'If-' (Edexcel IGCSE English Literature)

‘If–’

This revision guide to Rudyard Kipling’s poem titled 'If–' from the Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology (part 3: unit 1, section B) includes:

• Overview: a line-by-line breakdown of the poem

• Form, structure and language: an exploration of Rudyard Kipling’s use of techniques and poetic choices

• Themes: a summary of the key themes and ideas in the poem

• Comparing poems: suggestions for anthology poems to compare ’If–’ to

Overview

To answer an essay question on any poem, you must understand what it is about. This section includes:

• A summary of the poem 

• A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section

• A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Kipling’s intention and message

A summary of the poem 'If–' 

'If–' is a poem written by Rudyard Kipling in 1896 and was published in 1910. Consistently ranked as one of his greatest works of poetry, the poem’s speaker offers advice to his son on what it means to be a man. The advice is presented in a series of conditional statements beginning with the word “if” and is written in the form of a direct address (from a father to a son).

'If–' analysis 

Lines 1–4

Translation

• The poem begins with the speaker giving self-belief advice to their son

Kipling’s intention

• The poem begins with the word “if” which forms a repeated refrain throughout the poem

• The informality of the idiom “keep your head” adds immediacy and an intimacy of tone 

• The speaker suggests that “when all men doubt you”, self-belief will help to meet the challenges of life:

  • He also underscores the importance of empathy and understanding towards those who “doubt you”, recognising that their doubt should not affect his son’s self-worth

Lines 5–8

Translation

• The speaker highlights the virtues of being patient, honest, compassionate and modest

Kipling’s intention

• Kipling’s use of polyptoton in these lines emphasises his message about the core virtues he admires   

• The speaker advises the assumed listener that patience and honesty are virtues that should be adhered to:

  • The informality of the phrase “don’t deal in lies” implies that honesty and deceit are transactional

  • The informal style of these lines gives the poem an intimate quality as lines start with “And” and contractions and elliptical sentences are used 

• The speaker also emphasises the importance of being modest and humble in both looks and speech through repetition: “don’t look too good, nor talk too wise”

Lines 9–12

Translation

• The speaker recommends mental strength and agility in the face of success or misfortune

Kipling’s intention

• The poet’s use of repetition, polyptoton, dashes and contrasting diction strengthens the power of the advice given: 

  • The speaker begins with the idea of “dreams” and “thoughts” but underscores the importance of not being driven or consumed by ambition: it should not “master” you 

• The speaker emphasises the importance of being rational and balanced by personifying success and failure, as “Triumph” and “Disaster”, described metaphorically as “imposters” 

Lines 13–16

Translation

• The speaker highlights the importance of determination and the ability to deal with failure and betrayal 

Kipling’s intention

• The speaker states that one must be prepared to hear their words being twisted in order to help “knaves” who have their own agendas:

  • The word “knave” means a dishonest and deceitful person 

• The speaker then concludes the stanza by highlighting how determination and strength are necessary when faced with failure:

  • The imagery used of “worn-out tools” is masculine and the speaker is using a metaphor of success being a building that can be “broken”

• The speaker uses the word “stoop”, meaning to bend forward, which creates an image of an individual being prepared to humble themselves by bending down and rebuilding what has been broken

• The use of the phrase “worn-out tools” creates an image of an individual rebuilding what has been broken continuously with the same tools and processes:

  • The speaker is implying that setbacks are a natural part of life and that it is imperative to rebuild and persevere despite the challenges, even if the tools they are using are now “worn-out”

Lines 17–20

Translation

• This stanza begins with the idea of being able to take risks and being daring

Kipling’s intention

• The speaker begins by suggesting that a person must be willing to risk their success or “winnings” on a toss of a coin:

  • Therefore, an individual must be willing and brave enough to risk their “winnings” from time to time

• However, the speaker then goes on to suggest that an individual must be prepared to “lose” and, once again, the image of starting again from scratch is used:

  • Much like the end of the previous stanza, Kipling is highlighting how failure is inevitable and a part of life

  • That an individual must not only be ready for failure, but be able to “start again”

• The final line suggests that the speaker wants the individual to move on rather than fixate or share their failure with others

• Kipling is highlighting the importance of being prepared for failure and loss and is emphasising the importance of being able to deal with the outcome while remaining stoic 

Lines 21–24

Translation

• The speaker emphasises the importance of willpower and self-belief

Kipling’s intention

• The writer uses polysyndeton to emphasise the qualities necessary for strength and self-belief:

  • The use of the word “heart” represents emotions while “nerve” could suggest bravery and “sinew”, which is associated with muscles and strength  

• The speaker is emphasising all of the qualities necessary for an individual to be powerful and strong

• The repetition of the word “hold on” emphasises the importance of persevering and being resilient even when there is “nothing” left

• The writer has used a capital letter for “Will”, which could suggest that this characteristic is separate from the others:

  • It could refer to a human being’s ability to control their emotions and actions and so could therefore represent the power of the human mind

• In these lines, the speaker is highlighting the importance of self-belief and resilience when faced with adversity, while also acknowledging the strength needed to be able to persevere 

Lines 25–28

Translation

• The speaker is now focusing on an individual’s relationship with others around him

Kipling’s intention

• The first two lines of the final stanza highlight the importance of being able to converse with individuals and people from different walks of life without being corrupted by their beliefs or their position in society

• The first line suggests that one should be able to talk to the masses without being influenced by them and losing morals

• The speaker advises to have the ability to converse with “Kings” but still remain humble despite their connections

