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| William Ernest Henley (Wikimedia) |
"Invictus" by William Ernest Henley (1849-1903)
The title "Invictus" means "unconquerable" or "undefeated" in Latin; this is the key to understanding the poem. The first stanza tells us that, despite dire circumstances (a black night), the narrator thanks the unknown gods for his "unconquerable soul." He has not given in no matter how bad things get, the second stanza says, summed up in the memorable phrase "My head is bloody, but unbowed." The third stanza says that this world and the next may be horrible, but he is unafraid.
And then comes the source of this strength: He is the "master of [his] fate" and "the captain of [his] soul," allowing no domination of his life from the outside.
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.
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SOME WORDS:
- bludgeonings: beatings
- clutch: grasp; grip
- fell: fierce; deadly
- looms: appears; takes shape and hangs over a scene
- menace: threat; danger
- scroll: a written document, here probably a document with a record of one's wrongdoings
- strait: narrow; hard to enter
- winced: flinched; drew back from
- wrath: rage; great anger
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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:
Answer the following questions in your own words. Suggested answers are in the first comment below.
- What does the narrator mean by "from pole to pole"?
- What is the "fell clutch of circumstance"?
- What are the "bludgeonings of chance"?
- What is "this place of wrath and tears"?
QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:
These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.
- Does the narrator seem to believe in a god (or gods)?
- What are the responsibilities of being "the captain of [one's] soul"?
- Do you know anyone with the attitude described in this poem?
ANSWERS:
ReplyDeleteQuestions to Answer:
1. "[F]rom pole to pole" means something like "from one end to the other."
2. The "fell clutch of circumstance" is the dreadful situation one is in.
3. The "bludgeonings of chance" are the (metaphorical) "beatings" that luck or fate may bring.
4. "[T]his place of wrath and tears" is this difficult world.
Questions to Think About do not have any single correct answer. However, any answers you give should be supported by what you read or by things you know ("I think... because...").