The White Man's Burden | AustLit: Discover Australian Stories

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Source: The Wagga Worker, 18 August, 1900, p.2

The White Man's Burden single work poetry satire "Take up the White Man's burden,"

Author:agent J. K. McDougall

Issue Details: First known date: 1900... 1900 The White Man's Burden

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Notes

This poem was originally written at the time of the Boer War as a scathing condemnation of capitalism, imperialism and war. It resurfaced during World War I, at the time of the 1915 and 1917 federal elections, when McDougall's political opponents tried to use the poem in order to discredit him. In 1919, a group of recently returned ex-servicemen were so outraged by the poem that they tarred and feathered McDougall, whom they regarded as fair game given his support for the anti-conscription cause.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Note: This version has several additional stanzas which did not appear in the 1900 Wagga Worker version - including the stanza beginning 'Ye are the fools and flunkeys', which during World War I, McDougall's political opponents claimed slandered Diggers.

Appears in:

y The Horsham Times no. 5630 16 February 1915 6312651 1915 newspaper issue 1915
(
1915
)
pg. 1
Appears in:

y The Trend of the Ages and Other Verses J. K. McDougall , Melbourne : Labor Call Print , 1922 Z1249084 1922 selected work poetry Melbourne : Labor Call Print , 1922
(
1922
)
pg. 96-98
Note: Printed under title of poem: Written 1902.
Appears in:

y Australian Verse from 1805 : A Continuum Geoffrey Dutton (editor), Adelaide : Rigby , 1976 Z399014 1976 anthology Adelaide : Rigby , 1976
(
1976
)
pg. 85-
Appears in:

y The Penguin Book of Australian Satirical Verse Australian Satirical Verse Philip Neilsen (editor), Ringwood New York (City) : Penguin , 1986 Z517595 1986 anthology poetry extract satire humour war literature Ringwood New York (City) : Penguin , 1986
(
1986
)
pg. 126-129
Appears in:

y Australian Verse : An Oxford Anthology John Leonard (editor), Melbourne : Oxford University Press , 1998 Z461207 1998 anthology poetry (taught in 1 units) Abstract A thorough survey of poetry by Australians in English, beginning with a selection of contemporary work by younger poets, and going backward in time to the early colonial period. In addition to poems in the literary tradition, it indudes performance poetry, convict songs and old bush ballads. An extensive selection has been provided from the work of five major twentieth-century poets: Les Murray, Gwen Harwood, Judith Wright, A.D. Hope and Kenneth Slessor. Several features are provided to assist the reader: the date of first publication of each poem is provided; footnotes explain unfamiliar words and allusions; and brief biographical notes assist in locating each poet in his or her place in time. Melbourne : Oxford University Press , 1998
(
1998
)
pg. 305-308
Appears in:

y The Puncher & Wattmann Anthology of Australian Poetry John Leonard (editor), Glebe : Puncher and Wattmann , 2009 Z1674214 2009 anthology poetry (taught in 16 units) Glebe : Puncher and Wattmann , 2009
(
2009
)
pg. 359-362