Rudyard Kipling
| Name: | Rudyard Kipling |
| Also Known As: | |
| Occupation: | author |
| Medium: | novels, poetry |
| Works: | |
| Official Website(s): | |
| Fan Website(s): | |
| On Fanlore: | Related pages |
Rudyard Kipling (30/12/1865 – 18/01/1936) was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist. He is famous for his tales and poems of British soldiers in India, but wrote in many other genres including horror, romance, sea stories, fantasy and science fiction. He was extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th C; but his works have since fallen out of fashion due to their association with the British Empire and imperialism, although he was often critical of unthinking Jingoism. His tales for children are on the shelves of most public libraries and have been read eagerly by generations of school age children, with whom he remains popular. Kipling received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907.
Kipling’s fictional works for adults include The Light that Failed, Plain Tales from the Hills, The Phantom Rickshaw and Other Eerie Tales, and The Day’s Work
His books for children include The Jungle Book, Just So Stories, Puck of Pook’s Hill, Rewards and Faries, Captain’s Courageous, Kim, and Stalky & Co.. The latter two could also be said to be aimed at an adult audience due to the themes within them.
His poetry includes "Mandalay", "The White Man’s Burden", "Gunga Din" and "If".
One of his short stories – “The Man Who Would Be King” – was turned into a film, as was Kim. The Jungle Book is an animated Disney film and is one way successive generations of children have initially accessed Kipling's works.
Recurring themes within Kipling’s work include honour and morality, friendship and loyalty, and doing one’s duty. Much of his work is noted for witty banter between characters, humour, and wry commentary on race relations (which is why Kipling's works for adults are now viewed as rooted in imperial tradition and are unfashionable).
Fandom
There is at least one fan club focused on Kipling's works: The Kipling Society, founded in 1927 in the United Kingdom and still active. The Kipling Society publishes a quarterly journal, The Kipling Journal.
There does not appear to be any organised online fanfic activity for Kipling’s works. However, there is a yahoogroup "animejunglebook"[1] This group was founded in 2000 and has 82 members based on its members' love of the Disney version of this novel. It is not the most active group, but members do still post occasionally.
A search of livejournal done by fawatson on 8th January 2012 did not reveal any English-language communities focussing on Kipling's works, but did reveal an individual journal for viceroy_india titled "Plain Tales from the Hills" [2] This suggests there is a (currently disorganised and untapped) interest in Kipling.
However, a search of livejournal done on 8th January 2012 suggests there is a Russian-language community focussing on Kipling's works at ru_kipling titled "Стихи и проза Редьярда Киплинга's Journal" [3] The most recent entry to that community was made in November 2007, which suggests it is now inactive. Quick perusal of entries suggest the community was focussing on the translation of Kipling's poetry from English to Russian.
As rarelit, Kipling's books are often requested in Yuletide and similar gift exchanges, or those focusing on children's fiction, such as Exchange at Fic Corner.
Fanfiction in different Kipling universes
A scattering of fanfiction can be found related to Kipling’s children’s novels. Some authors write their stories as pastiche, taking pains to imitate Kipling's distinctive writing style.
Kim
- "A Piece in the Game "[4] by Fabrisse .
Many years after the events in Kim, 1919, he is once again in play. Kim must decide whether he's Sahib or not.
- "Dreams Should Come True"[5] by rabidsamfan .
Letter from Huree Mukerjee to Colonel Creighton (drabble).
Stalky & Co
- "What Eric Never Knew"[6] by Carene
An illicit sexualised version of the much scorned Eric or Little by Little circulates the College.
- "Out of Bounds"[7] by fawatson .
Stalky & Co get the best of ‘Mister’ (set during the chapter with the Tar Baby).
- "Little Beasts "[8] by palentine (kirsch)
Explicit sex between Stalky, M’Turk and Beetle.
- "Individually Incalculable"[9] by melodiousb
The Padre sets Stalky & Co in motion to protect a new boy from bullying.
- "An Awful Biznai"[10] by rusty_armour
A crossover between Maurice and Stalky & Co. Alec and Maurice are in the trenches where they meet Brigadier Corkran; after Alec is wounded he goes to work on M'Turk's estate as a gamekeeper.
- "King and the Maiden"[11] by Ione
M'Turk encounters a girl who is staying at the Head's house.
- "How The Beetle Got His Name"[12] by fawatson
Stalky takes Beetle under his wing in his first term at the College.
