Decoding The White Savior Complex in Colonial Discourse: A Psychoanalytic and Postcolonial Reading of Rudyard Kipling’s The White Man’s Burden

Key Points

• The study uncovers psychological motivations behind the white savior complex, revealing complex imperial ideologies beneath imperial discourse.
• By revealing Kipling’s portrayal of colonial responsibility, it underscores the moral obligations that obscure the violence of imperialism.
• Analyzing the poem's imagery and rhetoric reveals deep-seated ideological strategies that support colonial ideologies under the guise of moral duty.
• This analysis is framed within postcolonial and psychoanalytical theory, providing a comprehensive understanding of colonial literature.