INVICTUS

William Ernest Henley

• At the age of 12, Henley contracted tuberculosis of the bone. A few years later, the disease progressed to his foot, and physicians announced that the only way to save his life was to amputate directly below the knee. It was amputated when he was 17. inspired him to write this poem. Despite his disability, he survived with one foot intact and led an active life until his death at the age of 53.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may beFor my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstanceI have not winced nor cried aloud.Under the bludgeoning of chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tearsLooms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the yearsFinds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:I am the captain of my soul.

• Invictus, meaning "unconquerable" or "undefeated" in Latin

• Out of the night that covers me,Black as the Pit from pole to pole,I thank whatever gods may beFor my unconquerable soul.

• In the first stanza the persona prays in the dark to "whatever gods may be" a prayer of thanks for his "unconquerable soul.”

• Several things are apparent from the outset: First, the speaker is in some sort of metaphorical darkness, perhaps the darkness of despair. Second, he does not pray for strength, but gives thanks for the strength that he already has.

• In the fell clutch of circumstanceI have not winced nor cried aloud.Under the bludgeoning of chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.

• The seeming agnosticism (denial about god’s will) of the first stanza continues in the second.

• He does not talk about God's will or even fate; instead he speaks of "the fell clutch of circumstance" and "the bludgeoning of chance," and asserts that he has overcome these bravely and without complaint or giving up.

• Beyond this place of wrath and tearsLooms but the Horror of the shade,And yet the menace of the yearsFinds, and shall find, me unafraid.

• The third stanza is about death and what a trifle it seems to the persona. This "place of wrath and tears", this life, it seems, is not full enough of pain and horror to frighten the persona. And death, "the Horror of the shade," could not possibly worry him, being an end to "wrath and tears".

• Notice here that he is not concerned in any way about an afterlife. Death is merely an end to suffering for him.

• Not even death or the afterlife may scare him

• It matters not how strait the gate,How charged with punishments the scroll.I am the master of my fate:I am the captain of my soul.

• strait means narrow, restricted. To escape, the persona must pass through a narrow gate. He believes he can do so in spite of the punishments that fate has allotted him

• He accepts no master but himself. He bows to no authority. He is his own god, guide and judge. He is the Captain.

Subject Matter

Unconquerable spirit

Will to survive

Theme

• the will to survive in the face of a severe test.

• Exp:• My head is bloody, but unbowed.• This line shows how the persona is probably

injured or severely damaged (bloody), but unbowed meaning that he is still not giving up.

• The believe and confidence in oneself that he or she can go through any challenges in life

• Exp: • I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

• These two lines clearly shows how the persona confidently despise any obstacles or challenges and says that he controls his life, his fate and his soul.

Strong lines

I am the master of my fate:I am the captain of my soul. 

• Signifies that the persona is very well in controlled of his life even though in the hardships that may have killed or damaged him.