Kipling and the Critics

Criticism From The Past:

Chesterton, G.K. “On Mr. Rudyard Kipling.” Kipling; the Critical Heritage.

Green, Roger Lancelyn. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1971. Chesterton focuses his critique on Kipling’s poetry and he remarks that Chesterton has written much of his poetry poorly. He also remarks that many of Kipling’s topics are too controversial and that is why others criticize him.

Gosse, Edmund. “Rudyard Kipling.” Kipling; the Critical Heritage. Green,

Roger Lancelyn. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1971. In Gosse’s article on Kipling’s writing, he states that Kipling’s attitudes and writings were astounding for the time, and that his writings are extremely intriguing for most people. Gosse continues to rave about Kipling, and claims that he was one of the best writers and story tellers of all time. He also asserts that Kipling, through his stories, paints a vivid and accurate description of British India.

 Lang, Andrew. “Andrew Lang Welcomes “An Indian Storyteller’.” Kipling;

the Critical Heritage. Green, Roger Lancelyn. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1971. In Lang’s critical piece on Kipling, he asserts that Kipling was a master of the Indian culture, as well as of fantastical elements. He claims that Kipling was one of the best short story writers of the time period, and that his writings truly reflect the British American’s attitude. He also compares Maupassant and Kipling, briefly contrasting their writing styles and thematic elements.

Maurois, André. “A French View of Kipling.” Kipling; the Critical Heritage.

Green, Roger Lancelyn. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1971. Maurois greatly admires Rudyard Kipling. In his critique, he refers to Kipling as a literary genius. The entire article emphasizes and supports this comment.

Criticism From The Present:

“How We Lost Kafiristan”

          In Edward Marx’s “How We Lost Kafiristan,” his main argument is that New Criticism often overlooks the historicity of Kipling’s writings, and many critics ignore the fact that Kafiristan existed during Kipling’s life. Marx discusses how obvious it is that Kipling wanted to prove that Kafiristan existed, and by have Dravot and Peachey use actual reference books to study from, he leaves “a careful paper trail traceable by any schoolchild with access to the Encyclopedia Brittanica” (48). Marx continues by saying that Kipling alluded to the works of a few explorers of Indian lands, including “Biddulph, Tanner, McNair and Lockhart,” (56) but that he never cited them. Marx believes this is partly due to Kipling wanting Kafiristan to remain mysterious, and also partly because he wanted to conceal that McNair’s adventures “may have been a model for the adventures of Dravot and Carnehan” (56).

          Another point that Marx makes is that Kipling purposely includes historical events that reference reality, such as the Second Afghan Wars and the resignation of William Ewart Gladstone who was the prime minister of England. He also states that the ambiguous racial issues are there to please not only Anglo-Indians, but also native English, who have a different view of India and its people. Marx’s last point is that Kipling purposely makes the story part allegorical by alluding to many British events and explorers, but also makes it partly fictional so he can have more artistry throughout the story.

Marx, Edward “How We Lost  Kafiristan.” Representations, No. 67. (Summer 1999).

“Kipling’s Use of Verse and Prose in ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’”

          In “Kipling’s Use of Verse and Prose in ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’,” Anne Margaret Daniel likens the story of Punch to that of David Copperfield by Dickens and Jane Eyre by Brontë. She discusses the specific use of the poetry at the beginning of each “bag,” or chapter, and the use of some of the songs and verse throughout the story.

          Daniel begins by discussing how “Black Sheep” is semi-autobiographical for Kipling, much like Copperfield and Jane Eyre are. She continues by explaining why Kipling used the nursery rhyme “Baa Baa Black Sheep” in the beginning of the story, and why he changed some specific words. She states that by changing the last line to deprive the sad little boy “down the lane,” he is reflecting his life as well as what will happen to Punch. Also, Daniel points out that at the beginning of each bag, a certain verse represents what will come in the chapter. The nursery rhyme matches that, with each “bag” of wool given to another character. For instance, the first bag is given to the “Master,” which references to Punch’s status in India. The second bag is for the “Dame,” which is Aunty Rosa, and the third, that is not given to the little boy, represents Punch and all he is deprived of.

