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Rudyard Kipling painted in 1891 by John Collier.

Author - Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling wrote vivid tales and poems about empire, childhood and adventure. This quiz explores his stories, ideas and reputation, inviting you to test what you know.

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Fascinating Fact:

Kipling’s work frequently reflects the British Empire, and his views on empire have made him a controversial figure today.

In Specialist Books, this quiz looks at Rudyard Kipling as an influential author of fiction and verse, exploring his adventure stories, imperial settings, narrative voice and the debates his work still sparks.

Key Terms

Imperial literature: Writing that is set in, or comments on, empires and their colonies, including the people who rule and the people who are ruled.
Narrator: The voice that tells the story, which may or may not share the author’s own opinions and experiences.
Short story: A brief piece of fiction that focuses on one main event, character or idea instead of a long, complex plot.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

Who was Rudyard Kipling?

Rudyard Kipling was a British writer born in India in 1865. He became famous for stories and poems about empire, childhood, war and adventure, and won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

What are Rudyard Kipling's most famous books?

Kipling is best known for The Jungle Book, Kim and the Just So Stories, along with poems such as “If” and “Gunga Din” and many short stories.

Why do some people criticise Rudyard Kipling's writing?

Some readers criticise Kipling because parts of his work support the British Empire and use stereotypes about colonised peoples, which many people today see as racist or harmful.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Which 1888 short story was adapted into a 1975 film starring Sean Connery and Michael Cain?

The Man Who Would Be God

The Man Who Would Be Immortal

The Man Who Would Be King

The Man Who Would Be Wise

The film also featured Christopher Plummer, playing Kipling

2 .

In which country was Kipling born in 1865?

Burma

China

India

Malaya

He was born in Bombay, what is now Mumbai

3 .

Which 1895 poem is a memorable evocation of the British 'stiff upper lip'?

But

How

Why

The poem is written as if it were advice to Kipling's son, John, who was killed at the Battle of Loos in 1915

4 .

In which English county is Kipling's house, Batemans, which was bequeathed to the National Trust after his death?

Suffolk

Surrey

East Sussex

West Sussex

It's in the village of Burwash

5 .

In the famous poem Gunga Din, what is the title character's job?

Cook

Groom

Valet

Waterboy

Gunga Din saves the life of a soldier but dies doing so. At the end of the poem the soldier rues his poor treatment of the boy who he now regards as a better man than himself

6 .

In the novel Kim, what is Kim's real first name?

Kimball

Kimberley

Kimbuktu

Kimbush

Kimball "Kim" O'Hara is the orphan son of an Irish soldier in India, reduced to begging for a living

7 .

Which American writer did Kipling meet in Elmira, New York in 1889?

Henry James

Edgar Allan Poe

Mark Twain

Walt Whitman

Kipling spent seven months travelling from India to Britain via Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, the USA and Canada

8 .

One of the Just So Stories tells how which animal got his skin?

The hippopotamus

The leopard

The rhinoceros

The tiger

There are 13 stories in all and they explain, amongst other things, How the Camel Got His Hump, How the Leopard Got His Spots and How the Elephant got his Trunk

9 .

In what year was Kipling awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature?

1897

1907

1927

1937

He was the first English speaker to win the prize, which he was awarded... "In consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterise the creations of this world-famous author"

10 .

What was the title of the Kipling poem that was first published in McClure's magazine in 1899?

The White Man's Burden

The White Man's Conscience

The White Man's Legacy

The White Man's Responsibility

The poem concerns the ceding of the Philippines to the United States

Author: Tony Rennick (Art and Literature Critic)