William Ernest Henley wrote the poem "Invictus" after having his leg amputated when he was in his twenties. The poem is about remaining unconquered and not giving up in the face of adversity. It describes withstanding the "fell clutch of circumstance" and the "bludgeonings of chance" with one's head bloody but unbowed. Ultimately, the poem asserts that a person is in control of their own fate and spirit as the "master of my fate" and "captain of my soul." Nelson Mandela drew inspiration from this poem during his imprisonment under apartheid.

1. William Ernest
Henley

2. "Invictus", which
is Latin for
"Unconquered"Henley began to
write poems,
including "Invictus”
after the amputation
of his one leg below
the knee, when he
was in his twenties.
Thus a poem about
not giving up, no
matter what may
come our way.
Poet William Earnest Henley

4. First
Stanza
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.

5. Second
Stanza
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
my head is bloody, but unbowed.

6. Third
Stanza
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.

7. Fourth
Stanza
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.

9. • This poem is a lyric poem.
• The overall rhyme scheme of the poem is
abab cdcd efef ghgh.
Out of the night that covers me, a
black as the pit from pole to pole, b
I thank whatever gods may be a
bfor my unconquerable soul.

10. Vocabulary
• pole to pole
• unconquerable
• fell
• clutch
• circumstance
• winced
• chance
• unbowed
from end to end
unbeatable
cut/lethal/savage
grasp
condition
grimaced
accidental
undefeated

11. Vocabulary
• wrath
• looms
• Horror
• menace
• unafraid
• strait
• charged
• scroll
anger
emerges
fear
threat
fearless
passage
emotional
document

13. Nelson Mandela
• Nelson Mandela used this poem as an
inspiration during the apartheid years to
sustain him.

14. Compare Mandela’s and Henley’s Situations
William Henley Nelson Mandela
Time
Problem
faced
Kind of Pain
Solution
Provided by
the poem

15. Compare Mandela’s and Henley’s Situations
William Henley Nelson Mandela
Time 1875 1960 - 1990
Problem faced Leg amputation apartheid
Kind of Pain PHYSICAL + MORAL (hard to lose
a limb when you are only 25
years old)
MORAL pain of being deprived of
freedom
PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION (very hard
work in labor camp)
Solution Provided
by the poem
Finds strength in the writing of
the poem + hope that life will go
on in spite of amputation
Allows him to use the strength of
his soul so as not to yield to
despair

16. Read the poem and find expressions that refer to the
following themes (quote)
Death Pain Courage

17. Death Pain Courage
My unconquerable soul
The night that covers me
Black
Place of wrath and tears I have not winced nor cried
aloud
Menace of the years My heart is bloody but
unbowed
Unafraid
Read the poem and find expressions that refer to the
following themes (quote)

18. Find equivalents for the following phrases in the
poem.
“ I’m hurt but I resist”
“ I do not fear old age”

19. Find equivalents for the following phrases in the
poem.
“ I’m hurt but I resist” “My head is bloody but
unbowed”
“ I do not fear old age” “the menace of years finds
and shall find me
unafraid”

20. Quote the line which shows that the
poem is addressed to anybody in the
world, no matter what race or religion
they are.

21. Quote the line which shows that the
poem is addressed to anybody in the
world, no matter what race or religion
they are.
“ I thank whatever gods may be”

22. Quote the key lines of the poem.
And interpret them!
conveyed here.
What is the message

23. Quote the key lines of the poem.
_“ I am the master of my fate I am
the captain of my soul”
And interpret them!What is the
message conveyed here.
Nobody can enslave my soul, I am free if I decide to
be so. I am the decision-maker.
The mind is stronger than the body, it helps you go on
when you think you’ve lost all your strength and
hopes.

24. Thank You