Poem Analysis - Evarra And His Gods

The Pride and Paradox of Creation: An Overview

Rudyard Kipling's "Evarra and His Gods" is a cautionary and ironic tale exploring the nature of artistic creation and the relationship between humanity and divinity. The poem unfolds through repetitive verses, narrating Evarra's repeated attempts to define and control the act of creation, culminating in a surprising encounter with God. The tone shifts from a detached narrative voice to moments of intense hubris and ultimately, bewildered humility. The poem uses vivid imagery and a cyclical structure to underscore the futility of Evarra's pronouncements and the paradoxical nature of his artistic endeavors.

The Corrupting Influence of External Circumstances

The poem deeply explores the theme of how external circumstances can corrupt even the purest creative impulse. In each of Evarra's earthly lives, his creation of a God is directly tied to his social and economic situation. When wealthy, he crafts an opulent God of gold and pearl; when poor, a terrifying God of rock; among simple folk, a rustic idol; and in madness, an abhorrent figure born of dung. This illustrates that Evarra’s artistic choices are not driven by genuine spiritual inspiration, but by the pressures and expectations of his environment. The poem implies that true creation, if there is such a thing, should transcend such base motivations.

The Futility of Defining the Divine: Pride and Downfall

Another central theme is the inherent futility of trying to define or control the divine. Evarra's fatal flaw is his arrogance. In each incarnation, despite the vast differences in his creations, he inscribes the same decree: "Thus Gods are made, And whoso makes them otherwise shall die." This act of self-aggrandizement, this attempt to legislate the creative process, becomes his undoing. It is a statement of pride that is ultimately mocked by his own experience and by God himself. Evarra's attempts to capture the essence of divinity are reduced to mere pronouncements, each of which ironically leads to his demise, highlighting the limits of human understanding when it comes to the divine.

The Paradox of Ownership and the Divine Mockery

The poem's most striking image is arguably the final scene in Paradise, where Evarra encounters his own creations. God's response to Evarra's bewilderment is crucial: "These be thine." This is not a reward but a deeper, more profound form of irony. God clarifies that had Evarra not claimed to know the definitive way of creating Gods, they would have remained dormant and undiscovered. His arrogant decree paradoxically brought them into existence and enriched the divine realm. This raises the question of whether human ego and ambition, even when misguided, can inadvertently contribute to the greater divine tapestry. God's mocking tone underscores the absurdity of Evarra's pride while acknowledging the unexpected value of his flawed creations.

Eternal Echoes: A Final Reflection

"Evarra and His Gods" is not simply a morality tale about the dangers of pride. It's a complex exploration of the creative impulse, the relationship between the artist and their creation, and the limitations of human understanding when attempting to define the infinite. Kipling’s poem suggests that while ambition and ego can lead to folly, they can also, paradoxically, lead to unexpected and even divine outcomes. Evarra’s journey, though filled with hubris and ending in a tearful relinquishment of his creations, ultimately serves as a reminder that the act of creation, in all its messy and flawed forms, has value, even if its originator fails to grasp its true significance. The cyclical structure and repetitive nature of the poem further reinforce the idea that this struggle – the tension between human ambition and divine mystery – is a timeless and enduring one.