          Daniel also points out that Uncle Harry, being the paternal figure in Punch’s life, sings the popular English ditty of the “Battle of Navarino.” The talk of war, and the fathers and sons who participate in it, asserts Daniel, represents the only communication between Punch and a father figure. Also, Daniel shows the irony that occurs when Punch is sent to England to be in “a better place” (865) yet he only finds hatred for God and others. His childhood, according to Daniel, is ruined because instead of learning love and kindess, he learns hate and cruelty, and associates religion and punishment. The last point Daniel makes is that Mamma, who has been gone for five years, comes back being utterly selfish, and tries to fix the wrongs Punch has been served, but in essence is only reverting him back into the childhood that he has missed. Overall, Daniel’s main points include the function of verse and prose to act as parallels throughout the stories, and even as foreshadowing at the beginning of each “bag.”

Daniel, Anne Margaret.  “Kipling’s Use of Verse and Prose in ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep.”

Studies in English Literature 1500-1900, Vol. 37, No. 4. (Autumn, 1997).

“The Ethos of Romance at the Turn of the Century”

          In this review, John Cawelti compares the writing of late nineteenth century writing such as Rudyard Kipling to that of early nineteenth century writers like Hawthorne and Melville. Cawelti describes how writers like Kipling redefined the genre of romance by incorporating more naturalism and realism. Cawelti claims that this shift was birthed due to the “major creative energies” of writers like Rudyard Kipling (549).

          Although writers such as Kipling began to incorporate some realism in their stories through devices such as theme, they were still greatly motivated by “aesthetic and ethical aspirations” (549). In order to accomplish this task, writers such as Kipling combined the genres of romance and journalism within their stories. They also concentrated on “plot and action” to “reinforce the conventional view of the world” (549). Cawelti claims that this characteristic of late nineteenth century fiction is the key to getting the reader intrigued and caught up in the story.

          Cawelti also discusses in detail the themes of writers such as Kipling. He claims that they ventured into a world of literary works where controversial topics can be discussed such as: imperialism, sexism, and racism. However, contemporary critics more commonly pull these topics from Kipling’s work than critics from the past did. Cawelti claims that such topics force the readers to immerse themselves into the work to determine fact form fiction. All in all Cawelti asserts that late nineteenth century writers such as Rudyard Kipling, changed the literary world, by venturing into the unknown and incorporating contemporary devices and ideals into their works.

Cawelti, John G. “The Ethos of Romance at the Turn of the Century.’ Nineteenth-Century

Literature, Vol. 49, No. 4 (Mar. 1995).

“Life as He Would Have It”: The Invention of India in Kipling’s Kim

In this review, Phillip Wegner asserts that Rudyard Kipling paints a “celebrated portrait of India at the high watermark of British formal imperial domination” in literary masterpieces such as Kim. (129). However, he also acknowledges that many of Kipling’s pieces are now qualified as sexist and racist in the eyes of contemporary critics. Although controversial topics are said to be present in Kipling’s stories, Wegner points out that Kipling’s works help the uninformed reader grasp an accurate picture of British imperial India. Kipling shows both sides of India at this time in history clearly in his works by showing readers “India’s exotic landscape” as well as the “uneasy presence of the British Raj” (130). Wegner claims that much of Kipling’s literary success can be attributed to the portrait he is able to paint of imperialistic India through his prose.

          Wegner states that Kipling accomplishes this goal by combining artistic elements with the realistic issues of the times. However, Kipling also masks reality in his works by converting it into fictional tales. Still, he constrains his tales to the boundaries of historical truth.

          Thus, Wegner is asserting that Kipling’s fiction is not fiction at all, but a true representation of imperial India. However, Kipling converts this representation of fiction by combining it with a variety of artistic literary elements that add a presence of the fantastic to his works. In conclusion, Wegner is stating that Kipling’s racial and sexist undertones were not meant to be that at all, rather he was simply trying to paint an accurate picture of the place and time in which he was writing.

Wegner, Phillip E. “Life as He Would Have It”: The Invention of India in Kipling’s

“Kim”. Cultural Critique, No. 26 (Winter 1993-1994).