The poet recommends his readers to treat both success and failure in the same way and not let them get to us since both of them are as fickle as the wheel of Fortune. The poet calls them impostors since both success and failure are powerful and have a disguise of permanence which makes a person feel either too optimistic or broken down. He says that Success and Failure are a part and parcel of life and there is nothing permanent about them. Next the poem imparts a very valuable lesson. Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,Īnd stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools: Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterĪnd treat those two impostors just the same If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master In other words, we must make enough room in our heads for opposing ideas from others if they seem legit. He says we must have confidence but not blind faith in ourselves as the latter will stop us from giving ears to the valuable suggestions and recommendations of others. However, the poet warns us against getting over-confident. Hence, we see that self-faith is a virtue which Kipling puts forward with high regard. The poet asks us to garner enough confidence to believe in oneself and our potential even if the others around us have given up on us. The poet urges us to not give in to the same. During times of crisis it is expected that people are going to lose their rationality and indulge in blame games. The poet asks us to combat this basic human frailty and harbor within ourselves the courage to take responsibilities for our actions that have produced the undesired results just like Jameson did during the raid. It is human nature to save oneself the blame for failures and put it on others. The poet urges readers that when the going gets difficult and things stop to work in our favor we must not lose our composure and deal with the situation at hand in a calm fashion in order to salvage it. Through the first stanza of If, the poet Rudyard Kipling offers us his opinion on how to operate during times of crisis. Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,Īnd yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,īut make allowance for their doubting too If you can keep your head when all about you

If poem by rudyard kipling summary