OU Degree 1st Sem English – If Poem Questions and Answers & Summary
Comprehension – I.
Answer the following questions in 80-100 words.
Question 1.
The title of the poem is short and to the point. How does this apply to the overall theme of the poem?
Answer:
Most of the lines of Kipling’s poem “If” begin with the word, “If”. According to the narrator of the poem, in order to become a “Man,” the son (may be every human being) has to incorporate those ideas into his minds. Only then, he can succeed in life.
Here the choice is conditional. Whether to adopt them or not, is up to the listener. Therefore, the poem is titled, ‘If-’. If one reads the poem wholeheartedly and obeys those principles, only then he or she can get success in life and can lead a blissful life.
Question 2.
Explain the significance of the final two lines of the poem.
Answer:
The final two lines of the poem have a lot of significance. Kipling’s poem ends with the following two lines:
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
Here the narrator confidently says that we can achieve anything and everything if we fulfill all the conditions mentioned so far in the poem. According to him, we can win this earth and everything in it. We can go to top of the world and rule over everything. And what is more, we would be a complete and perfect human being. Here the ’’Mart” is a symbol of good qualities that the father wants his son to adopt.
Question 3.
Explain the poet’s thoughts on the subject of patience.
Answer:
The father also advices that he (his son) should leam to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.
Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. But, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition.
The narrator explains:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise
Question 4.
What does the poet say about perseverance?
Answer:
According to the narrator of the poem, we should have the quality of perseverance. It is an essential quality when we lose everything. Then we have to hold our nerves even after seeing that our favourite thing that we built with all our effort and time is broken. Then we have to pick up the scattered parts and build it all over again.
This is another key to getting to the top of the world, according to the poet. To keep our cool is not easy in such a situation. But patience and the mental toughness would help us build them again. Indeed, there is a story about Newton that the papers containing his theories were destroyed in fire, and he wrote them again from the beginning. So the poet says:
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
The narrator advises us to be able to accumulate all we have and take a risk in one turn of the game of pitch-and-toss. We may lose the game and all our possessions. But we have to stay calm without uttering a word about that loss and rebuild it from the beginning. So, the narrator says:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
Here the poet talks about the importance of the quality of perseverance – the capability of taking big risks to achieve much greater success and keeping quiet even if we lose the bet. This is yet another aspect of our mental toughness that we need to possess.
Question 5.
Briefly explain the meaning of the following lines with reference to context:
Answer:
a. But make allowance for their doubting too
According to the narrator of the poem, we should have the faith in ourselves, even when others doubt us. But after that, we should give some importance to their doubt too and try to find out what may be the reason for their suspicion. After all, ‘To err is human…’ Therefore, by keeping faith in ourselves we make sure that we don’t get demoralized or disheartened. And, by allowing others’ doubt a little space of thought, we ensure that we are not doing something wrong knowingly or unknowingly.
b. And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.
Rudyard Kipling in his poem “If” advices us: And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise. We should not show us as too good a person or talk too wisely with common people, even after possessing such qualities.
Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. However, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition.
c. If you can dream- and not make dreams your master
In his poem “If, Kipling says: If you can dream- and not make dreams your master. According to him, we should dream first, in order to do something bigger. However, the poet also reminds us not to be guided by unrealistic dreams.
If dreams become our masters or take the driver’s seat, we would get detached from reality and eventually fail. There goes a saying – “You have to dream first before your dream can come true.” Therefore, we should dream to reach great heights in life, only by keeping the reality in mind.
d. Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools
In the poem “If” Kipling mentions: If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken / Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools. It means that we have to bear the tough situations where we see that our speech or statement is distorted by someone to be fool us or others.
Very often we see that people misinterpret or even deliberately distort our words to use it in their favour. In such situations, we should not lose our temper hearing that. Rather we should tolerate that ensuring we have spoken the truth.
e. If all men count with you, but none too much
‘In the fourth stanza of the poem “If”, Kipling mentions the lines: If all men count with you, but none too much. This means that we have to develop our personality the right way, so that everyone supports us and gives us importance (count with you), but none too much.
If we allow someone to give us too much importance, we may be emotionally bound. Such situation may restrict our freedom and prevent us from doing our duty. Sometimes we may get complacent thinking that we are so much liked by people, thus reducing our effort.
Comprehension – II.
Answer the following questions in 350-400 words.
Question 1.
What kind of a person does the poet want his child to be? What are the qualities the poet is espousing?
(OR)
According to the poem, what are some of the challenges that a person will have to face in life?
Answer:
The present poem “If” is a masterpiece written by a British Poet Rudyard Kipling in 1895. It was first published in 1910 in the chapter ’’Brother Square Toes” of the story fiction. He wrote ‘If-’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John. It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to poet exposes many qualities for his son to become of man of all-weather.
