All of the four stanzas have the alternate or the ABAB rhyme scheme. For example, the first stanza has a trochee as the opening foot in both first and second lines. Henley experienced pain and distress for many years - the poem is rooted in the awful circumstances he found himself in when a boy and a young man. Here, the speaker talks about the sufferings in his life and how he conquered everything that came in his way to rampage his self-belief. For my unconquerable soul. It is said that William Ernest Henley wrote the poem in 1875 for a Scottish flour merchant named Robert Thomas Hamilton Bruce. Stevenson later admitted that he had based his character Long John Silver - from the book Treasure Island - on Henley, he having a wooden leg, a strong rasping voice and a forceful personality. The speaker implies that their unconquerable soul is a gift from a godly realm. It is also the title of a beautiful poem by William Earnest Henley. Join the conversation by. The speaker is coming out of a period of total darkness, a hell. Again, the reader is advised that there will be no capitulation, no giving in. The poem is most known for its themes of will-power and strength in the face of adversity, much of which is drawn from the horrible fate assigned to many amputees of the day— gangrene and death. Style: V… This is one of the poems in which knowing the author’s background is of great help. William Ernest Henley (1849-1903), an English Poet, had one of his legs amputated at the age of 17. Introspective Chameleon (B & W) Invictus Motivational Gedicht William Ernest Henley 4 (Himmel Hölle), Kunstdruck Foto Poster Einzigartiges Geschenk 18 x 12 inch: 29,99€ 2: Invictus: Selected Poems & Prose of W E Henley: Selected Poems and Prose of W. E. Henley: 57,43€ 3: Poems: 17,99€ 4: In Hospital: 11,99€ 5 And lines three and four acknowledge that help was given somewhere, somehow, perhaps by a deity or deities, not by any named god or specific creator. The The Meaning of Invictus is provided below by first giving a brief description on the background followed by the poem structure and its meaning. Meaning of the Poem ‘Invictus’ by William Ernest Henley. Throughout it all, however, he perseveres and is successful in his endeavors. Invictus is a poem which focuses on the human spirit and its ability to overcome adversity. While he was recovering, he wrote the verses that became the poem ‘Invictus’. The out-worldly agents have no control over one’s mind or soul. However, he knows at some point of time, one has to enter the horrid palace of death. The fourth stanza, while still fairly dark, is somewhat more uplifting, particularly in the last two lines of the poem. In the second stanza, the poet uses a metaphor in “fell clutch of circumstance.” There is another metaphor in the “bludgeonings of chance.” The third stanza contains a metonym for the earth in “this place of wrath and tears.” The last line of this stanza contains a repetition of the verb “find” and this poetic device is known as palilogy. He has a passion for poetry and enjoys analysing and providing interpretations for poetry from the past and present. ‘Invictus’ is a Latin adjective meaning, “unconquered, unsubdued, invincible.” It is a combination of two Latin words, “in” meaning “not, opposite of” and “victus”. Before we get to the meat of the analysis, here’s a background on the poem’s title and its writer, William Ernest Henley. In the next two lines of the first stanza, Henley writes, “I thank whatever gods may be/ For my unconquerable soul.” While the speaker does not know which Higher Beings truly exist, he takes the time to thank them for giving him a soul that cannot be conquered. The message is underlined - the speaker has a clear intention, to survive against all the odds. The poem was written while Henley was in the hospital being treated for tuberculosis of the bone, also known as Pott's disease. Henley wrote Invictus whilst in hospital undergoing treatment for tuberculosis of the bones, specifically those in his left leg, which had to be amputated from the knee down. It deals with the belief that man is the center of the universe. We are the master of our destiny. The third and fourth lines follow a similar path. looking at ‘I am the master of my fate, / I am the captain of my soul’, Nelson Mandela: A Very Short Introduction by Elleke Boehmer, Tom Lodge, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul, A Love by the Sea by William Earnest Henley. In this way, Henley successfully projected the spirit of the late Victorian period. However, the poem was published in 1888 in his first volume of poems, “Book of Verses”, without a title. The poem is consist of 4 stanzas with 4 lines each, which makes 16 lines in total. The head is still held high. “In the fell clutch of circumstance” or “Under the bludgeonings of chance”, he has not bowed his head. Note the use of enjambment in the first three stanzas, where one line continues meaning into the next without punctuation. BY WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY . Each quatrain deals with the speaker's personal reaction in the face of adversity. In this case, William Ernest Henley had tuberculosis of the bone when he was just 25 years old. The poem also has a set metrical pattern. He was an English poet, writer, critic, and editor in the late Victorian period. Here, the poet personifies the “night” that covers the speaker in “Black”. By William Ernest Henley About this Poet Born in Gloucester, England, poet, editor, and critic William Ernest Henley was educated at Crypt Grammar School, where he studied with the poet T.E. It is not only about God, but the mindset that makes one surrender while faced with challenges. The poem was first published in 1888—without a title—in Henley’s first volume of poetry. Moreover, when he is being judged, no matter how many punishments are listed, he will have decided his fate, and he will have steered his course. It means the stress falls on “Out” and “Black” in the first and second lines respectively. Poetry Analysis: Invictus by William Ernest Henley. In the year 1900 Arthur Quiller – Couch included in the Oxford Book of English verse with the title Invictus. Invictus, meaning "unconquerable" or "undefeated" in Latin, is a poem by William Ernest Henley. Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. When the poet writes this poem … Challenges make one stronger but mentally submitting oneself to those impediments extinguishes the inner light that one carries inside the heart from infancy. ‘Invictus’, a Victorian poem, is made up of four stanzas and sixteen lines, with four lines in each stanza. In the early 1870s, he faced a similar problem with his other leg. From the age of 12, Henley suffered from tuberculosis of the bone. In some respect, the tone also projects a sense of insecurity, but the courage of the speaker dominates it. When he was incarcerated at the Robben Island prison, he recited this poem to other prisoners. Seine Eltern waren William und Emma Henley. Thank you! See, Wi… The message of self-mastery in this poem touched Mandela deeply. Thorough analysis. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, Invictus is a Latin adjective used to describe something or someone that is “unconquerable, unsubdued, or invincible.” The word combines the prefix in, meaning not, and victus, from the word vincere, meaning “to conquer or overcome.” Looking at W.E. It is a rallying cry for those who find themselves in dark and trying situations, who have to dig deep and fight for their lives. He managed to save his right leg by refusing surgery and seeking an alternative form of treatment from a Scottish doctor, James Lister. In the first stanza of ‘Invictus’, the speaker immediately sets the stage for his reader. Invictus means unconquerable or undetected in Latin. It is night time, the dark covers everything in black. These lines to ‘Invictus’ are some of the most powerful and poignant lines in all of poetry, recognized around the world. Während eines 20-monatigen Sanatoriumsaufenthalts von 1873 bis 1875 in Edinburgh begann er Gedichte zu schreiben. This is similar in feeling to the idea of St John of the Cross, the Spanish mystic, writing in the 16th century of 'the dark night of the soul', where the human spirit has lost its normal confident, self-assured status. It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity. Moreover, the mood changes as the poem approach the end. Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox. It is quite easy for the reader to picture a complete night. Thereafter, by using the phrase “from pole to pole,” the poet conjures up an image of the world, and it gives an almost nautical feel to the poem. The second edition of Henley’s Book of Verses added a dedication “To R. T. H. 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