The speaker highlights the importance of determination and the ability to deal
with failure/betrayal and success
The speaker uses the word “stoop”, meaning to bend forward, which creates an
image of an individual being prepared to humble themselves by bending down
and rebuilding what has been broken
o Summary? The speaker is implying that setbacks are a natural part of life and
that it is imperative to rebuild and persevere despite the challenges, even if the
tools they are using are now “worn-out”
Risk ! brave enough take risks
Start off again if you lose/ face failure
, the speaker then goes on to suggest that an individual must be prepared to “lose” and,
once again, the image of starting again from scratch is used:
o Much like the end of the previous stanza, Kipling is highlighting how failure
is inevitable and a part of life
o That an individual must not only be ready for failure, but be able to “start
again”
Kipling is highlighting the importance of being prepared for failure and loss and is
emphasizing the importance of being able to deal with the outcome while
remaining stoic
he speaker is emphasising all of the qualities necessary for an individual to be
powerful and strong
The repetition of the word “hold on” emphasises the importance of persevering
and being resilient even when there is “nothing” left
The writer has used a capital letter for “Will”, which could suggest that this
characteristic is separate from the others:
o It could refer to a human being’s ability to control their emotions and
actions and so could therefore represent the power of the human mind
In these lines, the speaker is highlighting the importance of self-belief and
resilience when faced with adversity, while also acknowledging the strength
needed to be able to persevere
o The use of the word “heart” represents emotions while “nerve” could suggest
bravery and “sinew”, which is associated with muscles and strength
The speaker emphasizes the importance of willpower and self-belief
DON’T GIVE UP ‘’Hold on’’
The speaker is now focusing on an individual’s relationship with others around
him
The first two lines of the final stanza highlight the importance of being able to
converse with individuals and people from different walks of life without being
corrupted by their beliefs or their position in society
The first line suggests that one should be able to talk to the masses without
being influenced by them and losing morals
The speaker advises to have the ability to converse with “Kings” but still remain
humble despite their connections
The speaker then goes on to relationships and advises that one must not allow
themselves to be “hurt” by those around them:
This means that one must not allow themselves to become too close to
people as it will leave them vulnerable to pain
Themes
Composure and Self-Restraint
The speaker of "If—" champions a morality built on moderation. In this poem, he
advises his son to move through life with composure, and to always exercise self-
control, integrity, and humility. This means never letting "Triumph" nor "Disaster"—
events either good or bad—go to one’s head. Composure and self-restraint, the speaker
implies, makes it possible to act with dignity in all circumstances and to lead a
respectable and virtuous life.
No matter what happens, the speaker believes, it’s important that people keep their
cool. He tells his son to “keep [his] head” about him even when everyone around him is
losing their composure—not to respond with anger/hatred just because other people
might “hate[]” him, for example. Similarly, the speaker says that his son should calmly
devote himself to rebuilding his life if it ever goes to shambles, encouraging him to
remain reasonable and diligent even when times are tough.
The speaker also insists that his son shouldn’t become smug about his own measured
and virtuous way of navigating life: “[D]on’t look too good, nor talk too wise,” the
speaker says, steering his son away from vanity (in the sense of merely wanting
to look like a good guy) in favor of simple levelheadedness. Essentially, the speaker’s
saying that people need to find a happy medium between confidence and modesty (lest
their self-assuredness blind them to their own shortcomings). Those who succumb to
neither vice nor vanity are those who are capable of persevering through hardship, their
“Will” always telling them to “Hold on!”
The idea, then, is that composure leads to strength and integrity: the speaker insists
that the world will be his son’s oyster if only he practices restraint and discipline. These
qualities will also turn the boy into a true "Man," the speaker says, indicating that he
thinks respectable men are defined by their ability to lead measured, dignified lives.
All of these ideas about composure and restraint align with the stereotypically British
“stiff upper lip”—in other words, the idea that one should be resilient in the face of
adversity. This was a particularly popular worldview in the late 1800s and early 1900s,
when a number of British poets embraced the Ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism,
which urged indifference to both pain and pleasure. Because this indifference is so
similar to the moderation the speaker tells his son to adopt, it’s reasonable to read “If—”
as the speaker’s argument for why British society (and in particular, British men) should
embrace Stoic ideals.
Stoicism
emphasizing virtue, reason, and living in accordance with nature, focusing on
cultivating inner resilience and tranquility by accepting what we cannot control
and focusing on what we can.
the endurance of pain or hardship without the display of feelings and without complaint.