- "A wholly foreign reverence"[13] by HotUtilitarian
Stalky reflects, with some personal inference, upon the Animal Boy.
The Jungle Book
- "Jungle Favour Go With Thee"[14] by SullenSiren
About Mowgli's life post-book.
- "Ophidian Like Me"[15] by karrenia_rune
Kaa instructs the younger generation about being a snake.
- "How the Rock Python Made Three Meals Out of One Monkey"[16] by Minutia_R
A story of Kaa and the foolhardiness of the Bandar-Log.
- "Master Words"[17] by Katherine
Mowgli and Hathor are caught in a pit trap.
- Jungle Book tag at the AO3 (24 works as of 25th June 2016)
Puck of Pook's Hill
- "Else the Puck a Liar Call"[18] by petrichoral
In discussion with the Dragon, Puck explains just why he has been telling the children stories.
- "Rings and Roundelays"[19] by greerwatson
Christmas at Pook's Hill brings another encounter with Puck.
Crossovers
- "The Impressionists - Part Two"[20] by fawatson
Crossover between Stalky & Co and Kim - A tale of Kim and Stalky on campaign in India.
- "The Heart Sutra"[21] by CenozoicSynapsid
Crossover between Plain Tales from the Hills and Kim - The Great Game at Dunhuang Monastery.
- "The Bisara of the Hills"[22] by fawatson
Crossover between Plain Tales from the Hills, Kim, and Stalky & Co - Strickland on campaign in Northwest India.
References
- ^ "animejunglebook" Accessed 8th January 2012.
- ^ http://viceroy-india.livejournal.com/ "Plain Tales from the Hills"] Accessed 8th January 2012.
- ^ http://ru-kipling.livejournal.com/ "Стихи и проза Редьярда Киплинга's Journal"] Accesed 6th January 2012.
- ^ "A Piece in the Game" written by Fabrisse as a gift for Umbralpilot in Yuletide 2015 Accessed 25th June 2016.
- ^ "Dreams Should Come True " written by rabidsamfan as a gift for Bagheera in Yuletide Madness 2015 Accessed 25th June 2016.
- ^ "What Eric Never Knew" written by Carene as a gift for Jane Carnall in Yuletide 2007. Accessed 8th January 2012.
- ^ "Out of Bounds" written by fawatson as a gift for Ione in Yuletide 2009 Accessed 8th January 2012.
- ^ "Little Beasts " written by [palentine (kirsch) Accessed 9th January 2013.
- ^ "Individually Incalculable " written by melodiousb as a gift for fawatson in Yuletide 2012. Accessed 9th January 2013.
- ^ "An Awful Biznai" written by rusty_armour in February 2013. Accessed 26th December 2013.
- ^ "King and the Maiden" written by Ione as a gift for fawatson in Yuletide 2013.
- ^ "How The Beetle Got His Name" written in Exchange at Fic Corner 2015 by fawatson as a gift for greerwatson. Accessed 10 September 2015.
- ^ [http://archiveofourown.org/works/7030546 "A wholly foreign reverence" written by HotUtilitarian Accessed 25 June 2016.
- ^ "jungle Favour Go With Thee" written by SullenSiren as a gift for karrenia_rune in Yuletide 2009. Accessed 8th January 2012.
- ^ "Ophidian Like Me" written as a Yuletide New Year's Resolution 2011 by karrenia_rune for ilyena_sylph. Accessed 8th January 2012.
- ^ "How the Rock Python Made Three Meals Out of One Monkey" written in Exchange at Fic Corner 2014 by Minutia_R for spoke. Accessed 10 September 2015.
- ^ "Master Words" written in Exchange at Fic Corner 2015 by Katherine for Luzula. Accessed 10 September 2015.
- ^ "Else the Puck a Liar Call" written for Yuletide 2013 by petrichoral for pedanther. Accessed 10 September 2015.
- ^ "Rings and Roundelays" written for Exchange at Fic Corner 2015 by greerwatson for fawatson. Accessed 10 September 2015.
- ^ "The Impressionists - Part Two" written for Yuletide 2014 by fawatson for Bagheera. Accessed 10 September 2015.
- ^ "The Heart Sutra" written for Yuletide 2015 by CenozoicSynapsid as a gift for Umbralpilot. Accessed 25 June 2016.
- ^ "The Bisara of the Hills" written as a New Year's Resolution 2016 bu fawatson as a gift for machiavellijr. Accessed 23 Sept 2017.