• The speaker then goes on to relationships and advises that one must not allow themselves to be “hurt” by those around them:

  • This means that one must not allow themselves to become too close to people as it will leave them vulnerable to pain 

Lines 29–32

Translation

• The speaker reaches their conclusion 

Kipling’s intention

• The speaker emphasises the importance of making use of every minute that an individual is given:

  • The use of the word “unforgiving” highlights how time does not change for anyone:

    • No-one is given any more or any less and so it is up to the individual to fill every second with something worthwhile

• The phrase “distance run” could reflect the action of moving forward and excelling rather than remaining stationary or stagnant 

• The speaker concludes the poem by suggesting that if the individual possesses all of the qualities listed in the poem, they have the “Earth and everything that’s in it” implying that they have the world at their disposal

• The final line begins with a conjunction “And”, which joins all of the qualities listed together and concludes that it will make them “a Man”

• It is evident that the speaker is placing more importance on being “a Man” than possessing everything that the world contains:

  • The capitalisation of the word “Man” could reflect the speaker’s view that not every man is able to achieve this level of masculinity, as it is earned by perfecting the qualities listed in the poem

• We are finally given an insight into the intended reader of the poem, which is the speaker’s son:

  • We can therefore conclude that the speaker of the poem is a father who is talking to his son and offering advice
    

Form, structure and language

You need to think about how Kipling’s form, structure and language contribute to the themes and messages in 'If–'.

You will gain more marks if you focus on Kipling’s themes than on individual poetic techniques. 

Here are some suggestions for key aspects of the poem you might want to consider: 

Form

'If–' is formed of a single sentence carried across four stanzas. Each stanza is eight lines long and is structured as a conditional sentence. The first half of the sentence presents a hypothetical situation, and the second half of the sentence reveals the consequence of those hypothetical situations. 

Structure

The poem is written in one long sentence that is split into four stanzas of eight lines or octaves. The first seven stanzas present hypothetical situations with the final stanza presenting the conclusion. 

Language

Kipling uses a range of poetic devices and figurative language to put forward his ideals of masculinity. 

Themes 

While knowing the poem is important, you also need to show the examiner that you can write an informed, personal response. Understanding the main themes, ideas, setting and events depicted can help you to form your own ideas about what you think the poet is trying to achieve. 

While you are not explicitly assessed on context, it is still important that you have an awareness of any background information that is relevant to the main themes in the poem. This can help you to demonstrate a sustained, critical understanding of the text.

To help you do this, the section below has been divided into two main themes that Kipling explores in 'If–':

• Masculinity

• Self-control and balance

Masculinity

• ‘If–’ was published by Rudyard Kipling in 1910:

  • However, it was written in 1896 when Kipling was inspired by the actions of Leander Starr Jameson who led a British military operation in South Africa

  • Kipling admired Jameson’s tenacity and bravery during the operation and this inspired the masculine images within the poem

• It has also been noted that Kipling wrote the poem in dedication to his son

• The poem is a reflection of Edwardian ideals and views of masculinity at the time the poem was written 

• The speaker suggest these masculine virtues are something that men must strive for 

• The speaker of the poem is a father who is giving his son advice on how to become “a Man”:

  • The speaker states that their son will have the “Earth and everything that’s in it” 

  • However, from a critical perspective, it could be suggested that the speaker, who is a father, is creating impossible ideals and goals for the son to try and achieve

Self-control and balance

• The premise of the poem is built upon the idea of moderation and balance:

  • The very structure of the poem and the rhyme scheme all reflect the idea of balance with the use of feminine and masculine rhyme emphasising this 

• The poem uses polyptoton and juxtaposition, emphasising the speaker’s belief that balance, moderation and self-control are essential qualities that a man should possess:

  • The son, for example, should be able to “wait” but not become exhausted by the “waiting”: he must remain balanced and composed

  • The speaker also advises his son to “...keep your head when all about you/Are losing theirs and blaming it on you”, underscoring the importance of self-control 

  • The use of the words “if” and “when” clearly show the juxtaposition between the ideal version of a man and the unacceptable version  

• The speaker also advises the son to never “look too good, nor talk too wise”:

  • The word “too” is repeated throughout the poem and it could be suggested that the speaker is advising his son to find a balance between being confident and humble

• It could be suggested that this idea of self-control and balance could reflect the stereotypical view of being controlled and stoic, a popular view held by society during the late 19th and early 20th century

Comparing poems 

In your exam, you will be required to compare two poems from the anthology so you must have a good knowledge of poetic form, content and meaning to compare the poems effectively. 

You must be able to explore links and connections between texts, which includes looking at both poets’ use of language, form and structure. 

In ‘If–’, Kipling’s main ideas are centred around stoicism and endurance; therefore, the following comparisons would be a good starting point:

• ‘If–’ and ‘Prayer Before Birth’

• ‘If–’ and ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’

For each pair of poems, you will find:

• Comparison summary 

• Similarities and differences between the ideas presented in each poem

• Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences

‘If–’ and ‘Prayer Before Birth’

Comparison summary:

Both poems are about experiences in the world but they both offer very different perspectives. Kipling shows that, with the right qualities, a man has endless possibilities and can thrive. However, MacNeice, the writer of ‘Prayer Before Birth’ shows that life is challenging and cruel.

Similarities:

Differences:

‘If–’ and ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’

Comparison summary: 

Both poems are about a child’s relationship with their father. However, in Kipling’s ‘If–’, the speaker is a father advising his son. However, in ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’, the speaker is reminiscing and reflecting on what she has learned from her father. 

Similarities:

Differences: