Question

According to the poem, what is the white mans burden?

A: The white mans burden, according to the poem, is to free other peoples from tyranny
B: The white mans burden, according to the poem, is the responsibility to amend past grievances
C: The white mans burden, according to the poem, is to civilize those deemed uncivilized
D: The white mans burden, according to the poem, is to spread freedom to other industrialized nations

Answer 1

The white man's burden, according to Kipling's poem, is the duty of Western colonizers to civilize non-Western people and societies. It is framed as a noble effort, despite its oppressive nature.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Rudyard Kipling's poem 'The White Man's Burden: The United States and The Philippine Islands,' the concept of the white man's burden is the belief that it is the duty of European colonizers to civilize non-Western societies. The poem suggests that this burden is characterized by sacrificing the colonizers' sons, investing in the colonies, and introducing Western cultural norms, which are deemed superior. This imperialist ideology justified the control and transformation of conquered nations, presenting it as a noble endeavor despite the often exploitative and oppressive realities. The poem written by Rudyard Kipling in 1899, titled 'The White Man's Burden: The United States and The Philippine Islands,' encouraged the United States to take up the 'burden' of imperialism, as other European nations had done. It portrayed the belief that Western civilization was superior and that it was the responsibility of white colonizers to bring their culture and values to other societies.