Analyzing The Poem White Man's Burden

1. This poem is describing how many people felt during this period of time. Parts of the world such as Europe and The United States were looking to expand their might through means of imperialism. The title of the poem, White Man’s Burden, was used specifically because white men, at this time, thought they were superior and these “lesser countries” could not fend for themselves because they were nonwhite. One quote in the poem really helps drives this feeling of superiority into the reader, “Your new-caught, sullen peoples, Half-devil and half-child.” (Kipling, 1) The quote shows that it was okay for these countries to go into other lands to spread their culture and rule, because the native people living there are not capable of taking care of it. Many …show more content…
(Traditions and Encounters, 531) Politically missionaries and evangelicals were going to countries like India and Africa to convert people to new religions, thus justifying the imperialism movement with the use of religion. (Notes, 3/23) Also, cultural was a major reason of justification to why imperialism happened, because it gave conquering people reason to invade, “…European powers routinely justified foreign intervention as their duty to civilize “backward” peoples.” (Traditions and Encounters, 532) White Man’s Burden also gives a justification to imperialism, “To veil the threat of terror And check the show of pride,” thus giving these nations a reason to take over because they must protect their nation and shoe their pride. The positives and negatives of imperialism were on two different spectrums. The countries that invaded and took over lands were given resources such as land, crops, and raw materials, Great Britain’s rule in India brought many things, “…encouraged the cultivation of crops, such as tea, coffee, and opium…” (Traditions and Encounters,