Moti Guj - Mutineer

by Rudyard Kipling

Moti Guj - Mutineer is a short story by Rudyard Kipling. Joseph Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 - 18 January 1936 was an English short-story writer, poet, and novelist. He wrote tales and poems of British soldiers in India and stories for children. He was born in Bombay, in the Bombay Presidency of British India, and was taken by his family to England when he was five years old. Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (a collection of stories which includes "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"), the Just So Stories (1902), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including "The Man Who Would Be King" (1888). His poems include "Mandalay" (1890), "Gunga Din" (1890), "The Gods of the Copybook Headings" (1919), "The White Man's Burden" (1899), and "If-" (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are enduring classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift." Kipling was one of the most popular writers in England, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. Among other honours, he was sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, all of which he declined. Kipling's subsequent reputation has changed according to the political and social climate of the age and the resulting contrasting views about him continued for much of the 20th century. George Orwell called him a "prophet of British imperialism." Literary critic Douglas Kerr wrote: "He [Kipling] is still an author who can inspire passionate disagreement and his place in literary and cultural history is far from settled. But as the age of the European empires recedes, he is recognised as an incomparable, if controversial, interpreter of how empire was experienced. That, and an increasing recognition of his extraordinary narrative gifts, make him a force to be reckoned with.

28 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Joseph Rudyard Kipling was a journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist.

Kipling's works of fiction include The Jungle Book (1894), Kim (1901), and many short stories, including The Man Who Would Be King (1888). His poems include Mandalay (1890), Gunga Din (1890), The Gods of the Copybook Headings (1919), The White Man's Burden (1899), and If— (1910). He is regarded as a major innovator in the art of the short story; his children's books are classics of children's literature; and one critic described his work as exhibiting "a versatile and luminous narrative gift".

Kipling was one of the most popular writers in the United Kingdom, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Henry James said: "Kipling strikes me personally as the most complete man of genius (as distinct from fine intelligence) that I have ever known." In 1907, at the age of 41, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first English-language writer to receive the prize, and its youngest recipient to date. He was also sounded out for the British Poet Laureateship and on several occasions for a knighthood, both of which he declined.

Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1907 "in consideration of the power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and remarkable talent for narration which characterize the creations of this world-famous author."

Kipling kept writing until the early 1930s, but at a slower pace and with much less success than before. On the night of 12 January 1936, Kipling suffered a haemorrhage in his small intestine. He underwent surgery, but died less than a week later on 18 January 1936 at the age of 70 of a perforated duodenal ulcer. Kipling's death had in fact previously been incorrectly announced in a magazine, to which he wrote, "I've just read that I am dead. Don't forget to delete me from your list of subscribers."

Reviews

[Lalectora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mi cuarta lectura para el bimestre de repesca del @clubclasicosjuveniles ha sido El Motín de Moti Guj de Kipling.

Moti Guj es un elefante que trabaja en una plantación de café junto a su "mahout" (cuidador) Deesa. Moti Guj, hace la mayor parte del trabajo ya que Deesa es bastante vago y borrachín. Esta es una historia de amistad en  la época de la india colonial contada con mucho humor por Kipling e ilustrada por José María Gallego.

Es un cuento muy cortito pero muy divertido. No lo conocía y me ha gustado descubrirlo y disfrutarlo. Además, contiene una introducción con una anécdota sobre Kipling muy curiosa.

Parece ser que, durante una gira por Gran Bretaña, un elefante de un circo se volvió loco y sus propietarios angustiados por la pérdida económica que suponía sacrificarlo, decidieron poner a la venta entradas para ver la ejecución... 😖.
Cuando todo estaba dispuesto para la ejecución, un hombre de entre el público, calvo y con un gran bigote, (me parece que ya sabemos de quien se trata) pidió que por favor le dejasen acercarse al elefante de forma tan insistente que se lo concedieron, pero antes debía firmar un documento donde declaraba que era el único responsable de cualquier daño que pudiese sufrir. El hombre firmó y se acercó al elefante. Comenzó a hablarle en indostaní al oído y poco a poco fue calmándose hasta tranquilizarse por completo. Los responsables del circo quedaron muy sorprendidos, pero aún se sorprendieron más cuando leyeron la rúbrica del desconocido y comprobaron que se trataba de Rudyard Kipling.

Por lo visto, nuestro querido Kipling ya era conocido en el zoo de Londres por emplear esa misma técnica con todos los elefantes.

Con este libro cumplo el reto número 16, Premio Nobel, de los #24retosdelectura.

[Carlos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aun sin ser el mejor cuento de Kipling (que es un señorón de la cuentística), esta historia entre un elefante poco ortodoxo y su cuidador, borrachín empedernido, nos transporta a ese mágico y misterioso mundo de la India, que bien conoció el autor en sus múltiples viajes a esta región. Además, las ilustraciones de José María Gallego harán las delicias de los pequeños. Un librito recomendable.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptionally good book to read. The story revolves around Indian Plantation Life and the use and treatment of elephants. On one side it was a fascinating read on daily life, drinking and so forth. On the other side it was exceptionally difficult to read about the treatment of elephants in the way they were, and, to a greater extent, still are today.

Yet again, this book provides a brief glimpse at the potential Kipling had as a writer. It is a shame he did not focus more of his skill on such works that on what he did.

[David Highton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful short story

[Isaac VR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Las ilustraciones están bonitas.