Analysis Of William Henley's Poem 'Invictus'

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Recommended: Poetic devices and figurative language

Do you know your fate? William Henley sure did. William reminds us that we are the captain of our soul, and that we have a choice to either live in pain or be brave in trying times. The theme of Invictus is being brave in the middle of darkness, and standing strong throughout trials and tribulations, while not being afraid of whatever happens in the end.
Invictus is a very simple and powerful poem. From the very beginning William grabs reader’s attention with his metaphors, personification and imagery. The speaker starts off describing the pain and suffering that he is experiencing in the first stanza. Capturing the attention of readers with phrases such as “out of the night that covers me,” and “black as the pit from pole to pole”. These phrases are excellent examples of how he feels during this time. Comparing his suffering to the night, using it to metaphorically represent the suffering and pain that the speaker is feeling. You begin to visualize how dark it gets when …show more content…

Standing tall during trials and tribulations and fighting his battles in private, he continues to fight without showing an ounce of second thought or withdrawal. “In the fell clutch of circumstance,” the speaker does not show his pain or hurt with action. He takes the beating without backing down or crying aloud. Keeping his head up, he tells us in the last line of stanza two that, “My head is bloody, but unbowed.” He refuses to be defeated. This line provides imagery of just how bad the speaker feels on the inside. Readers begin to picture how broken and hurt the speaker must feel, while at the same time seeing how brave and strong he is for not giving up. Encouraging readers to reflect upon their own problems and inspiring them not to throw in the towel when things get rough. You begin to connect with the speaker and relate your own “bludgeonings of chance” to his, while identifying with

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