“Invictus”

1. William Ernest Henley (1849-1903) “Invictus”

2. “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.

3. “Invictus” Overall: • Violent, dark imagery • Powerful, evocative diction • Defiant tone Theme: We must face adversity with strength and defiance.

4. “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 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. Savage, cruel, brutal Beatings

5. “Invictus” Anger and sadness Suggests the end of life Harmful or threatening 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 menaceof 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. Refers to challenges in life (“strait” = “narrow” or “difficult”

6. “Invictus” Capitalization suggests Hell 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 be For my unconquerablesoul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Fun fact: “Invictus” is Latin for “unconquerable” Random: No guiding principle

7. “Invictus” Capitalization enlarges the scope 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 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. Suggests speaker’s fate?

8. “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 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.

9. “Invictus” 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. Tone Images of adversity are opposed by images of resistance

10. William Ernest Henley • 1849-1903 • English poet, critic, and editor • TB required the amputation ofleft 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

11. 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.