Prophets at Home
Prophets at Home - meaning Summary
Hometown Scorn Outshines Fame
Kipling’s poem observes the familiar paradox that prophets (or distinguished people) are honored abroad but dismissed in their own village. It contrasts public acclaim and dramatic events with the petty, enduring judgments of one's birthplace. The speaker notes that early familiarity breeds scorn, that complaints of neglected genius are common, and that family and neighbors ultimately accept or reject a person for who they are, not for their achievements.
Read Complete AnalysesProphets have honour all over the Earth, Except in the village where they were born, Where such as knew them boys from birth Nature-ally hold 'em in scorn. When Prophets are naughty and young and vain, They make a won'erful grievance of it; (You can see by their writings how they complain), But 0, 'tis won'erful good for the Prophet! There's nothing Nineveh Town can give (Nor being swallowed by whales between), Makes up for the place where a man's folk live, Which don't care nothing what he has been. He might ha' been that, or he might ha' been this, But they love and they hate him for what he is.
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