Description
The White Man's Burden Discussion Questions
Born in India to a family headed by a member of the British Civil Service, Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) became one of the chief proponents and defenders of imperialism. Though he produced a variety of novels, stories, and other works, he is most famous for writing the poem The White Man's Burden in which he urged the United States to take upon itself the burden of uplifting and civilizing the people of the recently occupied Philippines. Expand the question, additional file uploaded
Questions for Consideration and Discussion
- What does Kipling mean by the phrase "white man's burden"?
- What, in Kipling's view, was the nature of the relationship between the imperialists and the colonized?
- According to Kipling, how did colonial subjects respond to the "benefits" provided by imperial rule? Please provide three examples.
- What racial assumptions shaped Kipling's attitudes about imperialism?
- Do you agree or disagree with Kipling? Why?
Explanation & Answer
Attached.
Running head: THE WHITE MAN’S BURDEN BY KIPLING
The White Man’s Burden by Kipling
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THE WHITE MAN’S BURDEN BY KIPLING
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Discussion Questions
The phrase “White Man’s burden” in Rudyard Kipling’s poet implies that the Americans have
the burden of improving the lives of the non-white countries through civilization. It’s the
sacrifice that the whites have to make such as sending their sons to colonies to try and pull the
ignorant, foolish and lazy natives into the civilized world. He wanted the Americans to be proud
of the duty and responsibility given to them in the imperialist world the same way other countries
such as Europe and Britain had done. He asks that America stop being proud and to take part in
the colonization of the Philippines. The tasks that lie ahead of them are dealin...
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