The poem begins with the narrator, being a father, addressing his son saying that he should keep calm in the situation of crisis when all the others around him are panicking and blaming him. He should trust himself when all the people around him discourage him. Though he has confidence in himself and his decision, he should also listen to the opinions people give him.
According to the father, the son should learn to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do any bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.
The narrator continues advising his son that it is good to dream high, have ambitions and goals but he must not allow his dreams to rule him. He should not lose connection with reality. If he thinks about his future and plans for it, he should not just sit and keep thinking. He needs to act upon the plans. If he achieves success or face failure, he should treat them equally.
He neither should dwell in success if he achieves it and nor should he let himself collapse if he faces failure. He must not allow them to distract him because both of them are not long-lasting. He must have the courage and patience to listen to the things said by him but are modified by some dishonest men. He needs to be strong enough to see the most important things in his life to be broken, he must gather the courage to fix them and start trying again.
The narrator keeps advising his son that if he can take a chance in life and risk everything even if he loses. He should start trying again after losing and must not quit or give up. He must not complain about his loss to other people. He needs to be self-sufficient and must not look up to people when things go wrong. He should keep trying even though he is too exhausted to continue. He should stay strong and firm even if he has no strength left in him except for the inner voice in him that keeps him moving.
The poet as a father urges to his son to be social and keep in touch with his social group but not to lose his individual goodness and integrity so that people may not be able to misguide him. He says that when he becomes successful in life and his status rises. He should not lose connection with his roots and the people where he has come from because that is his reality.
The poet advdses his son not to allow anyone to hurt him, be they friends or enemies. He advises him to let people depend on him but not to take too much advantage of him. He also asks him to make good use of his time and if he acts upon the given advice, the world, and everything herein, will belong to him. It will make him a ‘Man’.
Question 3.
Summarise the poet’s message in your own words. Do you agree with it?
Answer:
The present poem “If” is a masterpiece written by a British Poet Rudyard Kipling in 1895. It was first published in 1910 in the chapter ’’Brother Square Toes” of the book ’’Rewards and Fairies” which is a collection of Rudyard Kipling’s poetry and short- story fiction. He wrote ‘If-’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John.
It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to be an ideal human being. Kipling’s poem is all about how to be an ideal human being. The text presents a series of advice following which one can become a “Man”. That’s why this poem does not have a single meaning. Readers can find a variety of ideas in it. It consists of four stanzas, each one having eight lines. It is written in iambic pentameter.
The poem begins with the narrator, being a father, addressing his son saying that he should keep calm in the situation of crisis when all the others around him are panicking and blaming him. He (his son) should trust himself when all the people around him discourage him. Though he has confidence in himself and his decision, he should also listen to the opinions people give him. Hence the narrator says:
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
The father also advices that he (his son) should learn to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.
Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. But, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition. The narrator explains:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise
The narrator continues advising his son that it is good to dream high, have ambitions and goals but he must not allow his dreams to rule him. He should not lose connection with reality. If he thinks about his future and plans for it, he should not just sit and keep thinking. He needs to act upon the plans. If he achieves success or face failure, he should treat them equally. So, the narrator advices us:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts-your aim;
The narrator says that he (his son) neither should dwell in success if he achieves it and nor should he let himself collapse if he faces failure. He must not allow them to distract him because both of them are not long-lasting. Life is a combination of success and failure, joy and sorrow, good times and bad times. We should accept both and face both situations with similar treatment.
Here the poet personifies Triumph and Disaster, capitalizing and calling them ‘two impostors’ (pretenders or cheaters). People become too happy in success and forget their duty at hand. We may also get too complacent or proud at a small success, reducing our chances to reach higher goals. Again, at bad times, if we are too grieved, we may lose our faith and confidence.
In both cases, our regular course of work is hampered. That is the reason why the poet calls triumph and disaster ‘two impostors’. He asks us to treat those deceivers similarly, with a smiling face. In short, don’t be too happy or too sad under any circumstances.
The narrator also advices his son to have the courage and patience to listen to the things said by him but are modified by some dishonest men. He needs to be strong enough to see the most important things in his life to be broken, he must gather the courage to fix them and start trying again.
We have to bear the tough situations where we see that our speech or statement is distorted by someone to befool others. Very often we see that people misinterpret or even deliberately distort our words to use it in their favour. We should not lose our temper hearing that. Rather we should tolerate that, ensuring we have spoken the truth. Therefore, the narrator explains:
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
According to the narrator of the poem, we have to hold our nerves even after seeing that our favourite thing that we built with all our effort and time is broken. Then we have to pick up the scattered parts and build it all over again. This is another key to getting to the top of the world, according to the poet.
To keep our cool is not easy in such a situation. But patience and the mental toughness would help us build them again. Indeed, there is a story about Newton that the papers containing his theories were destroyed in fire, and he wrote them again from the beginning. So the poet says:
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken.
