If you’re anything like me, you’re curious about how certain writers or artists hang on to fame over time. Rudyard Kipling is a prime example. Anyone who takes a peek at Rudyard Kipling’s literary achievements will see he was one of the most popular Victorian-era writers. And, even though his work’s now a century and a half old, it’s still famous. So, what makes his writing so magnetic and timeless? In this article, I’ll detail the strongest reasons for this British writer’s popularity, including his historical context, timeless themes, and controversial beliefs.
Historical Background
A key piece of the Kipling popularity puzzle is the era in which he wrote. Kipling’s place in history played a significant role in his writing themes. After exploring how the Victorian era affected his work, I’m sure you’ll better understand why he became so popular.
Victorian Era Themes
Born at the tail-end of 1865, Kipling was a Victorian-era baby. Remember this period from history class? It was marked by sweeping social, economic, and political changes. Also, people emphasized duty and tradition. If you look closer at two of his most famous works, “The Jungle Book” and “Kim”, you’ll notice they’re full of Victorian-era themes.
Raised in British-Ruled India
It’s safe to say that Kipling had a more exotic and adventurous upbringing than many of us. He got a taste of India for the first six years of his life before relocating to a British boarding school. His time in India added spice and excitement to many of his works. Think “The Man Who Would Be King” and “The Ballad of East and West.”
Political Confrontation Between Britain & Russia
As a literature enthusiast, I can’t help but admire Rudyard Kipling’s “Kim.” As a refresher, it was first published in 1901. It’s set during The Great Game, a political confrontation between Russia and Britain. In fact, Kipling’s work made the term “Great Game” popular. He vividly depicted complex themes of power and culture in the novel.
Compelling Literary Style & Timeless Themes
Humanistic and Encouraging
Yes, I admit that Kipling explored some dark themes, as you’ll see below. However, inspiration is at the core of many of his works. You see, he doesn’t just leave us with a worldview of doom and gloom. He uses extraordinary imagery and in-depth ideas to help us see that the human spirit outlasts hard times.
This theme weaves through his poems “If” and “Gunga Din.” In both poems, Kipling shows us how the virtues of humanity help us live better lives. In “If,” Kipling is precise about telling us that we should never give up. We should always stay true to ourselves. This type of encouragement lasts through decades, even centuries.
Unhappy Childhood
Sadly, Kipling’s childhood experiences were tough. He was isolated, bullied, and felt abandoned after his parents sent him to boarding school. These feelings of loss are in the background or even the foreground of his stories and poems.
Let’s look at “The Jungle Book,” for instance. The main character, Mowgli, is a young boy raised by wolves after losing his human family. Kipling’s tale is so timeless because we’ve all, in some sense, felt a familial loss. We’ve all felt abandoned in a wild jungle or lost on our paths.
Brutality and War
Hopefully, violence and war won’t be so widely understood in the future. But for now, it’s something people recognize as much today as over a century ago. So, how did Kipling use these themes?
Let’s think back to his place in history. Kipling had first-hand experience in British-ruled India, so he knew how to discuss the power dynamics between British soldiers and Indian service members. He used allegory, vivid symbolism, and realism to tell stories with these themes.
One of his more famous stories, “The Light That Failed,” uses realism and explores how war damages the psyche of soldiers and regular people. In his most popular book, “Kim,” he uses imagery to paint gruesome stories of violence.
Popular Culture Highlighted His Best Work
Of course, you may have already known that Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” was made into a movie. But did you know he also had other works that impacted pop culture? We’ll take a look at some below.
The Jungle Book
The exciting tale of The Jungle Book made its way into many movie and TV versions. Disney’s 1967 and 2016 movies must be the most popular. Plus, it’s been on stage and shortened into picture books.
Modern-day environmentalists and animal rights activists have also used The Jungle Book to highlight their causes. PETA even gave an award to the live-action Jungle Book’s director, Jon Favreau. He got the “Innovation in Film Award” for portraying animals using only CGI instead of forcing real animals to perform.
Below is the Walt Disney animation video based on Rudyard Kipling’s book, Mowgli, an abandoned child raised by wolves.
Gunga Din
Now, here’s another famous Kipling work that’s been in films, music, and books. Can you believe Kipling wrote this poem back in 1890, but it’s still mentioned in today’s pop culture?
Most recently, it was mentioned in the popular TV shows The Big Bang Theory and M*SH. Bob Dylan referenced Gunga Din in his 1967 song “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere.” In 1939, Cary Grant starred in the first film adaptation. The film was a true crowd-pleaser, thanks to the loyal and beloved main character.
The Man Who Would Be King
Just like the last two works, this short story influenced film, TV, books, and music. Imperialism and power are the two major themes that make this work so recognizable. Sean Connery and Michael Cain starred in the 1975 film adaptation of “The Man Who Would Be King,” which had an Oscar nomination.
It’s been in stage plays, a graphic novel, and has a few mentions in popular songs. Some TV shows, like “Doctor Who,” reference its themes of power and ambition. Clearly, our universal human experience allows us to relate to this novella’s themes.
If
The poem “If” is also notable in pop culture. In the modern movies “Dead Poets Society” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” this poem is mentioned. John Lennon and Metallica have used lines from “If” in their songs.
Also, the 2010 book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive” was inspired by this poem. In 1941, T. S. Eliot picked “If” as one of his favorite Kipling poems. And here’s another notable mention that may surprise you: BBC took a poll in 1996, and “If” was voted the UK’s favorite poem! In this article, we go over the motives behind Kipling’s writing of this beautifully inspiring poem.
His Work Withstood Scrutiny
Kipling was a product of his time, and so were his imperialist beliefs. As decades went by, his beliefs became more outdated. Toward the end of his life, he was holding on to imperialist values while many people weren’t.
Clearly, Kipling portrayed India and its people from a colonizer’s worldview. He used stereotypes that are offensive by today’s standards. So, why aren’t we outright banning his work? Well, Kipling didn’t celebrate and glorify imperialism. He dug into the complexities behind it and laid it out for us to examine and judge. That’s why these works are so valuable today. As we continue studying them, we can learn from past mistakes and improve our humanity.
Conclusion
Now, you should have a better understanding of why Kipling is so popular. He took advantage of his unique circumstances and crafted them into well-styled novels, short stories, and poems. These works used engaging literary elements and highlighted timeless themes that keep us captivated, even today.