The nineteenth century was a time of great colonial expansion for the British Empire. It was during this period that Rudyard Kipling wrote his famous story “The Man Who Would Be King”. It tells the story of two British explorers in India who decide to travel to Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan, and become king. Although many approved of the expansion of the empire and the colonization of many natives in the eastern parts of the world, people did not always agree with the methods and motivations behind the actions of explorers and colonizers. This story is a clear criticism by Kipling of the evils of British colonialism that occurred in India in this period, particularly the immorality of the motives and methods of imperialization, as well as a commentary on the problems created by the country's individual moral character. men who would like to become kings. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Kipling, as a consequence of the time in which he lived, had many of the same beliefs as most Westerners that they were superior to those of the other countries and territories they had visited and imperialized. However, in “The Man Who Would Be King” we can see that he did not always agree with their methods nor the consequences of these actions. Carnehan and Dravot, the main characters of this story, are two adventurers who decide to travel to a remote area of ​​Afghanistan. This position has so far been rebuilt intact by the British Empire and they hope to use it to their advantage. They convince the local populations that they are gods and live among them for a while, content with the kingdom they have acquired. However, their greed and lust get the better of them and their mortality is revealed. As a result, Dravot was killed and Carnehan was crucified but survived and was later released. He returned home to tell their story. This story demonstrates the prevailing belief in the West at the time that indigenous peoples in many areas could easily be dominated and subjugated under the command of the British Empire. They believed that this would even be to their advantage. However, in “The Man Who Would Be King,” Kipling shows that the consequences of such actions are not always the best and that the intentions of imperialists will often not be the most beneficial. When the men arrive to see the narrator, a British journalist in India, they tell him of their plan to become gods and he tells them they are behaving foolishly: "You will be torn to pieces before you get fifty miles over the border." . …The people are real brutes, and even if you got to them you could do nothing” (1859). Just like the reporter, many people believed that the natives were unreasonable and savage. Carnehan and Dravot continue to lay out their plan of how they will become kings and wealthy rulers of their own lands instead of being under British imperial rule. Just like these men, the imperialists who began to territorialize India and other parts of the East did not always have altruistic intentions and sought only personal gain. At first their venture was successful, they managed to seize power and lived among the people for a long time. However, Dravot becomes greedy and lustful and wants to take one of the natives as a wife. This gets him into trouble, it is revealed that they are mortal and the natives try to kill them. This comment shows that although the British Empire appears to be successful in its expansion efforts, if the individuals and leaders running things become greedy or do not demonstrate the right intentions, things will backfire and cause problems. Kipling.