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
The narrator advices us to be able to accumulate all we have and take a risk in one turn of the game of pitch-and-toss. We may lose the game and all our possessions. But we have to stay calm without uttering a word about that loss and rebuild it from the beginning. Here the poet talks about the capability of taking big risks to achieve much greater success and keeping quiet even if we lose the bet. This is yet another aspect of our mental toughness that we need to possess. So, the narrator says:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
The narrator continues the same theme of mental strength and the power of ‘Willy courage and patience. We have to force our body (heart and nerve and smew) to serve us even after it has lost the strength due to old age or illness.
Thus we should keep on working driven by the power of ‘Will’ which would ask them (heart and nerve and sinew) to ‘hold on’ compelling them to do their job. If we want to do something great from our heart, the ‘Will’ inside us would prevent the body from getting tired. Indeed, there goes a proverb: “When going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Therefore, the narrator feels:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
The narrator advices us to stay in touch with people from every class of the society. According to him, we should be able to talk with common mass without losing our virtue or moral values. Again, we should be able to walk with kings without going beyond the reach of the common people. The common touch would help us realize the reality and feel the needs of the society. On the other hand, the noble touch wouid give us the power and opportunity to reach higher goals. The narrator opines:
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
According to the narrator of the poem, we should build ourselves strong enough, mentally and physically, so that neither enemies nor loving friends can hurt us. Moreover, we should develop healthy relationship with everyone around us, and should not allow anyone to harm us, Thus he says:
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
The narrator explains the importance of ‘time’. According to him, time is precious and a minute is filled with sixty seconds. Time (minute) is here called ‘unforgiving’, as it waits for none and doesn’t forgive him who wastes it. Therefore, we should utilize every minute of our life in productive work. Wasting time is not something we can afford in our short lifespan. Hence he says:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
In the end of the poem, the narrator confidently says that we can achieve anything and everything if we fulfil all the conditions mentioned so far in the poem. According to him, we can win this earth and everything in it. We can go to top of the world and rule over everything. And what is more, we would be a complete and perfect human being. I fully agree to the message given by the poet and strongly believe that if we follow the life principles espoused by the poet, we will succeed in our life.
If Poem Summary in English
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was, born in Bombay, India, an English poet and novelist. He is remembered for his children’s books, including the ever-popular The Jungle Book and Kim, and for his many stories and poems written about British in India during the Raj. As a boy, he took pleasure in the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Wilkie Collins.
He was around eleven years old when he first started writing. Kipling was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907, and was offered a knighthood several times, though he declined the honour. His writing has come under some scrutiny as readers’ opinions of his colonial, and overly masculine tone now seem much less tasteful.
The present poem “If” is a masterpiece written by a British Poet Rudyard Kipling in 1895. It was first published in 1910 in the chapter “Brother Square Toes” of the book “Rewards and Fairies” which is a collection of Rudyard Kipling’s poetry and short- story fiction.He wrote ‘If-’ in the form of paternal advice to a child. Here, the child is none other than the poet’s son, John.
It is a type of didactic poem that teaches readers how to be an ideal human being. Kipling’s poem is all about how to be an ideal human being. The text presents a series of advice following which one can become a “Man”. That’s why this poem does not have a single meaning. Readers can find a variety of ideas in it.lt consists of four stanzas, each one having eight lines. It is written in iambic pentameter.
The poem begins with the narrator, being a father, addressing his son saying that he should keep calm in the situation of crisis when all the others around him are panicking and blaming him. He (his son)should trust himself when all the people around him discourage him. Though he has confidence in himself and his decision, he should also listen to the opinions people give him. Hence the narrator says:
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
The father also advices that he (his son) should learn to be patient and not feel irritated by waiting. If someone does any bad to him or speaks lies about him, he should not do bad in return. If he is hated by people, he should not be hateful in return but rather stay positive. He then advises his son neither to show off to people nor act arrogant but to stay modest.
Having acquired all these good qualities mentioned above, people generally feel proud and tend to show off how good they are. But, the poet warns us not to go that way. In that case, others would feel uncomfortable in our company and avoid us. Even others may try to prove us wrong at any cost, leading to an unhealthy competition. The narrator explains:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise.
The narrator continues advising his son that it is good to dream high, have ambitions and goals but he must not allow his dreams to rule him. He should not lose connection with reality. If he thinks about his future and plans for it, he should not just sit and keep thinking. He needs to act upon the plans. If he achieves success or face failure, he should treat them equally. So, the narrator advices us:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
The narrator says that he (his son) neither should dwell in success if he achieves it and nor should he let himself collapse if he faces failure. He must not allow them to distract him because both of them are not long-lasting. Life is a combination of success and failure, joy and sorrow, good times and bad times. We should accept both and face both situations with similar treatment.
