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Essay / Analysis of If's poem. - 516
In the first stanza, the reader is explained the model way to behave in times of poisonous crisis. Kipling asks his son (reader) to challenge himself to be strong enough to take responsibility and not indulge in blame games, "if you can keep your head when all around you / are losing theirs and blame you,” which were played in their society. The poem teaches about the determination and courage that challenged the common or classed Victorian man. The poet also warned against the complacency that can arise from those who think they can undeniably be classified among men. This tells us that Kipling was warning about what he saw around him, it shows how unaware people could be of their arrogance. The second stanza advises rejecting who you are and embracing the values required in this era for queen and country. The lines "If you can meet triumph and disaster and treat these imposters alike" are teachings of equality which the poet does not emphasize once, it is mentioned later to symbolize the importance...