IF by Rudyard Kipling -- a note of appreciation - by Varsha Laiju Kappen
The poem 'If ' written by the acclaimed author Rudyard Kipling is a beautiful piece which explains the attributes of an 'ideal person'. It is portrayed as the poet's advice to his son. The poet goes to great lengths to describe the traits of the 'perfect' man. The poem overflows with the softness of a father's love. The wisdom and experience of the poet is reflected throughout his writing. The poem begins with a father telling his son about composure and self-confidence. The lines further continue to compare the uniqueness of a perfect man to the common negativity of the people around him. The extremely contrasting characters of the ideal man and all the others around him differ so much, which by itself makes the role of the protagonist seemingly difficult to play. Kipling continues to explain evils like hatred and untruth and why one has to keep off. He illustrates the need for dreams and thoughts, but maintains a view ...