Here the poet personifies Triumph and Disaster, capitalizing and. calling them ‘two impostors’ (pretenders or cheaters). People become too happy in success and forget their duty at hand. We may also get too complacent or proud at a small success, reducing our chances to reach higher goals. Again, at bad times, if we are too grieved, we may lose our faith and confidence.
In both cases, our regular course of work is hampered. That is the reason why the poet calls triumph and disaster ‘two impostors’. He asks us to treat those deceivers similarly, with a smiling face. In short, don’t be too happy or too sad under any circumstances.
The narrator also advices his son to have the courage and patience to listen to the things said by him but are modified by some dishonest men. He needs to be strong enough to see the most important things in his life to be broken, he must gather the courage to fix them and start trying again.
We have to bear the tough situations where we see that our speech or statement is distorted by someone to be fool others. Very often we see that people misinterpret or even deliberately distort our words to use it in their favour. We should not lose our temper hearing that. Rather we should tolerate that, ensuring we have spoken the truth. Therefore, the narrator explains:
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
According to the narrator of the poem, we have to hold our nerves even after seeing that our favourite thing that we built with all our effort and time is broken. Then we have to pick up the scattered parts and build it all over again. This is another key to getting to the top of the world, according to the poet.
To keep our cool is not easy in such a situation. But patience and the mental toughness would help us build them again. Indeed, there is a story about Newton that the papers containing his theories were destroyed in fire, and he wrote them again from the beginning. So the poet says:
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools:
The narrator advices us to be able to accumulate all we have and take a risk in one turn of the game of pitch-and-toss. We may lose the game and all our possessions. But we have to stay calm without uttering a word about that loss and rebuild it from the beginning. Here the poet talks about the capability of taking big risks to achieve much greater success and keeping quiet even if we lose the bet. This is yet another aspect of our mental toughness that we need to possess. So, the narrator says:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
The narrator continues the same theme of mental strength and the power of ‘Will’, courage and patience. We have to force our body (heart and nerve and sinew) to serve us even after it has lost the strength due to old age or illness.
Thus we should keep on working driven by the power of ‘Will’ which would ask them (heart and nerve and sinew) to ‘hold on’ compelling them to do their job. If we want to do something great from our heart, the ‘Will’ inside us would prevent the body from getting tired. Indeed, there goes a proverb: “When going gets tough, the tough gets going.’’Therefore, the narrator feels:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
The narrator advices us to stay in touch with people from every class of the society. According to him, we should be able to talk with common mass without losing our virtue or moral values. Again, we should be able to walk with kings without going beyond the reach of the common people. The common touch would help us realize the reality and feel the needs of the society. On the other hand, the noble touch would give us the power and opportunity to reach higher goals. The narrator opines:
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
According to the narrator of the poem, we should build ourselves strong enough, mentally and physically, so that neither enemies nor loving friends can hurt us. Moreover, we should develop healthy relationship with everyone around us, and should not allow anyone to harm us. Thus he says:
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
The narrator explains the importance of ‘time’. According to him, time is precious and a minute is filled with sixty seconds. Time (minute) is here called ‘unforgiving’, as it waits for none and doesn’t forgive him who wastes it. Therefore, we should utilize every minute of our life in productive work. Wasting time is not something we can afford in our short lifespan. Hence he says:
If Poem Summary in Telugu
రుడ్యార్డ్ కిప్లింగ్ (1865-1936) భారతదేశంలోని బొంబాయిలో జన్మించారు, ఒక ఆంగ్ల కవి మరియు నవలా రచయిత. అతను తన పిల్లల పుస్తకాలకు జ్ఞ్రాపకం చేసుకున్నాడు, అందులో ఎప్పటికీ జనాదరణ పొందిన ది జంగిల్ బుక్కాండ్ కిమ్ మరియు రాజ్ సమయంలో భారతదేశంలో బ్రిటిష్ వారి గురించి రాసిన అనేక ఆనందాన్ని పొందాడు.
అతను మొదట రాయడం ప్రారంభించినప్పుడు అతని వయస్సు దాదాపు పదకొండు సంవత్సరాలు. కిప్లింగ్కు 1907 లో సాహిత్యంలో నోబెల్ బహుమతి లభించింది మరియు అనేక సార్లు నైట్హుడ్ను అందించారు, అయినప్పటికీ అతను గౌరవాన్ని తిరస్కరించాడు. అతని వలసవాదం మరియు అతి పురుష స్వరం గురించి పాఠకుల అభిప్రాయాలు ఇప్పుడు చాలా తక్కువ రుచికరంగా కనిపిస్తున్నందున అతని రచన కొంత పరిశీలనలో ఉంది.
