"Invictus" - a poem about the human spirit in adversity

Introduction 

Written by William Ernest Henley, Invictus is a poem that explores the nature of the human spirit in times of adversity. The piece acts as a rallying call for people who find themselves in trying situations: it urges them to fight for their lives. It is important to note that this work was greatly inspired by the poet’s personal experience. Born in Gloucester, England in the mid-1800s, Henley was diagnosed with tubercular arthritis at an early age of 12. His condition worsened as the years passed. At the age of 25, his health had deteriorated to a point that both of his legs needed to be amputated to prevent the infection from spreading throughout his body. It is during this time that he wrote the poem Inviticus : a piece that contains intense passion and defiance in respect to the dark corners of human existence. 

Line-by-Line Analysis of Invictus 

Invictus is a four-stanza, sixteen lines poem that utilizes major elements of poetry including symbolism, imagery, figurative language, and rhyme scheme among others. This section will provide a detailed assessment of the various parts of the piece. 

First Stanza 

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 (Henley, 1990) 

As expected, the first stanza illustrates a definite understanding of poetry in different ways. First, he uses strong imagery in the first line. In this case, the word ‘night’ has been used as a symbol of hopelessness and depression. Apparently, absence of light implies a lost sense of direction and will. However, the poet uses such a feature to add weight to the poem’s key theme ‘triumph’. It is also important to note that the second line reinforces the first by describing the depth of his wanting state. He continues to enhance the imagery in the third and fourth lines by acknowledging that somehow, a deity manages to keep his soul strong. Here, we see the poet creating a picture of darkness and hopelessness behind him following the divine rescue. Second, like the preceding stanzas, the poem utilizes an iambic tetrameter rhyme (abab sdsd efef ghgh). 

Second Stanza 

In the fell clutch of circumstance 

I have not winced nor cried aloud. 

Under the bludgeonings of chance 

My head is bloody, but unbowed (Henley, 1990). 

Here, the poet begins on a high note: he uses a rather delicious phrase ‘fell clutch’. However, regardless of the smooth nature of the phrase, its impact on the development of the theme is critical. Bluntly, the phrase refers to the cruel grasp of the hopelessness he depicts as darkness in the first stanza. The third line achieves the same purpose with the use of a unique word ‘bludgeonings’ to express the unfavorable odds the protagonist is facing. Now, there is a consistent theme that is noted in both the second and fourth lines. The author develops positivity to counter the negativity in the initial lines. 

Third Stanza 

Beyond this place of wrath and tears 

Looms but the Horror of the shade, 

And yet the menace of the years 

Finds shall find me unafraid (Henley, 1990). 

Here, the speaker attends to the audience’s emotions by evoking pity. Unlike the first two stanzas, this one takes a broader view of the situation: it explores the future. As the first line states, the speaker is in pain, and if that is not enough, the second line highlights the uncertainty of his future. The audience is at this point placed in a plane of imagination regarding the depth of the speaker’s sorrow. However, he lightens the mood in the following lines by introducing a sub-theme ‘hope’. It is important to understand that such a concept strengthens the main point being illustrated in the poem. One should not overlook the stressed word ‘Horror’ as it also plays a role in defining the intensity of the speaker’s troubles. 

Fourth Stanza 

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 (Henley, 1990). 

At this point, the poem clarifies the highly anticipated theme of religion. In the initial sections, the imagery was rather blurry; hence, he removes the veil by quoting an excerpt from the Bible (Matthew Ch. 7:13-14) in the first line. The definition ‘strait’ here depicts his way out of the torments he is experiencing. The point is furthered by the second line which defines his condition as the opposite of the Bible’s definition of hell. Perhaps, the term ‘scroll’ appears meaningful here. The last two lines utilize the use of figurative language in the words ‘master’ and ‘captain’ to describe the poet’s triumph and control regardless of the painful circumstances. 

An Interpretation of the Poem 

For a poem that describes the spiritual struggle of an unhealthy individual, Invictus has successfully described the nature of the spiritual dimension. One of the ways the poet has managed to achieve this goal is symbolism. The use of words such as night, gods, wrath, scroll, and pit symbolizes the nature of the spiritual world. However, from the speaker’s point of view, he is on the dark side rather than on the light. He uses positive tones to transition from negative ones to illustrate his soul’s strength. While this device appears successful, it creates a sense of conflict regarding the source of his soul’s strength: in the first stanza, the speaker thanks the invisible power protecting him while in the last; he contradicts himself by claiming that he is the master and captain. Clearly, Invictus is a piece worth understanding. 

A Reflection of the Poem’s meaning 

Personally, I find the piece insightful in regards to the interaction between the physical and spiritual world in times of trouble. The poet’s use of a spiritual tone implies that healing occurs from the soul rather than the body. As a result, one should always be hopeful that he or she will be triumphant. 

Reference 

Henley, W. E. (1900). Invictus [Poem]. The Oxford book of English verse , 1019.