Why brought ye us from bondage, Our loved Egyptian night?” (8)	Expresses the colonized people’s resentment towards the colonizers.
Simile	Explicit comparison between two things using “like” or “as”	“No tawdry rule of kings, But toil of serf and sweeper” (9)	Compares colonialism to the work of menial laborers.
Symbolism	Use of an object or image to represent an abstract idea	* “The ports ye shall not enter, The roads ye shall not tread,” (9) * “The lightly proffered laurel, The easy, ungrudged praise.” (10)	The “ports” and “roads” symbolize the limitations placed on the colonizers, while the “laurel” and “praise” symbolize the rewards they won’t receive.
Understatement	Deliberate understatement of the truth	“Cold-edged with dear-bought wisdom” (11)	Minimizes the cost (lives lost) in achieving colonial success.

Themes: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

• Racial Superiority and the “Civilizing Mission”: The poem is steeped in the idea that Western nations are superior to non-Western cultures and have a moral obligation to “civilize” them. Lines like “Take up the White Man’s burden— / Send forth the best ye breed—” (1-2) and “Your new-caught, sullen peoples, / Half devil and half child” (3) portray the colonized as both savage and in need of guidance. The poem assumes the superiority of Western culture and justifies colonialism as a benevolent act.
• The Burden of Colonial Responsibility: While the poem presents colonialism as a duty, it also acknowledges the challenges and sacrifices involved. Lines like “To wait in heavy harness / On fluttered folk and wild” (3) and “The ports ye shall not enter, / The roads ye shall not tread, / Go make them with your living, / And mark them with your dead!” (9) depict the hardships faced by colonizers. The poem suggests that colonialism requires patience, hard work, and the potential for violence.
• Resentment of the Colonized: Despite the poem’s self-righteous tone, Kipling recognizes the potential resentment of the colonized people. Lines like “The blame of those ye better / The hate of those ye guard” (8) and “Why brought ye us from bondage, / Our loved Egyptian night?” (8) acknowledge the anger and sense of loss felt by those under colonial rule. The poem suggests that the “burden” is not just about the challenges faced by the colonizers, but also the negative consequences for the colonized.
• 4. Doubts about the Colonial Project: While promoting colonialism, the poem hints at potential doubts about its ultimate success. Lines like “Watch Sloth and heathen Folly / Bring all your hopes to nought” (7) and “Cold-edged with dear-bought wisdom, / The judgment of your peers!” (11) suggest a fear of failure and the high cost (both human and financial) of colonial endeavors. The poem doesn’t offer a triumphant vision of colonialism, but rather a sense of uncertainty about its long-term benefits.

Literary Theories and “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

Literary Theory	Explanation	Example from Poem
Postcolonialism	Examines the cultural, economic, and political legacies of colonialism.	The poem presents the act of colonizing as a “burden” undertaken by the superior “White Man” to “civilize” the “sullen peoples” (1, 3). This reflects the colonial mindset that justifies domination and overlooks the negative impact on colonized cultures.
Orientalism	Analyzes how Western literature portrays the East as inferior and exotic.	Lines like “Your new-caught, sullen peoples, / Half devil and half child” (3) depict the colonized as both savage and childlike. This reinforces the stereotype of the East as primitive and in need of Western intervention.
Marxism	Views literature through the lens of class struggle and economic exploitation.	While the poem focuses on the “burden” of the colonizers, it doesn’t acknowledge the economic benefits colonialism brought to Western nations through resource extraction and cheap labor. This reflects the tendency of colonial narratives to downplay the exploitative aspects.
New Historicism	Examines literature within its historical context.	The poem was written in 1899, celebrating Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, a time of peak British imperialism. The poem’s language of “burden” and “civilizing mission” reflects the prevailing attitudes of the time that justified colonial expansion.

Topics, Questions, and Thesis Statements: “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

Topic	Question	Thesis Statement
Colonial Mentality	How does the poem portray the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized?	Rudyard Kipling’s “The White Man’s Burden” promotes a colonial mentality by presenting the colonizers as superior and the colonized as needing to be “civilized,” while masking the exploitation inherent in colonialism.
Duality of Colonialism	Does the poem celebrate or critique colonialism?	“The White Man’s Burden” offers a complex view of colonialism, both celebrating it as a noble duty and acknowledging the challenges and potential resentment it creates.
Racial Stereotypes	How does the poem represent race and ethnicity?	The poem relies on racial stereotypes, depicting the colonized as “sullen peoples” and “half devil and half child,” reinforcing a hierarchy that justifies colonial domination.
Legacy of Colonialism	What message does the poem convey about the long-term effects of colonialism?	“The White Man’s Burden” downplays the long-term consequences of colonialism, focusing on the colonizer’s “burden” while neglecting the negative impacts on the colonized societies.

Short Questions/Answers about “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

• Who is the poem addressed to?
• “The White Man’s Burden” is addressed to Western nations, urging them to send their “best” people (sons) to colonize foreign lands. Lines like “Take up the White Man’s burden—” (1) and “Send forth the best ye breed—” (2) make this clear.
• How does the poem describe the colonized people?
• The poem portrays the colonized as “sullen peoples” and “half devil and half child” (3), suggesting they are both savage and immature. This reinforces racist stereotypes that justify colonial intervention.
• What are the challenges of colonialism according to the poem?
• The poem acknowledges the difficulties of colonialism, calling it a “burden.” Lines like “To wait in heavy harness / On fluttered folk and wild” (3) and “The ports ye shall not enter, / The roads ye shall not tread, / Go make them with your living, / And mark them with your dead!” (9) highlight the hardships and potential violence involved.
• Does the poem consider the perspective of the colonized?
• The poem briefly acknowledges the colonized people’s resentment towards the colonizers. Lines like “The blame of those ye better / The hate of those ye guard” (8) and “Why brought ye us from bondage, / Our loved Egyptian night?” (8) show some awareness of the colonized people’s feelings of loss and anger.