1895 లో బ్రిటీష్ కవి రుడ్యార్డ్ కిప్లింగ్ రాసిన ప్రస్తుత కవిత “ఇఫ్”. ఇది మొదటగా 1910 లో రూడ్యార్డ్ కిప్లింగ్ కవితల సంకలనమైన “రివార్డ్ అండ్ ఫెయిరీస్” పుస్తకంలోని “బ్రదర్ స్క్రేర్ టోస్” అధ్యాయంలో ప్రచురించబడింది మరియు చిన్న కథల కల్పన. అతను ఒక విడ్డకు తండ్రి సలహా రూపంలో ‘ఇఫ్-‘ రాశాడు. ఇక్కడ, ఆ పిల్లవాడు మరెవరో కాదు, కవి కొడుకు జాన్.
ఆదర్శవంతమైన మానవుడిగా ఎలా ఉండాలో పాఠకులకు దోధించే ఒక రకమైన ఉపదేశ కవిత ఇది. ఆదర్శ మానవుడిగా ఎలా ఉండాలనేది కిప్లింగ్ కవిత. వచనం సలహాల శశేిిని అందజేస్తుంది, దానిని అనుసరించి ఒకరు “మనిషి” కావచ్చు. అందుకే ఈ కవితకు ఒకే అర్థం లేదు. పాఠకులు దానిలో వివిధ రకాల ఆలోచనలను కనుగొనవచ్చు. ఇది నాలుగు చరణాలను కలిగి ఉంటుంది, ఒక్కొక్కటి ఎనిమిది పంక్తులు కలిగి ఉంటుంది. ఇది ఐయాంబిక్ పెంటామీటర్లో ఏ్రాయబడింది.
తన చుట్టూ ఉన్నవారంతా భయాందోళనకు గురై తనపై నిందలు మోపుతున్నప్పుడు, సంక్షోభ పరిస్థితుల్లో ప్రశాంతంగా ఉండమని కథకుడు తండ్రిగా తన కొడుకును ఉద్దేశించి చెప్పడంతో కవిత ప్రారంభమవుతుంది. అతని చుట్టూ ఉన్న ప్రజలందరూ అతనిని నిరుత్సాహపరిచినప్పుడు అతను (తన కొడుకు) తనను తాను విశ్వసించాలి. తనపై, తన నిర్ణయంపై తనకు నమ్మకం ఉన్నప్పటికీ, ప్రజలు చెప్పే అభి(ప్రాయాలను కూడా వినాలి. అందుకే కథకుడు ఇలా అంటాడు:
మీరు మీ గురించి అన్ని ఉన్నప్పుడు మీ తల ఉంచుకోవఛ్చు ఉంటే
వారిది పోగొట్టుకొని మీపై నిందలు వేస్తున్నారు,
మనుషులందరూ మిమ్మల్ని అనుమానిస్తున్నప్పుడు మిమ్మల్ని మీరు విశ్వసించగలిగితే,
కానీ వారి సందేహానికి కూడా అనుమతి ఇవ్వండ్షిమ్
తండ్రి కూడా అతను (తన కొడుకు) ఓపికగా ఉండటం నేర్చుకోవాలని మరియు వేచి ఉండటం ద్వారా చిరాకు పడకూడదని సలహా ఇస్తాడు. ఎవరైనా అతనికి చెడు చేస్తే లేదా అతని గురించి అబద్ధాలు మాట్లాడినట్లయితే, అతను తిరిగి చెడు చేయకూడదు. అతను ప్రజలచే ద్వేషించబడినట్లయితే, అతను ప్రతిఫలంగా ద్వేషించకూడదు, బదులుగా సానుకూలంగా ఉండాలి.
అప్పుడు అతను తన కొడుకును ప్రజలకు చూపించవద్దని లేదా అహంకారంగా ప్రవర్తించవద్దని సలహా ఇస్తాడు. పైన పేర్కొన్న ఈ మంచి లక్షణాలన్నిందినీ సంపాదించిన తర్వాత, ప్రజలు సాథారణంగా గర్వపడతారు మరియు వారు ఎంత మంచివారో చూపించడానికి మొగ్గు చూపుతారు.
