One of the most influential and well-known authors during the time of the British Empire and still today is without doubt Rudyard Kipling. Whether or not his political views can be agreed upon, he nevertheless represents a great part of English literature. He wrote numerous novels, short stories and poems and was even awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907. (cf. Green 22) Along with this great success, however, came also a spate of criticism leading to an “ambivalent attitude towards the author and his work” (Gilbert: xvii). Herein lays the prominent reason for writing a paper on colonialism: in the controversial portray of Rudyard Kipling. Some authors like Henry James view him as “the most complete man of genius [to be] ever known” (159) whilst others see him as a “jingo imperialist […] morally insensitive and aesthetically disgusting” (Orwell 74). The majority of Kipling’s work has been written during the peak times of the British Empire and takes same one as thematic playground. Kipling is said to have created “not only the best but almost the only literary picture [of Anglo-India].” (Orwell 82) and thus resemble a suitable foundation for analysis.
Hence, it shall be examined what picture of Imperialism with particular reference to Indian colony and its inhabitants as subjects to the Royal government as well as the role of the English in India, is created in Rudyard Kipling’s work. Is it really as Fabian Schefold proposes, that Kipling’s writing is furnished with racist and imperialist ideas, presenting Britain as racial superior to India? (cf. 59-60) Or is it as Edgar Mertner suggests, that Kipling was rather critic of the British rule in India considering it “a huge macabre joke” (145).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Rudyard Kipling in Context
2.1. The British Empire: India
2.2. Kipling and India
3. Imperialism in Kipling‘s Works
3.1. Lispeth
3.2. Beyond the Pale
3.3. To Be Held for Reference
4. Kipling Reconsidered
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
Objectives & Core Themes
The primary objective of this research is to investigate the representation of imperialism in Rudyard Kipling’s early short story collection Plain Tales from the Hills. By analyzing the intersection of race, class, and gender in selected narratives, the paper seeks to evaluate whether Kipling’s work functions as an endorsement of colonial ideology or as a sophisticated, ironic critique of British imperial rule in India.
- The historical and social context of Rudyard Kipling’s upbringing in colonial India.
- An analytical reading of the short stories "Lispeth," "Beyond the Pale," and "To Be Held for Reference."
- The dichotomy between the author’s public reputation as a "jingo imperialist" and the complexity of his literary perspective.
- The influence of personal identity, belonging, and the challenges of the "proper distance" in colonial writing.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2. Beyond the Pale
The second short story deals again with the clashing encounter of the two different cultures during the era of colonialism. The protagonist is Christopher Trejago, an Anlgo-Indian who falls in love with a widowed Indian girl named Bisesa. This sets off a complicated double life that finds Trejago following his “routine of office-work” (Kipling, “Beyond the Pale” 3) during daytime and maintaining a secret relationship with Bisesa at night. (cf. ibid.). The story ends tragically when the affair is discovered and both separated and punished.
Opposed to the first impression that this story’s concern lies within the remake of the theme of forbidden love, an additional, more profound dimension to reading and understanding the story unveils on a closer look. I believe that it is not simply the dramatic complaint on the injustice of a system that would not allow interracial love, but in accordance with the time and place a critical warning directed to all of Kipling’s fellowmen. However, the first paragraphs preceding the plot of the story itself suggest differently and might easily lead to the disapproval of Kipling
A man should, whatever happens, keep to his own caste, race and breed. Let the White go to the White and the Black to the Black. Then whatever trouble falls is in the ordinary course of things – neither sudden, alien, nor unexpected. This is the story of a man who wilfully stepped beyond the safe limits of decent every-day society, and paid for it heavily. He knew too much in the first instance; and he saw too much in the second. He took too deep an interest in native life; but he will never do so again. (Kipling, “Beyond the Pale” 1)
Although this quotation somewhat seems to combine and resemble the essence of Imperialism, I argue that it should firstly not be taken at face value and secondly that it needs to be distinguished between the author and the narrator.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the research focus on Kipling's Plain Tales from the Hills as a means to understand the complexities of British imperial legacy and colonial interactions.
2. Rudyard Kipling in Context: The chapter explores Kipling’s biographical background, emphasizing his life in India and Britain and how these experiences shaped his views on the Empire and colonial subjects.
3. Imperialism in Kipling‘s Works: Through a close reading of three selected stories, this chapter investigates how Kipling portrays colonial rule and whether he critiques or reinforces imperial hierarchies.
4. Kipling Reconsidered: The author synthesizes the findings, arguing that Kipling's work reflects a nuanced, often contradictory stance that combines an appreciation for India with an imperialistic outlook.
5. Conclusion: The study concludes that Kipling was an enthusiastic and talented writer whose works are frequently misunderstood due to his "jingoist" reputation, and that he should be viewed as a complex observer of the colonial experience.
6. Bibliography: This section provides a comprehensive list of primary and secondary sources utilized in the research.
Keywords
Rudyard Kipling, Imperialism, Plain Tales from the Hills, British India, Colonialism, Anglo-Indian, Lispeth, Beyond the Pale, To Be Held for Reference, Literature, Identity, Race, Class, Gender, Cultural Hybridity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how Rudyard Kipling represents imperialism and the colonial experience in his 1888 collection of short stories, Plain Tales from the Hills.
Which short stories are analyzed in depth?
The study provides a detailed analysis of three specific short stories: "Lispeth," "Beyond the Pale," and "To Be Held for Reference."
What is the primary research question regarding Kipling’s political stance?
The research investigates whether Kipling’s writing serves as a racist, imperialistic endorsement of colonial rule or if it functions as a critical, ironic exploration of the shortcomings of the British Empire in India.
What methodology does the author apply?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, distinguishing between the narrative voice and the author's own perspectives, while contextualizing the stories within the era of British colonial expansion.
What main theme links the chosen stories?
All three stories focus on the "clashing encounter" between the British colonialists and the local Indian population, often highlighting the complications of cross-cultural relationships.
What are the key conclusions regarding Kipling's work?
The paper concludes that Kipling cannot be reduced to a single political label; he was a profound supporter of the Empire who nonetheless possessed a complex, sometimes critical understanding of its internal contradictions.
How does the paper address the concept of "the pale" in Kipling’s stories?
The paper interprets "the pale" as both a literal and metaphorical limit of colonial interaction, representing the dangers of crossing racial and social boundaries in colonial society.
Why does the author consider the character McIntosh Jellaludin significant?
Jellaludin is analyzed as an example of a "renegade" who assimilated into Indian culture, serving as a mirror for Kipling’s own conflicts regarding his hybrid cultural identity and his failed aspirations to write an authoritative book on native life.
- Quote paper
- Nadja Grebe (Author), 2010, The Representation of Imperialism in Rudyard Kipling’s 'Plain Tales From the Hills', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/175687
