The Resilience in Invictus
What is being strong? Many people interpret being strong as enduring, not only physically, but also being able to endure and persevere mentally through all the struggles and up and downs of life. William Ernest Henley examines this in “Invictus”. He looks at how life is hard and may beat you down, but ultimately you can persevere. Just because life may be hard and beat you down does not mean that you can’t persist.
It is clear that in the very begging of the poem the narrator is feeling downtrodden by life. This is made clear in the line “night that covers me.” Before that the poem says, “Black as the pit from pole to pole.” This can be interpreted as a darkness felt from the South to the North, as understood by “pole to pole.” The word Black calls an image of darkness and despair to mind. However as you read the next two lines of the stanza it becomes obvious that he is appreciative for his “unconquerable soul,” not being able to be overcome by the sadness and darkness felt. Although there is a darkness that covers him, he is not letting that beat him down; he is able to not let the blackness get the best of him, and endure.
As the poem continues there are more examples of feeling beaten down, but being able to persevere and being able to stay strong. In the last line of the second stanza, the narrator says “My head is bloody but unbowed.” This could be understood as a reference of feeling beat down, or possibly hurt by life. In this stanza, we again see that even though the author is in a rough spot in his life, he continues to turn his head up to the sky and see the good. “Unbowed” could be implying a refusal to be submissive to the pain the narrator is feeling in this dark patch in his life. This is a recurring theme that is continuously expressed through the entirety of the poem.
By now it has become clear that the theme of rising above pain is prominent, however there is also another aspect to this theme. This aspect is the author’s will to remain strong and live their life for themselves. At the end of the third stanza the narrator says, “And yet the menace of the years finds, and shall find, me unafraid.” This could be understood to mean that pain and peril of the years will eventually catch up with you, however when it does, it finds you strong. This continues to follow the theme of persevering. In the last stanza the author says, “I am the master of my own fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Once again we continue to see the idea of facing your problems and taking charge resurfaces. The word master implies a strong sense of complete and total control, not being beaten down and choosing your own path. The very same theme is expressed with the word captain which is written in the very next line. Now the author is able to accept being strong and therefore continue his perseverance.
At the end of the poem, it becomes clear that “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley is ultimately a poem of determination and stamina. Throughout the poem William Ernest Henley gives a clear message to his readers that there are going to be hard times in your life, but you have to be able to overcome and conquer them. One must continue with resilience. This is the ultimate way for one to thrive in this ride we call life.
