The White Mans

Burden
 Discussion Question
Think back to our lecture on the 5 motives of
imperialism. Which motive would the concept of the
white mans burden fall under and why?

Economic, Political, Religious, Exploratory, Ideological

 White Mans Burden
Poem written by Rudyard
Kipling in 1899

Response to America taking

over the Philippine islands

Main theme:
Moral burden of white society
to civilize other places.
Discussion: Analyze the picture. How does it represent the concept of the white
mans burden?
Lets Analyze the Poem
 Stanza 1
Take up the White Mans burden How does the poem view the
Send for the best ye breed native people? What does it
call them?
Go bind your sons to exile

To serve your captives need;

To wait in heavy harness, What happens to the white

On fluttered folk and wild sons? Does it sound like
they will enjoy their burden?
Your new-caught, sullen peoples,

Half-devil and half child.

 Stanza 2
Take up the White Mans burden Who do you think is getting
In patience to abide, the profit and gain in this
stanza? Defend your
To veil the threat of terror
answer.
And check the show of pride;

By open speech and simple,

A hundred times made plain

To seek anothers profit,

And work anothers gain.

 Independent Work
Complete the rest of the stanzas individually on Google Classroom
 Response to Kipling
The Real "White Man's Burden"
Take up the White Man's burden;
Send forth your sturdy sons, Many responses to Kiplings
And load them down with whisky poem:
And Testaments and guns.

Throw in a few diseases The Black Mans Burden

To spread in tropic climes, The Brown Mans Burden
For there the healthy n*!#^** The Poor Mans Burden
Are quite behind the times. The Real White Mans Burden
The White Mans Burden: Uncle
Take up the White Man's burden, Sam to Kipling
And teach the Philippines
What interest and taxes are
And what a mortgage means.

Give them electrocution chairs,

And prisons, too, galore,
And if they seem inclined to kick,
Then spill their heathen gore.