Language

Style of writing

The language in “The White Man’s Burden” by Rudyard Kipling is generally formal. One feature of style is the frequent use of the imperative when it comes to verbs, such as: “Take up the White Man’s Burden”. This has to do with the fact that the poem is an appeal to the white man to take his moral duty to civilise other peoples upon him. The speaker of the poem is virtually ordering his couyntrymen to act.

Another feature linked to the verbs is that the poem includes several verbs of action, such as “take up” and “make”.  These help enhance the speaker’s call to action and makes it a rather energetic poem. 

In terms of word choice, many negative words are used in connection with the colonised lands and their inhabitants. For example, the newly formed colonies s...

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