Dr. Drib
07-15-2007, 06:34 AM
CORRECTION: Changed to point 10 on Paragraph mode. Version 1.5 reflects that change. Corrected meta-data typo on the author's name.
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This is a prose collection of Kipling's work (as opposed to my previous poetry posting.)
It's easy to criticise Kipling: His imperialist ideas seem narrow-minded, dated; his often denigration of the Other; his limited world-view. However, an appreciation of Kipling needs to be contextualized from within the framework in which he wrote, in addition to his changing era. [I remember reading an essay by Edward Said as part of a doctoral class I was taking (I think the class was called "Racisim, Class, and the Other" -; can't remember). Prof. Said's essay, interestingly, talked about the "pleasures" of imperialism and that Kipling really coud not be accused of racism in the same way that we attach political coinage to that word today. Said went on to clarify his postiion by explaining that imperialism during Kipling's time amounted to a kind of paternalism; that is, other countries were being "looked after" and taken care of.] Much of Kipling's writing has suffered, I think, because of this misunderstood attitude inherent in his writings. Also, the world has changed drastically since Kipling's time. Some of his books will live on, I feel, especially the Jungle books. By the way, Kipling won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. I haven't read Kipling in a long time - so I want to thank the person who asked for some poetry by him. (I'll have to confess here that I just don't care very much for his poetry. Sorry.)
Anyway, the above was NOT a lecture!!!! ---- I just wanted to share some information about Kipling that I do know.
I hope you enjoy these short stories (and two poems?)
Don
__________________________________________
This is a prose collection of Kipling's work (as opposed to my previous poetry posting.)
It's easy to criticise Kipling: His imperialist ideas seem narrow-minded, dated; his often denigration of the Other; his limited world-view. However, an appreciation of Kipling needs to be contextualized from within the framework in which he wrote, in addition to his changing era. [I remember reading an essay by Edward Said as part of a doctoral class I was taking (I think the class was called "Racisim, Class, and the Other" -; can't remember). Prof. Said's essay, interestingly, talked about the "pleasures" of imperialism and that Kipling really coud not be accused of racism in the same way that we attach political coinage to that word today. Said went on to clarify his postiion by explaining that imperialism during Kipling's time amounted to a kind of paternalism; that is, other countries were being "looked after" and taken care of.] Much of Kipling's writing has suffered, I think, because of this misunderstood attitude inherent in his writings. Also, the world has changed drastically since Kipling's time. Some of his books will live on, I feel, especially the Jungle books. By the way, Kipling won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907. I haven't read Kipling in a long time - so I want to thank the person who asked for some poetry by him. (I'll have to confess here that I just don't care very much for his poetry. Sorry.)
Anyway, the above was NOT a lecture!!!! ---- I just wanted to share some information about Kipling that I do know.
I hope you enjoy these short stories (and two poems?)
Don