2.5 Historical Context
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Historical Context
The poem White Man's Burden was originally published with the subtitle "The United States and the Philippine Islands".
Historical Background
Do a quick Internet search about the role of the United States in the Philippines at this time in history.
Background on the Author
Do a quick Internet search on Rudyard Kipling. You will need to know some details about his childhood and young adult life that undoubtedly shaped his views on imperialism and the native people in colonies.
Rudyard Kipling
White Man's Burden was published at the height of the New Imperialism, a period of intense competition for overseas colonies. It was a time when most of the world's powerful nations were controlled by "white men." The attitude of these leaders
was strongly Eurocentric. This poem demonstrates the concept of paternalism, the concept that the powerful have a responsibility to discipline and control the weak, as a father who looks after his children. However, there has always been some dispute
about whether the poem supported imperialism or warned about its dangers.
There are many strong arguments suggesting that the poem is satirical (satire is a form of subtle humour that ironically ridicules the subject) and that it really is meant to criticize imperialism. The poem caused an outcry from many of the great writers of the day. Whether Kipling really meant that it was the duty of the white man to "civilize" the "silent sullen people," or if he was warning of the dangers of imperialism, the uproar caused by his poem shows that even in the late 1800s, many people disagreed with the European and/or American control of non-European people.
There are many strong arguments suggesting that the poem is satirical (satire is a form of subtle humour that ironically ridicules the subject) and that it really is meant to criticize imperialism. The poem caused an outcry from many of the great writers of the day. Whether Kipling really meant that it was the duty of the white man to "civilize" the "silent sullen people," or if he was warning of the dangers of imperialism, the uproar caused by his poem shows that even in the late 1800s, many people disagreed with the European and/or American control of non-European people.
The huge stir continued in the press in the form of essays, lectures, editorials, poems, cartoons, and even advertisements. At least sixty items were published shortly after the poem was printed. Many of these pieces criticized or supported Kipling's
views, but most were still from the perspective of the white man, especially in the United States and Great Britain.