Archive · 2 Oct 2026
At 19, Gandhi Abandons Efforts to Become an English Gentleman
When Gandhi was 19, he wanted to fit in as an English gentleman.
He took dancing and speaking lessons to change how he acted.
He also considered learning to play the violin.
Dancing was difficult for him, and the whole plan soon seemed silly.
He wondered whether these skills would help him when he returned to India.
Gandhi decided that being a good person mattered more than having fancy manners.
He stopped the lessons and returned the violin.
The attempt had cost him money, but it helped him decide what was truly important.
At 19, Gandhi tried to adopt the manners and appearance of an English gentleman.
He attended dancing and elocution classes and considered learning the violin.
After about three months, he found the effort difficult and increasingly absurd.
Gandhi questioned the usefulness of refined dancing and an English accent in India.
He stopped the lessons, returned the violin for sale, and focused instead on developing his character.
- Who
- Gandhi, at age 19.
- What
- He tried to become an English gentleman, then abandoned dancing, elocution, and violin lessons.
- When
- The effort lasted about three months when Gandhi was 19.
- Where
- In the classes he attended; he considered their usefulness back in India.
- Why
- He concluded that character mattered more than refined clothing, dancing, or an English accent.
- Age
- Gandhi was 19.
- Duration
- His effort to become a gentleman lasted about three months.
- Lessons
- He attended dancing and elocution classes.
- Instrument
- He considered learning the violin, but later returned it to be sold.
- Change in focus
- He shifted from appearance and speech to character.
- Cost
- The experiment cost him money he did not really have.