Question

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

–“If,”
Rudyard Kipling

How is the title of Kipling’s poem "If” also an example of repetition?

Answer 1

The title "If" in Rudyard Kipling's poem serves as an example of repetition because the word itself is repeated throughout the poem. Each stanza begins with "If," which sets up a conditional scenario and reflects the poem's overarching theme of resilience and composure in the face of adversity. This repetition emphasizes the various conditions and challenges that the speaker addresses, creating a rhythmic structure that reinforces the idea of achieving personal strength and integrity under different circumstances. The repeated use of "If" invites the reader to reflect on the potential outcomes and qualities that arise from maintaining one's principles in difficult situations.