Subaltern Perspective of the British Empire in Kipling’s Kim

Abstract

The present article explores the subaltern ideology of the British Empire in India in Kipling's novel, Kim. Kipling's view of Indian people's habit, language and the different ways of living the life shows that Indians can be out witted and dominated by the British. In the novel Kim, Kipling has mentioned that Indians lack sense of time and do believe in their ability to tell a lie. It is somewhat drowned in Orientalist ideals and British colonialism. Kipling seems to be a little bigoted towards the Empire. The article seeks to demonstrate a gap between the natives and the European officials. Kipling as a colonialist admires the work of the civil servants who bring European inventions and the so called progress to this part of the world which he considers inferior to the West. But at the same time he points out the mistakes they make. This research paper elaborates the research hypothesis that the British treat Indians as inferior and assume themselves as the rulers. It explores the real intentions of the west to dominate east in the great game of the principle of domination.