Invictus

[Maria_maria]

Invictus
William Earnest Henley

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.

[ctivnan]

:thanks: for this post Maria! :superhappy:

It reminds me of my high school years. We used this in our speech delivery class. :clover: It's been one of my favorites ever since, especially these two lines:

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

[q_sharon]

[QUOTE=Maria_maria;26939]Invictus
William Earnest Henley

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


I really like these two lines, but I feel so amateur to understand the real intent of the author.:D

[pinoypower]

[quote=Maria_maria;26939]Invictus
William Earnest Henley

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


I really like these two lines, but I feel so amateur to understand the real intent of the author.:D

If you consider the circumstances and time when this poem was written it would be easier to understand his intent. This poem was written in a hospital bed where the author was confined for tuberculosis of the bones. One of his foot had just been amputated and the other was also in danger when he wrote the poem.The title Invictus is the Latin word for unconquered which was probably what the author wanted to express. He meant that inspite of all the circumstances he remains defiant and never succumbed to Fate and insisted that he is the master of his fate and the captain of his soul.:wub1:

[trailblazerstravelntours]

Thank you for posting this poem, maria_maria. :cute3:

This poem Invictus was our material for analysis in the 2nd year CA-English class in UPIS that I handled. And I have also considered this poem as material for my analysis in the course Language & Literature that I took in UP. This poem earned favors and criticisms from poetry readers aside from being controversial. While I was making researches on this poem, I came across some information that linked this poem with Dorothea Day's "My Captain" (http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/des/Invictus.html) and the April 19, 1995 Oklahoma bombing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing)that was allegedly committed by Timothy McVeigh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_McVeigh). He was convicted and executed for his crime although there were those who claim that there was another story (http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/OK/ok.html) behind it. Henley's Invictus was chosen by Timothy McVeigh as his final statement.

You can click the links and read on.

Here's a copy of Dorothea Day's MY CAPTAIN (http://www.angelfire.com/ca2/des/Invictus.html):

Out of the night that dazzles me,

Bright as the sun from pole to pole,

I thank the God I know to be

For Christ the conqueror of my soul.
Since His the sway of circumstance,

I would not wince nor cry aloud.

Under that rule which men call chance

My head with joy is humbly bowed.
Beyond this place of sin and tears

That life with Him! And His the aid,

Despite the menace of the years,

Keeps, and shall keep me, unafraid.
I have no fear, though strait the gate,

He cleared from punishment the scroll.

Christ is the Master of my fate,

Christ is the Captain of my soul.


:fishin::fishin::fishin:

[Maria_maria]

Interesting bit about the Dorothea Day poem. Definitely a response to Invictus! :)

It's the first time I learned that Invictus was intended to spurn the Christian faith. However, whatever the intention of the author, I think the poem means differently to readers now.

To me, Invictus is a poem of persistence, perseverence in spite of looming consequences, and strength of spirit in the face adversity. It also suggests responsibility for one's own actions and the exercise of free will. In short, I think it's a powerful poem that reminds us to refuse to become victims of our own insecurities -- after all, it of our own choosing that we win or lose.

:) Just my opinion. I'm no expert :)

[q_sharon]

[quote=q_sharon;26956]

If you consider the circumstances and time when this poem was written it would be easier to understand his intent. This poem was written in a hospital bed where the author was confined for tuberculosis of the bones. One of his foot had just been amputated and the other was also in danger when he wrote the poem.The title Invictus is the Latin word for unconquered which was probably what the author wanted to express. He meant that inspite of all the circumstances he remains defiant and never succumbed to Fate and insisted that he is the master of his fate and the captain of his soul.:wub1:

Brilliant, pinoypower!! Thanks for this!! Now, I can say, I fully appreciate the poem. I had never known the personal circumstances of the author until you wrote about this. Or, I might have forgotten??? :ashamed1: