IF BY RUDYARD KIPLING (Questions & Answers)

 

IF BY RUDYARD KIPLING

STANZA BY STANZA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

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First Stanza

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.

Questions and Answers

1. Q: What does the poet mean by "keep your head when all about you are losing theirs"?
   A: The poet advises maintaining calmness and composure when others are panicking or behaving irrationally.

2. Q: How should one react when others doubt them?
   A: One should trust oneself while understanding and respecting the doubts of others.

3. Q: What does the poet suggest about waiting?
   A: The poet suggests being patient and not getting weary of waiting for results.

4. Q: What is the poet’s advice regarding lies and hatred?
   A: The poet advises not to lie in response to lies or hate in response to hatred.

5. Q: What does "don’t look too good, nor talk too wise" mean?
   A: It means to stay humble and not appear arrogant or over confident.

 

Second Stanza

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 worn-out tools.

Questions and Answers

1. Q: What does the poet mean by "dream—and not make dreams your master"?
   A: One should dream but not become overly obsessed or controlled by those dreams.

2. Q: How should one treat Triumph and Disaster? Why are they called "impostors"?
   A: One should treat success (Triumph) and failure (Disaster) with equal composure because neither defines the true essence of life permanently.

3. Q: What is the significance of "stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools"?
   A: It signifies resilience and determination to rebuild one's life despite challenges or limited resources.

4. Q: How should one react when their words are twisted by others?
   A: One should remain calm and not lose faith in oneself, even if their truth is misused.

 

Third Stanza

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!’

Questions and Answers

1. Q: What is the poet’s advice about taking risks?
   A: The poet suggests being willing to take risks and to start afresh without complaining if one faces loss.

2. Q: What does "force your heart and nerve and sinew" mean?
   A: It means pushing oneself beyond physical and emotional limits by using sheer determination and willpower.

3. Q: What does the line "And so hold on when there is nothing in you except the Will" signify?
   A: It signifies the power of perseverance and inner strength, even when everything else seems to fail.

    

   
   
   

   Fourth Stanza

   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!

   Questions and Answers

4. Q: What does the poet mean by "keep your virtue" while talking with crowds?
   A: It means staying true to one’s moral values and integrity even when influenced by others.

5. Q: What does "nor lose the common touch" imply?
   A: It means remaining humble and grounded even while associating with powerful or important people.

6. Q: How should one handle relationships with friends and foes?
   A: One should avoid being overly affected by either praise or criticism from friends or enemies.

7. Q: What is meant by "fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run"?
   A: It means making the most of every moment and utilizing time effectively and productively.

8. Q: What is the reward for following all the advice in the poem?
   A: The reward is mastery over life, symbolized by "the Earth and everything that’s in it," and the fulfillment of becoming a true, virtuous individual.

    

   

   EXTRA QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

   Q. What is the message of the poem IF?

   Answer:  The poem If by Rudyard Kipling is a timeless guide to personal growth and maturity. It conveys the importance of qualities like patience, resilience, humility, and self-belief. The poet encourages the reader to remain calm and composed during difficult times, to trust oneself while respecting others' opinions, and to treat success and failure with the same attitude. It also emphasizes the value of hard work, perseverance, and making the most of every moment. Kipling advises against arrogance and hatred, urging readers to stay humble and balanced, regardless of their circumstances. Ultimately, the poem teaches that true success lies in developing strong character and moral integrity. If one can live by these principles, they will achieve not only worldly success but also the fulfillment of becoming a complete and honorable person.

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