కానీ, అలా వెళ్లవద్దని కవి హెచ్చరించాడు. అలాంటప్పుడు, ఇతరులు మా కంపెనీలో అసౌకర్యంగా భావిస్తారు మరియు మమ్మల్ని తప్పించుకుంటారు. ఇతరులు కూడా.మనం తప్పు అని నిరూపించడానికి ప్రయత్నించవచ్చు, ఇది అనారోగ్యకరమైన పోటీకి దారి తీస్తుంది. కథకుడు వివరిస్తాడు:
మీరు వేచి ఉండి, వేచి ఉండి అలసిపోకుండా ఉండగలిగితే,
లేదా అబద్ధం చెప్పబడినా, అబద్ధాలతో వ్యవహరించవద్దు,
లేదా అసహ్యించుకోవడం, ద్వేషించడానికి మార్గం ఇవ్వకండి,
మరియు ఇంకా చాలా మంచిగా కనిపించవద్దు లేదా చాలా తెలివిగా మాట్లాడవద్దు
కథకుడు తన కొడుకుకు ఉన్నతమైన కలలు కనడం మంచిదని, ఆశయాలు మరియు లక్ష్యాలను కలిగి ఉండాలని సలహా ఇస్తూనే ఉంటాడు, అయితే అతను తన కలలు అతనిని పాలించేలా చేయకూడదు. అతను వాస్తవికతతో సంబంధాన్ని కోల్పోకూడదు.
అతను తన భవిష్యత్తు గురించి ఆలోచించి, దాని కోసం ప్లాన్ చేస్తే, అతను ఆలోచిస్తూ కూర్చోకూడదు. అతను ప్రణాళికల ప్రకారం పని చేయాలి. అతను విజయం సాధించినా లేదా వైఫల్యాన్ని ఎదుర్కొన్నా, అతను వాటిని సమానంగా చూడాలి. కాబట్టి, కథకుడు మనకు సలహా ఇస్తాడు:
మీరు కలలు కనగలిగితే – మరియు కలలను మీ యజమానిగా చేసుకోకుంట్ష్మే
మీరు ఆలోచించగలిగితే – మరియు ఆలోచనలను మీ లక్ష్మం చేసుకోకుండ్షామ
కథకుడు అతను (తన కొడుకు) విజయం సాధిస్తే దానిలో నివసించకూడదని మరియు అతను వైఫల్యాన్ని ఎదుర్కొంటే తనను తాను కుప్పకూలిపోకూడదని చెప్పొడు. అవి తన దృష్టి మరల్చడానికి అతను అనుమతించకూడదు ఎందుకంటే అవి రెండూ ఎక్కువ కాలం ఉండవు.
జీవితం అనేది విజయం మరియు వైఫల్యం, ఆనందం మరియు దుఃఖం, మంచి సమయాలు మరియు చెడు సమయాల కలయిక. మేము రెండింటినీ అంగీకరించాలి మరియు ఒకే విధమైన చికిత్సతో రెండు పరిస్థితులను ఎదుర్కోవాలి. ఇక్కడ కవి విజయాన్ని మరియు విపత్తును వ్యక్తీకరిస్తాడు, వాటిని క్యాపిటలైజ్ చేసి ‘ఇద్దరు మోసగాళ్లు’ (నటించేవారు లేదా మోసగాళ్ళు) అని పిలుస్తాడు.
ప్రజలు విజయంలో చాలా సంతోషంగా ఉంటారు మరియు చేతిలో ఉన్న తమ కర్తవ్యాన్ని మరచిపోతారు. ఒక చిన్న విజయానికి మనం చాలా ఆత్మసంతృప్తి చెందవచ్చు లేదా గర్వపడవచ్చు, ఉన్నత లక్ష్మాలను చేరుకునే అవకాశాలను తగ్గించుకోవచ్చు. మళ్ళీ, చెడు సమయాల్లో,
మనం చాలా డుకఖానికి గురైతే, మన పిశ్నాసం మరియు విశ్వాసాన్ని కోల్పోవచ్చు. రెండు సందర్భాల్లో, మా సాధారణ పనికి ఆటంకం ఏర్పుడుతుంది. విజయం మరియు విపత్తులను ‘ఇద్దరు మోసగాళ్లు’ అని కవి అనడానికి కారణం అరే. ఆ హోసగాణ్లోతో ఇలాగే ప్రవర్తించమ: నప్వే ముఖంతో అడుగుతాడు.
సంక్షిస్తంగా, ఎట్టి పరిస్థితుల్లోనూ చూలా సంతోషింగా లేణా చాలా విచారంగా ఉండకండి. కఠకుడు డీన కొడుకు చెప్పే విషయాలను వినడానికి ధైర్యం మరియు సహనం కలిగి ఉండాలని సలహా ఇస్తాడు, అయితే కొంతమంది నిజాయితీ లేని ప్యక్తులు వాటిని సవరించారు.
తన జీవితంలో చాలా ముఖ్యమైన పషషయాలు వికిగోపడాన్ని ఢూసేంత దృఢంగా ఉండాలి, వాటిని సరిదిద్దడానికి ధైర్యాన్ని కూడగట్టుకోవాలి మరియు ముల్లీ ప్రయత్నించడం ప్రారంభించాలి. మన ప్రసంగం లేదా ప్రకటన వక్రీకరించబడిందని మనం చూసే కఠినమైన పరిస్థితులను ముం భరించాలి. ఎవరైనా ఇతరులను మోసం చేయడానికి.