Literary Works Similar to “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

1. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad: This novella delves into the dark heart of colonialism as it follows the journey of Charles Marlow into the Congo Free State, where he encounters the brutal realities of European imperialism.
2. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe: Achebe’s novel provides a counter-narrative to colonialist literature by portraying the effects of British colonialism on Igbo society in Nigeria. It explores themes of cultural clash, identity, and the consequences of imperialism.
3. An Outpost of Progress by Joseph Conrad: Another work by Conrad, this short story depicts the degeneration of two European traders stationed at a remote African trading post, highlighting the destructive impact of imperialism on both the colonizers and the colonized.
4. Nostromo by Joseph Conrad: Set in the fictional South American country of Costaguana, this novel explores themes of imperialism, revolution, and the exploitation of resources by foreign powers. It offers a nuanced portrayal of the complexities of colonialism.
5. The White Man’s Burden by Rudyard Kipling: This poem by Kipling reflects the imperialistic attitudes prevalent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, exploring themes of colonialism, duty, and the relationship between the colonizer and the colonized.

Suggested Readings for Further Analysis of “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

• Kipling, Rudyard, and Thomas James Wise. “The white man’s burden.” (1899).
• Brantlinger, Patrick. “Kipling’s” The White Man’s Burden” and its afterlives.” English Literature in Transition, 1880-1920 50.2 (2007): 172-191.
• Smith, Jon. “Romances of the White Man’s Burden: Race, Empire, and the Plantation in American Literature, 1880–1936.” (2012): 1168-1169.
• Kamovnikova, Natalia. “Ideology in Literary Translation, or What Is, After All,“The White Man’s Burden”?.” Respectus Philologicus 28 (33) A (2015): 1-10.
• Plotz, Judith. “How ‘The White Man’s Burden’Lost its Scare-Quotes; or Kipling and the New American Empire.” Kipling and beyond: Patriotism, globalisation and postcolonialism. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2010. 37-57.
• https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/rudyard-kipling
• https://poets.org/poet/rudyard-kipling

Representative Quotations from “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling

Quotation	Context and Theorization
“Take up the White Man’s burden— Send forth the best ye breed— Go send your sons to exile To serve your captives’ need”	This opening stanza of the poem sets the tone for the imperialistic attitudes it portrays. Kipling exhorts the “best” of the white race to undertake the burden of civilizing and ruling over colonized peoples. The notion of sending sons “to exile” suggests sacrifice and duty, framing imperialism as a noble mission. The phrase “serve your captives’ need” implies a paternalistic view of colonized peoples as dependent on the guidance and assistance of their colonizers.
“To wait in heavy harness On fluttered folk and wild— Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half devil and half child.”	Here, Kipling characterizes colonized peoples as “new-caught, sullen,” and portrays them as primitive and in need of guidance. The phrase “half devil and half child” reflects the colonialist belief in the inherent savagery of non-European peoples, while simultaneously suggesting a paternalistic duty to civilize and uplift them. This representation justifies the imposition of colonial rule and the subjugation of indigenous cultures.
“Take up the White Man’s burden In patience to abide To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride;”	This stanza underscores the perceived responsibility of white colonizers to exercise patience and restraint in their governance of colonized territories. Kipling suggests that imperialism should be characterized by benevolence and a sense of duty, masking any coercive or exploitative motives behind a facade of civility. The reference to “the threat of terror” and “the show of pride” implies the need for subtlety and diplomacy in maintaining control over colonized peoples.
“By open speech and simple An hundred times made plain To seek another’s profit And work another’s gain”	Kipling emphasizes the importance of transparent communication and the supposed altruism of colonial rule. The phrase “seek another’s profit And work another’s gain” suggests that the primary motive of imperialism is to benefit the colonized, rather than the enrichment of the colonizers themselves. However, this perspective ignores the economic exploitation and resource extraction that often accompanied colonialism.
“Take up the White Man’s burden – The savage wars of peace – Fill full the mouth of famine And bid the sickness cease;”	This stanza portrays colonialism as a mission of humanitarian intervention, framing it as a means to bring peace, alleviate hunger, and eradicate disease in colonized lands. The phrase “savage wars of peace” suggests the use of military force to impose order and stability, while the imagery of filling “the mouth of famine” and bidding “the sickness cease” reinforces the idea of colonial benevolence and the supposed civilizing mission of the white man.
“Take up the White Man’s burden— And reap his old reward: The blame of those ye better The hate of those ye guard—”	Kipling acknowledges the potential backlash and criticism faced by colonial rulers, including resentment from the colonized peoples themselves. The phrase “The blame of those ye better The hate of those ye guard—” suggests that despite the supposed benefits of colonial rule, it may ultimately be met with ingratitude and resistance. This highlights the inherent contradictions and moral complexities of imperialism.
“Take up the White Man’s burden- Have done with childish days- The lightly proffered laurel, The easy, ungrudged praise.”	In this closing stanza, Kipling admonishes the white man to embrace the responsibilities of imperialism with maturity and seriousness, rejecting the notion of imperialism as a romantic or altruistic endeavor. The phrase “The lightly proffered laurel, The easy, ungrudged praise” suggests that the accolades and rewards of imperialism come at a cost, requiring sacrifice, effort, and accountability. This reflects a more sober and realistic assessment of the challenges and consequences of colonial rule.