The poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling demonstrates the doctrines of idealism and optimism, advising the reader to strive for perfection. Carol Ann Duffy’s poem “Kipling” in the book Answering Back responds to “If” in a contrasting manner. Duffy’s poem challenges Kipling’s ideals through its mood, diction, structure, and by presenting examples that oppose idealism and optimism. “Kipling” is a narrative poem that tells the story of a gambler, providing a response to “If” using these doctrines as a contrary viewpoint.
The text emphasizes the moral qualities that Kipling believes a “Man” should possess. Through its didactic structure and intent, “If” aims to teach moral values by consistently addressing a second party. Kipling provides complex and detailed statements, outlining the qualities that a “Man” should strive to achieve. The poem also presents a paradox, advising the reader to trust oneself despite doubt, while also acknowledging the importance of considering others’ doubt: “If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,/But make allowance for their doubting too;”.
Kipling maintains a complex and paradoxical tone throughout the rest of “If” in order to reinforce the qualities possessed by a “Man”. In addition, the use of paradoxes in the poem aims to eliminate the dichotomy between good and bad within each trait, allowing only the positive aspects to remain. Consequently, Kipling portrays an individual who is impossibly perfect, or at the very least, someone who differs from the majority. A prime example of this can be seen in the lines: “Or being lied about, but don’t deal in lies/ or being hated, but don’t give way to hating,” which illustrate the virtues of honesty and tolerance.
The text suggests that sometimes honesty is seen as brutality, making it difficult for people to accept. Kipling advises his “son” to strive for god-like qualities. In the first stanza, Kipling mentions conflicting qualities like honesty and tolerance, while emphasizing righteousness. However, he warns against being self-righteous by saying, “And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:”.
The second stanza emphasizes the importance of being practical, as seen in the lines: “If you can dream – and not let dreams control you; / If you can think – and not let thoughts become your sole focus.” In the third stanza, Kipling advises the value of persistence, particularly during challenging times, as he writes: “And when you encounter setbacks, start again from the beginning / And keep your losses to yourself.” Kipling concludes on a positive note, highlighting two final qualities.
In the text, Kipling advises individuals to not lose touch with the common people and encourages them to embrace equality and make the most of their time. Kipling also emphasizes the divine nature of his idea of a “Man” by stating that everything in the Earth belongs to them. In contrast, Carol Ann Duffy’s poem, “Kipling”, is sorrowful in its portrayal of a character who sells off important moments and possessions from their life.
The poem’s structure contributes to its overall melancholy and discouraging tone, as each line sells off something of emotional worth for profit. The poem consists of a single stanza, which initially appears bleak and resembles a receipt. The buyers of the man’s valuables in “Kipling” further heighten the poem’s sadness, as they are described with insignificant adjectives like “melancholy man with a van” or “little guy”.
Ultimately, the poem’s mood is primarily influenced by the way in which various valuables, including an engagement ring, children’s toys, and a house, are insignificantly portrayed as nothing more than a “massive, huge heap.” Typically, these objects symbolize a fulfilling life; however, Duffy intentionally subverts this notion. In contrast to “If” and “Kipling,” which both convey an uplifting message with a clever rhyming scheme, the mood of this poem starkly differs.
In general, the poem “If” gives a positive and hopeful feeling to readers. It offers good and kind advice, such as the suggestion to persevere even when one feels empty. On the other hand, “Kipling” has a more melancholic meaning conveyed through the depressing story of a man selling what appears to be his last possession. Duffy’s use of enjambment, or broken sentences between lines of a poem, may symbolize a shattered life and create a more pessimistic atmosphere.
In contrast, Kipling’s lines advise individuals to make the most out of every minute and live life to the fullest. This conveys an optimistic mood. Kipling’s poem “If” suggests the possibility of achieving everything one desires, while Duffy poses the question of what if that is not possible. The story ends with a man who sells his valuable possessions for profit, only to lose it all in a gambling event involving a horse race where he bets on a horse named “Kipling.”
Duffy’s poem appears to use the majority of the third stanza of “If” as an example: “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”. In this stanza, Duffy challenges Kipling’s idealism with realism. It is possible that according to Kipling, to “lose and start again at your beginnings” makes you become the more ideal “Man”, but in Duffy’s “Kipling”, the man experiences this level of loss and does not become anything more. It seems that Duffy believes in a more realistic approach to life.
In the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, the capitalization of the word “Man” signifies a godly quality, while all the men in “Kipling” are not given a proper name and are not capitalized, indicating their ordinariness and commonness. When comparing “Kipling” to “If,” Duffy presents a more realistic perspective, suggesting that not everyone can achieve complete perfection as portrayed in Kipling’s poem. Duffy clashes ideals by telling a story of a man who sacrificed his life because there was nothing left of it, challenging the qualities of perfection and optimism found in “If.”
Maybe Duffy’s response serves as a warning to individuals that being too idealistic can have negative consequences. While idealism and optimism can bring happiness to life, Duffy’s illustration of realism and pessimism highlights the potential sadness that an individual can encounter. Perhaps Duffy’s response contradicts Kipling’s idealism by advocating for a balanced perspective in life, so that one can truly “never breathe a word about his loss”.
