Literary Analysis of Henley

Invictus

An Evaluation of a Poem Presented to Mr. Mitchell D. Alabado of

St. Rose Catholic School Inc.
In Partial Fulfillment of the Course Requirements 21st Century
Literature for the Philippines and the World.
Orlaith Jane G. Soriano
St. Catherine of Siena
 Literary Analysis of Henley
Invictus

I. Introduction
At the ae of 12, Henley contracted tuberculosis of the bone.
A few years later, the disease progressed to his foot, and
physicians announced that the only way to save his life is
to amputate directly below the knee. It was amputated when
he was 17. Despite his disability, he survived with one foot
intact and led an active life until his death at the age of
53.

This poem was written by Henley shortly after his leg was
amputated and although, he wrote many poems while in the
hospital, this one is largely claim to fame.

II. Presentation and Analysis

A. About the Author
William Earnest Henley was born on August 23, 1849 in the
British city Gloucester in the family of a bookseller. When
Henley was 19, his father died and left heavy debts to his
wife Mary Morgan and five younger brothers and sisters of
the writer.
He attended school “Crypt Grammar” in 1861-1867. He got
acquainted with the poet T.E. Brown there. The poet was the
Director of the school for some time. Communication with
this teacher had great influence on the young writer. Brown
always treated William with kindness and support, provided
him with necessary books to study literature. This
contributed immeasurably future poet’s growing interest in
this type of art.
When William was 12 years old, he became sick with
tuberculosis. His left leg was amputated to the knee because
of this fact. The poet faced the possibility to loose the
second leg, but the surgeon Joseph Lister manage to save it
after numerous operations. During the course of hi
treatment, Henley was sufficiently writing poems. Many of
which became the part of collection “In hospital”. He used
free verse in the poems of this collection. It was almost
for the first time in English poetry.
During his stay in hospital, he wrote the most famous of his
works – the poem “Invictus”, revealing his inner experience
about loosing of his leg and difficult childhood. Robert
Louis Stevenson admitted in his letters that it was William
Henley who served as the prototype for John Silver, one of
the key characters of the novel “Treasure Island”. Stevenson
was struck by Henle’s authoritativeness and temperament and
he wanted to embody the image of a man with such personal
qualities in one of his characters.
The writer didn’t have a happy family life. Henley’s only
daughter, Margaret, was a frail child from birth and died
when she was only 5 years old. Margaret, like her father
some time ago, was a prototype of Wendy, the main hero of
James Matthew Barrie’s short novel “Peter Pan”.
Henley died because of tuberculosis in Woking on July 11,
1903 at the age of 53. He was one of the most influential
critics of his time, talented poet and really courageous
man. Difficult path of life was reflected in his works, that
is why they excite and inspire the readers.

B. The Poem
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 blood and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of m fate,
I am the captain of my soul.

C. Analysis
1. Title
Invictus meaning “unconquerable” or “undefeated” in Latin.
The poem was written while Henley was in the hospital being
treated for tuberculosis of the bone, also known as Pott’s
disease. He had the disease since he was very young, and his
foot had been amputated shortly before he wrote the poem.
This poem is about courage in the face of death, and holding
on to one’s own dignity despite the indignities life place
before us.
2. Content
In the first stanza, Henley refers to the “night that covers
me”; this night is general a metaphor for the hardship and
problems of a worldly existence, but the line could clearly
be understood at the discretion of the reader by assigning
the night any of the negative roles (like Henley’s
situation). In the net line “black as pit from pole to
pole”, is the poet’s way of simply stating that he likes the
darkness or the sufferings ruin to the center of the earth.
In lines 8-9 in the second stanza, Henley portrays himself
as a hard prisoner who won’t bow his head to the jail guard
even after being beaten up and bloody. In line 12 in the
third stanza, “looms but the Horror of the shade” refers to
the deep unknown across the gateway of life, which might
bear more hardships for the poet. But still, it’s a concept
born by poets throughout the ages. The poem ends with the
poet’s bold and fearless statement that we, ourselves, are
the decision makers in our lifetime and/are the masters of
our own faith.
3. Sound Devices
The sound device/s used in the poem is/are Alliteration.
Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds
in the same lines of the poetry such as the use of /p/ sound
in “pit from pole to pole” and /f/ in “finds and shall find
me unafraid”. This use of alliteration here has bought
musicality in the poem
4. Rhythm and Meter
The rhythm and meter used is iambic tetrameter. Meaning that
it has four bits of stress in each line with a rhythm
algorithm in all the four stanzas of the poem.
Out of/the night/that cov/ers me,
Black as/the pit/from pole/to pole,
I thank/whatev/er gods/may be
For my/unconq/uera/ble soul.

In the/fell clutch/of cir/cumstance,

I have/not winced/, nor cried/aloud.
Under/the bludg/eonings/of chance
My head/is blo/ody, but/unbowed.

Beyond/this place/of blood/and tears

Looms but/the Hor/ror of/the shade,
And yet/the men/ace of/the years
Finds and/shall find/me un/afraid.

It matt/ers how/strait the/gate,

 How charged/with pun/ishments/the scroll,
I am/the mas/ter of/my fate,
I am/the cap/tain of/my soul.
5. Symbols
The symbols or the figurative language used are simile, metaphor,
personification, alliteration, imagery and symbolism.
6. Theme of the Poem
The theme of the poem is the will to survive in the face of
severe test. Henley himself faced such a test. After
contracting tuberculosis of the bone in his youth, he
suffered a tubercular infection when he was in earl twenties
that resulted into amputation of a leg below the knee. When
physicians informed him that he must undergo a similar
operation on the other leg, he called up the services of Dr.
Joseph Lister, the developer of antiseptic medicine. He
saved the leg. During Henley’s twenty-month trial between 18
and 1875 at the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary in Scotland, he
wrote “Invictus” and other poems.

III. Conclusion
The poem indicates that we determine our own fate.
Challenges and trials may be hard but we should face them
with our whole heart to keep it from getting worse. In
facing hard challenges like Henley’s condition, don’t give
up easily. Don’t run. Just face the hard challenges in life
and don’t give up.