The 19th century was a period of great colonial expansion for the British Empire. It was during this time that Rudyard Kipling wrote his famous short 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 region of Afghanistan, and become kings. Although many approved of the expansion of the empire and the colonization of many natives in the eastern regions of the world, people did not always agree with the methods and motivations behind the actions of explorers and colonizers. This story is Kipling's clear critique of the evils of British colonialism occurring in India at that time, particularly the immorality of the motives and methods of imperialization, as well as a commentary on the problems created by the individual moral character of imperialism. men who would like to become kings. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Kipling, because of the times in which he lived, shared many of the same beliefs as most Westerners, that they were superior. those of other countries and territories that 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 or the consequences of those actions. Carnehan and Dravot, the main characters of this short story, are two adventurers who decide to travel to a remote region of Afghanistan. This place has so far been remade intact by the British Empire and they hope to use it to their advantage. They convince the local people 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 released. He returned home to tell their story. This story demonstrates the beliefs prevalent in the West at the time that indigenous peoples in many regions could be easily dominated and subjugated under the command of the British Empire. They even thought it would 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 about their plan to become gods and he tells them they are stupid: "You will be cut into pieces before you have crossed fifty miles from the border. …People are real brutes, and even if you got to them you couldn't do anything” (1859). Like the journalist, many people thought the natives were unreasonable and savage. Carnehan and Dravot continue to outline their plan on how they will become kings and be wealthy rulers of their own lands instead of being under British imperial rule. Like these men, the imperialists who began to territorialize India and other parts of the East did not always have the most altruistic intentions and sought only personal gain. At first their business was successful, they were able to rise to power and lived among them for quite a long time. people. However, Dravot becomes greedy and lustful and wants to take one of the natives as his wife. This gets him into trouble, it is revealed that they are mortals and the natives try to take them.