Literary Analysis Essay on The White Man Burden

Introduction

The poem by Kiplin about the White Man's Burden has got a great sense of criticism for the decision of the United States to pursue and conquer the Philippines when there was the war between America and Spain back in those years. According to the Poet Mr. Kiplin, he considers this to be a burden to the people of America even after they have acquired the Philippines although they see it as a right or achievement.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The Burden of American Conquest

The burden that Kiplin talks about in this case is what the people of America will be expected to do for the people they have taken over. He terms this as a burden due to the fact that he says they will be misused by other people out there and be expected to do a lot for them(Giri). For example from the poem, he talks about the Americans being responsible for serving the needs of the people they had held captive during the conquest. In addition, he tells them to go and take up the burden of the white man and bind their sons to exile.

Somber Tone and Sympathy in Kipling's Poem

The tone of the poem is a somber warning in which the poet warns that the Americans are not really sure of the problems they just got themselves into. The poet really pities the American people as according to him, he knows and is really sure that they have entered into big trouble that which they will not get themselves out of. He also in relation to this goes ahead to tell them of what they will be expected to do for the native slaves they will have taken control of in the Philippines. He adds on how the people of America will have big duties and mandatory responsibilities to do for the slaves of the Philippines. He again pities them due to the fact that they will have put their children in continuous problems. The reason as to why the poet writes this poem in this somber tone is to show sympathy for the people for the decision they have made to take over the Philippines (Giri). He feels that this is a hard burden and is so much sure that the Americans will not make it succeed in this. He wishes that they can reconsider their decision but however it's too late for that.

According to Kiplin in his poem concerning the American new colonization over the Philippines, there is no any kind of advantages attached to the colonization of the Americans over the Philippines. Instead, the colony which is now comprised of the American powers tends to suffer more than the empire they are exercising power on really does. The colony suffers because the duties they have to do for their so-called slaves seem to have some great weight in that they are not even in a good position to make it play them to the end(Giri). According to the poet, the American colony has just but added some several problems to what they already had. The poet conveys the point that there was not even any need for America to struggle with the Spanish people to get power over the Philippines as this has complicated everything that pertains them. The suffering is seen when the poet says that the Americans are toiling for roads they will not tread on and for the ports they will not enter.

Work Cited

Giri, Jacques. "The White Man's Burden, William Easterly". Afrique Contemporaine, vol 218, no. 2, 2011, p. 225. CAIRN, doi:10.3917/afco.218.0225.