I presume that Mr. Putkowsky would be also grateful for any
examples of Kipling's condemnation of the practice of military
executions for desertion, mutiny, other military offences.
Yan Shapiro
JR> Has anyone any thoughts which might be helpful to Mr Putkowski ?
JR> Good wishes yo all, John R
JR> ----- Original Message -----
JR> From: Julian Putkowski
JR> To: [log in to unmask]
JR> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 10:37 AM
JR> Subject: RE: Rudyard Kipling: "The Coward"
JR> Dear John Radcliffe,
JR> Very many thanks for your speedy response to my enquiry.
JR> Hibberd and Onions ('The Winter Of the World') state Kipling
JR> started writing 'Epitaphs of the War' in April 1918, which he
JR> declared to be 'naked cribs of the Greek Anthology'. Knowing
JR> little about Kipling, I'm curious about whether "The Coward" was a
JR> more-or-less straightforward crib or was perhaps ignited by more
JR> immediate political discourse about British military executions.
JR> Though not myself seduced by the introspective aspect of "The
JR> Coward", a literary chum with whom I once discussed the verse
JR> dallied with the intriguing proposition that Kipling (burdened
JR> with guilt about the death of his son) may even have identified
JR> himself with the condemned man.
JR> Best Wishes,
JR> Julian
JR> Julian Putkowski
JR> [log in to unmask]
JR> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JR> From: [log in to unmask]
JR> To: [log in to unmask]
JR> CC: [log in to unmask]
JR> Subject: Re: Rudyard Kipling: "The Coward"
JR> Date: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:34:37 +0000
JR> Dear Mr Putkowski
JR> "The Coward" is one of Kipling's "Epitaphs of the War", which
JR> was collected in "The Years Between" in 1919. You will find the
JR> full set on our web-site at www.kipling.org.uk. These had
JR> previously appeared in various periodicals, and I do not have the
JR> details of these to hand at the moment.
JR> I am copying this note to colleagues who may be able to help you further.
JR> All good wishes,
JR> John Radcliffe
JR> ----- Original Message -----
JR> From: Julian Putkowski
JR> To: [log in to unmask]
JR> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 8:49 AM
JR> Subject: Rudyard Kipling: "The Coward"
JR> Dear John Radcliffe,
JR> I am presently engaged in a research project about the
JR> contrasting reactions to the execution of British soldiers during
JR> the First World War. Kipling's addressed the subject in his poem,
JR> "The Coward" but I have been unable to find out exactly when and
JR> where he may have composed the verse. I would be most grateful if
JR> you or another authority on Kipling's work know when and how "The
JR> Coward" came to be written.
JR> Yours sincerely,
JR> Julian Putkowski
JR> [log in to unmask]
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