చాలా తరచుగా, ప్యక్తులు మన పదాలను ఆమకు అసుకూలంగా ఉపయోగించుకోవడానికి తప్పుగా అర్థం చేసుకోవడం లేదా ఉద్దేశపూర్వాకంగా వక్రీకరించడం మనం చూస్తాము. అది పని మనం కోపాన్ని కోల్పోకూడదు. దానికి బదులు మనం సిజమే హాట్లాడామని నిర్ధారించుకుని సహించాలి. కాబట్టి, కథకుడు ఇలా వివరించాడు:
మీరు మాట్లాడిన నిజం ఎనడానికి మీరు సహించగలిగితే
మూర్చుల కోస్ ఉచ్చు చేయుడానికి కత్తులతో వక్రీకరించబడింది,
కవితా కథకుడు చెప్పిన ప్రకారం, మసమంతా కష్టపడి, సమయంతో నిర్మించుకున్న మనకు ఇష్టమైన వస్తువు విచ్ధీన్నైందని చూసిన తర్దాత కూడా ము నరాలు పట్టుకోవాలి. అప్పుడు మేము చెల్లాచెదురుగా ఉన్న ఇది మరొక కీలకం. అలాంటి పరస్థితుల్లో మన్.
చల్లగా ఉంచుకోవడం అంత సులభం కొదు. కానీ ఓర్పురియు మాససిక దృఢత్రం హటిని మళ్లీ నిర్మించడంలో మాకు సహాయపతాయి. నిజానికి, న్యూటన్ గురించి ఒక కథ ఉంది, అతి సిడ్ధాంతాలను కలిగి ఉన్న పత్లాలు అగ్నిలో ధ్డంసమయ్ణాయి మరియు అతను వాటిని మొదటి నుంజ ముట్లీ ఱాసాడు. కాబట్టి కవి ఇలా అంటాడు:
మీరు మీ విజయాలన్నింటీనీ ఒక కుప్పగా చేయగలిగితే
మురియు పిచ్-అండ్-టాస్ యెక్క ఒక మలుపులో దాన్ని రిస్క్ చేయండి,
మురియు ఓడిపేయి, మీ ప్రారంభంలో మళ్లీ ప్రారంభించండి
మరియు మీ నష్టం గురించి ఎప్కుడూ ఉపిపి పీల్చుకోకండ్ష్మి
థీనారేటర్ మానసిక బలం మరియు ‘విల్’ యొక్క శక్తి, ధైర్యం మరియు సహనం యొక్క అదే ఇతివృత్తాన్ని కొనసాగిస్తాడు. వృద్ధాప్యం లేదా అనారోగ్యం కారణంగా బలం కోల్పోయిన తర్వాత కూడా మన శరీరం (గుండె మరియు నరాలు మరియు నరములు) బలవంతంగా మనకు సేవ చేయాలి.
అందువల్ల మనం ‘విల్’ యొక్క శక్తితో పని చేస్తూనే ఉండాలి, అది వారిని (గుండె మరియు నరాలు మరియు నాడీ) వారి పనిని చేయమని బలవంతం చేస్తూ ‘పట్టుకోమని’ అడుగుతుంది. మనం మన హృదయం నుండి ఏదైనా గొప్ప పని చేయాలనుకుంటే, మనలోని ‘సంకల్పం’ శరీరం అలసిపోకుండా చేస్తుంది. నిజాసికి, ఒక సామెత ఉంది: “వెళ్లడం కఠినంగా ఉన్నప్పుడు, కఠినమైనది వెళుతుంది.” కాబట్టి, కథకుడు ఇలా భావిస్తాడు:
మీరు మీ హృదయాన్ని మరియు నరాలను బలవంతం చేయగలిగితే
వారు పోయిన చాలా కాలం తర్వాత మీ వంతు సేవ చేయడానికి,
మరియు మీలో ఏమీ లేనప్పుడు పట్టుకోండి
వారితో చెప్పే వీలునామా తప్ప: ‘పట్టుకోండి!’
సమాజంలోని ప్రతి తరగతి వ్యక్తులతో సన్నిహితంగా ఉండాలని కథకుడు మనకు సలహా ఇస్తాడు. అతని ప్రకారం, మనం మన ధర్మాన్ని లేదా నైతిక విలువలను కోల్పోకుండా సాధారణ మాస్తో మాట్లాడగలగాలి. మళ్ళీ, మనం సామాన్య ప్రజల పరిధిని దాటి వెళ్లకుండా రాజులతో కలిసి సడవగలగాలి.
