The Palace by Rudyard Kipling (1899)
The narrative unfolds through the reflections of a once-powerful king and mason who embarks on constructing a grand palace. As he begins his work, he uncovers the remnants of a previous palace, revealing the failures of its design and execution. Despite the ruins' lack of aesthetic value, he finds a poignant message etched into the stones, hinting at the aspirations of the original builder. As he repurposes the materials, he gains insight into the heart and vision of the previous architect, recognizing the shared struggles and dreams of builders across time. The king's pride in his craft is palpable as he meticulously plans and constructs, yet he remains aware of the transient nature of power and creation. In a moment of revelation, he receives a message from an unseen force, warning him that his efforts are ultimately futile and that his palace will also fall into ruin, just like the one before it. This foreboding message compels him to abandon his work, leaving behind the fruits of his labor to the passage of time. Before departing, he inscribes a message on the materials, echoing the sentiment of the previous builder, signifying a continuity of ambition and the inevitability of change. The work encapsulates themes of ambition, legacy, and the cyclical nature of creation and destruction, emphasizing that every builder, regardless of their success, is ultimately subject to the same fate.
By Rudyard Kipling · First published 1899 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Historical Fiction · 416 words
First lines
When I was a King and a Mason -- a Master proven and skilled -- / I cleared me ground for a palace such as a King should build. / I decreed and dug down to my levels. Presently, under the silt, / I came on the wreck of a palace such as a King had built.
There was no worth in the fashion -- there was no wit in the plan -- / Hither and thither, aimless, the ruined footings ran -- / Masonry, brute, mishandled, but carven on every stone: / ‘_After me cometh a Builder. Tell him, I too have known._'
What this Textopian page supports
The Palace is listed on Textopian as a poem by Rudyard Kipling, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Rudyard Kipling
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Historical Fiction, Allegory, Literary Fiction
- Length: 416 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Palace by Rudyard Kipling
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing rhythm and meter characteristic of poetry.
- Philosophical — The themes explore existential questions about legacy, creation, and the passage of time.
- Historical Fiction — The narrative reflects on the past and the nature of kingship and construction, linking to historical contexts.
- Allegory — The poem serves as an allegory for the cyclical nature of creation and destruction in human endeavors.
Tags
Rudyard Kipling · poetry · palace · king · builder · masonry · ruins · legacy · dreams · abandonment · history · construction