The poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley describes his unconquerable spirit in the face of adversity. At age 17, Henley had part of his leg amputated due to tuberculosis of the bone. Despite this disability, as reflected in the poem, he maintained an unbowed and unafraid spirit. Through four stanzas, Henley expresses thanks for his inner strength, declares that he has endured hardship without complaint, is unafraid of death, and considers himself master of his own fate.

1. INVICTUS

2. William Ernest Henley
• At the age 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
was to amputate directly below the knee. It
was amputated when he was 17. inspired him
to write this poem. Despite his disability, he
survived with one foot intact and led an active
life until his death at the age of 53.

3. 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 bludgeoning 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.

4. • Invictus, meaning "unconquerable" or
"undefeated" in Latin

5. • 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 first stanza the persona prays in the dark to "whatever
gods may be" a prayer of thanks for his "unconquerable soul.”
• Several things are apparent from the outset: First, the
speaker is in some sort of metaphorical darkness, perhaps the
darkness of despair. Second, he does not pray for strength,
but gives thanks for the strength that he already has.

6. • In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeoning of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
• The seeming agnosticism (denial about god’s will) of the first
stanza continues in the second.
• He does not talk about God's will or even fate; instead he
speaks of "the fell clutch of circumstance" and "the
bludgeoning of chance," and asserts that he has overcome
these bravely and without complaint or giving up.

7. • 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.
• The third stanza is about death and what a trifle it seems to
the persona. This "place of wrath and tears", this life, it
seems, is not full enough of pain and horror to frighten the
persona. And death, "the Horror of the shade," could not
possibly worry him, being an end to "wrath and tears".
• Notice here that he is not concerned in any way about an
afterlife. Death is merely an end to suffering for him.
• Not even death or the afterlife may scare him

8. • 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.
• strait means narrow, restricted. To escape, the persona must
pass through a narrow gate. He believes he can do so in spite
of the punishments that fate has allotted him
• He accepts no master but himself. He bows to no authority.
He is his own god, guide and judge. He is the Captain.

9. Unconquerable
spirit
Subject
Matter
Will to survive

10. Theme
• the will to survive in the face of a severe test.
• Exp:
• My head is bloody, but unbowed.
• This line shows how the persona is probably
injured or severely damaged (bloody), but
unbowed meaning that he is still not giving
up.

11. • The believe and confidence in oneself that he
or she can go through any challenges in life
• Exp:
• I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
• These two lines clearly shows how the persona confidently
despise any obstacles or challenges and says that he controls
his life, his fate and his soul.

12. Strong lines
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

13. • Signifies that the persona is very well in
controlled of his life even though in the
hardships that may have killed or damaged
him.