“INVICTUS”William Ernest Henley (1849-1903)

“Invictus”

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole.

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds 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”

Overall: Violent, dark imagery Powerful, evocative diction Defiant tone

Theme: We must face adversity with strength and defiance.

“Invictus”

Imagery

Darkness suggests despair

Violent imagery suggests physical and spiritual pain

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 bludgeonings of

chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.

Savage, cruel, brutal

Beatings

“Invictus”

Imagery

Darkness now suggests death

Violent imagery is progressive and never-ending

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms 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.

Suggests the end of

life

Anger and sadness

Harmful or threatenin

g

Refers to challenges in life

(“strait” = “narrow” or “difficult”

“Invictus”

Diction

Diction is almost Biblical or cosmic in scope

Diction suggests strength and resistance

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 bludgeonings of

chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.

Random: No

guiding principle

Fun fact: “Invictus” is

Latin for “unconquerable

”

Capitalization

suggests Hell

“Invictus”

Diction

Diction is almost Biblical or cosmic in scope

Diction suggests strength and resistance

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms 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.

Capitalization

enlarges the scope

Suggests speaker’s

fate?

“Invictus”

Tone

Images of adversity are opposed by images of resistance

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 bludgeonings of

chanceMy head is bloody, but unbowed.

“Invictus”

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms 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.

Tone

Images of adversity are opposed by images of resistance

William Ernest Henley

1849-1903 English poet, critic, and editor TB required the amputation of

left leg below the knee Reputedly wrote “Invictus” as a response to his

amputation Daughter Margaret (1888-1894) was the

inspiration for J. M. Barrie’s character of Wendy from Peter Pan

Henley was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island character, Long John Silver

Bibliography

Abrams, M. H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 5th ed. Vol. 2. New York: Norton, 1986.

Encyclopedia Brittanica Online. “William Ernest Henley Biography” 2011. http://www.biography.com/people/william-ernest-henley-9334890 16 December 2011.

Wikipedia. “William Ernest Henley” 2 November 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ernest_Henley 16 December 2011.