Structure

The poem “The White Man’s Burden” is structured into seven stanzas, and each of the stanzas has eight lines. This is a traditional form of poetry.

The poem has a traditional rhyme scheme, too. It reads ABCBDEFE, using alternate rhymes on the even-numbered lines (underlined):

Take up the White Man’s burden – A
And reap his old reward: B
The blame of those ye better, C
The hate of those you guard – B
The cry of hosts ye humour D
(Ah, slowly!) toward the light: – E
‘Why brought ye us from bondage, F
Our loved Egyptian night?’ E

The use of end rhyme creates a sense of rhythm and harmony in the poem. The rhyme sceme is followed very strictly, which might underline how the white man will have to steel himself and keep going in his endless persuit to civilise the natives. 

The poem also features rhyme in the form of alliteration, such a...