ఉమ్మడి స్పర్శ మనకు వాస్తవికతను గ్రహించడంలో మరియు సమాజ అవసరాలను అనుభూతి చెందడంలో సహాయపడుతుంది. మరోవైపు, ఉదాత్తమైన స్పర్శ మనకు ఉన్నత లక్ష్మాలను చేరుకోవడానికి శక్తిని మరియు అవకాశాన్ని ఇస్తుంది. కథకుడు అభిప్రాయపడ్డాడు:
జనాలతో మాట్లాడి నీ ధర్మాన్ని కాపాడుకోగలిగితే.
లేదా రాజులతో నడవండి-లేదా సాధారణ స్పర్శను కోల్పోకండి.
పద్యం ఝొక్క వ్యాఖ్యాత ప్రకారం, శత్రువులు తేదా పేమగల స్నేహితులు మనలను బాధపెట్టకుండా ఉండటానికి, మానసికంగా మరియు శారీరకంగా ఆీగినంతగా మనల్ని మనం నిర్మించుకోవాలి. అంతేకాకుండా, మన చుట్టూ ఉన్న ప్రతి ఒక్కరితో మనం ఆరోగ్యకరమైన సంబండాన్ని పెంపొందించుకోవాలి మరియు మనకు హాని కలిగించడానికి ఎవరినీ అనుమతించకూడదు. అతను ఇలా చెప్పాడు:
శత్రువులు లేదా (పేమించే స్నేహెతులు మిమ్మల్ని బాధించలేకపోతే,
అన్ని పురుషులు మీతో లెక్కించినట్లంతే, కానీ ఎవరూ ఎక్కువ కాద్ష్ము
కథకుడు ‘సమయం’ (ప్రాముఖ్యను విఉటస్తాడు. అతని ప్రకారం, సమయం విలువైనది మరియు ఒక నిమిషం అరవై సెకన్లతో నిండి ఉంటుంది. సడయాన్ని (నిమిషం) ఇక్కడ ‘క్షమించనిద’ అని పిలుస్తారు, ఎందుకంటే అది ఎవరి కోసం జేచి ఉండదు మరియు దానిని వృథా చేసే వారిని క్షమించదు. అందువల్ల, మన జీవితంలోని ప్రతి నిమిషాన్ని ఉత్పాదక పనిలో ఉపయోగించాలి. సమయాన్ని వృధా చేయడం అనేది మన తక్కువ జీవితకాలంలో భరించగలిగేది కాదు. అందుకే అతను ఇలా అంటాడు:
మీరు క్షమించరాని నిమిషన్ని పూరించగలిగితే
అరవై సెకన్ల విలువైన దూరం పరుగుతో,
చివరగా, కవితలో ఇప్పటివరకు చెప్పిన అన్ని షరతులను నెరవేర్చినట్లయితే మనం ఏదైనా మరియు ప్రతిదీ సాధించగలము అని కథకుడు నమ్మకంగా చెప్పొడు. అతని ప్రకారం, మనం ఈ భూమిని మరియు దానిలోని ప్రతిదాన్ని గెలుచుకోగలము. మనం ప్రపంచంలోని అగ్రస్థానానికి వెళ్లవచ్చు మరియు ప్రతిదానిపైనా పరిపాలించవచ్చు. ఇంకా ఏమిటంటే, మనం పూర్తి మరియు పరిపూర్ణమైన మానవులుగా ఉంటాము.
భూమి మరియు దానిలో ఉన్న ప్రతిదీ మీదే,
మరియు – ఏది ఎక్కువ – మీరు మనిషి అవుతారు, నా కొడుకు!
పద్యం నాటకీయ ఏకపాత్రాభినయం రూపంలో (పేరణాత్మకమైనది. పద్యం యొక్క వ్యాఖ్యాత కావచ్చు, ఒక తండిడి, మంచి మరియు వినయపూర్వకమైన వ్యక్తిగా ఉండటానికి తన కొడుకుకు వివిధ వ్యక్తిత్వ లక్షణాలను వివరిస్తున్నాడు. తండ్రి తన కొడుకుకు తండ్రిలాగా కానీ స్నేహహరర్వకంగా సలహా ఇస్తాడు. స్వరం ఉద్వేగభరితంగా ఉంటుంది కానీ శ్రద్ధగా ఉంటుంది.
If – Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master,
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worm-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
Glossary:
Keep ones head : to remain calm,’ especially under pressure
Make allowance : to take into consideration when making calculations or plans
Triumph and Disaster: success and defeat (personified)
Imposter: a person who pretends to be someone else in order to deceive others
Knave: a dishonest or unscrupulous person
Stoop: to bend one’s head or body forwards and downwards
Pitch-and-toss: a gambling game in which the player who manages to throw a coin closest to a mark gets to toss all the coins, winning those that land with the head up
Sinew: a piece of tough tissue connecting muscle and bone
Common touch: the ability to empathise with common people and not feel superior to them
Foe: enemy
The unforgiving minute: referring to how time does not wait for anyone.