Men in our part of the world grow up with the knowledge that there is a possiblity they might be called on to participate in a war happening elsewhere. I sometimes think about what that knowledge might be like although the emotions that might accompany it are alien to me.
Kipling has been unfairly overlooked and (also unfairly, I believe) maligned as a chauvinist, racist, imperialist bastard (when most of his Empire poems strike a note more akin to sarcasm than endorsement).
most of his Empire poems strike a note more akin to sarcasm than endorsement Parenthetical though it may be, that's a very interesting affirmation. Do you have some examples that might help me to see what you mean?
Compare "White Man's Burden" to some of his colonial poems. The language and optimism are so in contrast to other works, I can hardly think he was taking it seriously. canards still has my Norton, or I'd give you better examples. Another thing to keep in mind with Kipling is that a lot of his poems are narrated by characters other than himself.
Kipling believed in the Empire, but did not care much for the English. An odd combination.
Kim is a wonderful novel. It is a boy's adventure, but the descriptions of India are right on the money. He loved it as a colonial possession, but he really did love it.
This puts a chill in my apostate soul, and you might like it too:
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Parenthetical though it may be, that's a very interesting affirmation. Do you have some examples that might help me to see what you mean?
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Kim is a wonderful novel. It is a boy's adventure, but the descriptions of India are right on the money. He loved it as a colonial possession, but he really did love it.
This puts a chill in my apostate soul, and you might like it too:
http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/K/KiplingRudyard/verse/p2/coldiron.html
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