Analysis of The Beginning

Rudyard Kipling 1865 (Mumbai) – 1936 (London)



It was not part of their blood,
It came to them very late
With long arrears to make good,
When the English began to hate.

They were not easily moved,
They were icy-willing to wait
Till every count should be proved,
Ere the English began to hate.

Their voices were even and low,
Their eyes were level and straight.
There was neither sign nor show,
When the English began to hate.

It was not preached to the crowd,
It was not taught by the State.
No man spoke it aloud,
When the English began to hate.

It was not suddenly bred,
It will not swiftly abate,
Through the chill years ahead,
When Time shall count from the date
That the English began to hate.


Scheme xaxA baba cacA dadA eaeaa
Poetic Form
Metre 1111111 1111101 1101111 10100111 1011001 10101011 11001111 10100111 11001001 1101001 1110111 10100111 1111101 1111101 111101 10100111 1111001 1111001 101101 1111101 10100111
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 649
Words 127
Sentences 8
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 5
Lines Amount 21
Letters per line (avg) 24
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 102
Words per stanza (avg) 25
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 03, 2023

38 sec read
264

Rudyard Kipling

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist chiefly remembered for his tales and poems of British soldiers in India and his tales for children. more…

All Rudyard Kipling poems | Rudyard Kipling Books

33 fans

Discuss this Rudyard Kipling poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Beginning" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/33370/the-beginning>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    1
    day
    21
    hours
    52
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    Who wrote this? 'Look on my Works, ye Mightyand despair!'
    A William Shakespeare
    B S.T. Coleridge
    C William Wordsworth
    D P. B. Shelley