Invictus by William Ernest Henley

INVICTUS

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

                                             - william  Earnest henley

Poem Analysis of Invictus by William Ernest Henley

                               "Invictus" was written by the English poet William Ernest Henley. The poem is a short Victorian, written in 1875 and published in 1888.In order to completely understand the meaning of this poem, it is important to know the life of William Ernest Henley. As a young boy, Henley developed tuberculosis of the bone. At the age of 25, the tuberculosis spread to his foot. Physicians decided that in order to safe Henley's life, they mumputate his leg below the knee. While in the hospital bed, Henley wrote the poem "invictus".

  "Out of the night that covers me," describes the troubles of his early life. He is covered "pole to pole" with something terrible. Luckily, his soul is unhindered.

  "In the fell clutch of circumstance" continues the story. He has high spirits, regardless of what has happened. His body may have blood stains, but he is not ashamed.

  The third stanza states that even though he may not know what is to come, he is unafraid and ready for life.

  The last stanza states that even though his future may be established due to the disease, he will continue on and control his own fate and soul with whatever time he has

                               The poem "invictus" is made up of sixteen lines and is divided into four stanzas. the last two line " I am the master of my fate : I m the captain of my soul". it is my perceptive truely everyone is the capatain of their own soul through space and time , there we actually do travel alone.....and not knowing that exactly when , where or what time our journey shall come to an end .............. is the greatest surprise life shall gives us....the poem is delievering a rather that beautiful message with simplicity and flow of words; a human being is indeed the master of  his soul . life is not crystal stairs , but a rough , bouncy , hill and ii can break a human being down into pieace , mercilessly. the poet tells us how to be strong ; to become the master of our own soul, of our hearts , of our emotions.that's the message of the poem " Invictus"