The Conundrum of the Workshops

“The Conundrum of the Workshops” is an adaptation of an earlier Kipling poem, “New Lamps for Old” (1889), which reflects critically on humankind’s never-ending search for something new to replace and improve the old. In that poem, Kipling argues that excessive desire for change and novelty often leads to disappointment and makes one susceptible to deception by those who promise improvement. This attitude is characteristic of Kipling’s conservative frame of mind, including a cautious and skeptical approach to intellectual and artistic trends that advertise themselves as innovative and dismissive of traditional ways and values. Kipling’s traditionalist bent is reflected in his consistent use of Biblical references, in “The Conundrum” and elsewhere, as well as the poem’s implication that no new ideas will bring us any closer to answering the question “What is Art?”. Kipling is not interested in offering a new answer to that question but in affirming the tradition of human creative expression even as that question remains unanswerable.