Empire 313. Rudyard Kipling: Escaping India & Writing The Jungle Book (Part 2)
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Dec 4, 2025 Andrew Lycett, a biographer and historian of Rudyard Kipling, delves into Kipling's tumultuous relationship with India and his famous works. They discuss what inspired The Jungle Book and Kim, exploring Kipling's acute observational skills and early tales. Lycett reveals Kipling's disdain for London, his journey to Vermont, and the impact of his marriage. The conversation also highlights the complexities of Kipling's admiration for colonial figures and the paradox of his heartfelt depictions of India alongside his conservative views.
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Weird Undead Tale Reveals Alienation
- Rudyard Kipling wrote a weird story, The Strange Ride of Murry Dukes, about undead pit-dwellers in India that echoes early science fiction.
- Andrew Lycett says the tale shows Kipling's alienation from both Anglo-Indian society and wider India.
Early Bestseller Made Kipling A Local Star
- Departmental Ditties (1886) made Kipling a bestseller in India at a very young age and became common railway reading.
- William Dalrymple highlights Kipling's rapid rise to local celebrity by age 22.
Adventure Tale With Masonic Threads
- The Man Who Would Be King became a famous adventure tale about two soldiers who make themselves kings in a frontier land.
- Andrew Lycett notes the story's Masonic themes and its cinematic quality that later suited film adaptations.
