Poet of the poem, “The Power of the Dog”, Rudyard Kipling is among the best-known of the late Victorian poets and story-writers. He was criticized in the later years of his life for his strong political views, which grew more toxic as he aged and made him unpopular among the masses.

Some scholars have argued that his views were more complicated than he was given credit for. Among the things that accounted for his reputation were Kipling’s works for children. Above all his novel The Jungle Book, first published in 1894, remains part of popular literature influencing cultures all across the globe. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1907.

The Power Of The Dog: Summary

In ‘‘The Power of the Dog’’ Kipling’s evident themes is those of joy and sorrow, as well as interrelationships between humans and animals. Among these relationships, the relationship that Kipling highlights in his poem is that between dogs and humans. It is the main subject of the poem. His poem forms an argument to emphasize the importance of these human-animal relationships in our lives.

Structure

The poem follows the AABBCC rhyme scheme and consists of five stanzas, each consisting of six lines.

Stanza wise Analysis

Stanza 1

The poet begins by highlighting a simple, mundane fact, that there is enough sorrow in the world, in the lives of men and women. There is a perpetual loop of suffering. He then asks a question- why o we then “arrange for more” when we already have abundance of grief and sorrow. He then warns the reader addressing them as “brothers and sisters” about giving our hearts away to a dog, which can be heartbreaking. When one allows a dog into their life they are willingly giving the dog their “heart…to tear”.

Stanza 2

He lists all the delightful facts about the human-animal relationship. He states how buying a ‘pup’ can buy an unflinching amount of happiness, along with perfect passion-so much so that the pup will worship the human when the humans “… kick in the ribs or a pat on the head” They have a loyalty that is unwavering.

However the poet again cautiously warns the racers towards the close of the para that it is hardly fair to risk heartbreak for all of these above.

Stanza 3

When the fourteen dog years come to a close with the last stages of a dog’s life entailing –

“…asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,…”

We might find a heartbreaking moment in our lives just because we gave our hearts to the love of a dog.

Stanza 4

In this stanza, the poet comes to the facts that surround a dog’s death, when its body lies “stilled (how still!)” and “When the spirit that answered your every mood/Is gone” one will then discover how much this relationship meant.

Stanza 5

The speaker believes that “We,” the human race, have enough sorrow “in the natural way” without dogs, especially when it comes to “to burying Christian clay”. He states how our love is not given away but only lent, accumulating compound interests. The longer we keep this love the more we grieve, for –

“For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long”

But, the next lines add, that this is not always the case. The longer the love exists does not make it stronger. Dogs only live for around 14 years but the love we bear for them is much greater.

The Power Of The Dog: Literary Devices

The poem is replete with literary devices. For instance, the poet uses caesura to split the sentences into two halves as in the fifth line of the third stanza which reads: “Then you will find—it’s your own affair”. He has also used personification in the third stanza. He capitalizes on “Nature” to give it more agency than it actually has.

It chooses, as if sentient, the period in which a dog can live. Kipling has also made use of alliteration. The fourth line of stanza 4 also provides the reader with a good example of alliteration with the repetition of the words “gone,” “goes,” and “good”.  He uses an extended metaphor comparing love to money and loans that are “lent” for a period of time. He relates this to interest and how over time like money, and more love should accumulate.

FAQs

What is the ‘power of the dog‘ by Rudyard Kipling about?

The relationship that Kipling highlights in his poem is that between dogs and humans. It is the main subject of the poem. His poem forms an argument to emphasize the importance of these human-animal relationships in our lives.

When did Rudyard Kipling write ‘The Power of the Dog’?

“Power of the Dog” was written in 1922.

What is the theme of ‘the power of the dog‘?

In ‘‘The Power of the Dog’’ Kipling’s evident themes is those of joy and sorrow, as well as interrelationships between humans and animals. Among these relationships, the relationship that Kipling highlights in his poem is Sthat between dogs and humans.