Context of Invictus Victory lies in the hands of those who choose to succeed, people who fight their battles, go the extra mile, and persevere through the unfavorable circumstances. When faced with hardships, one may easily turn away and give up. Others however, will push through the hardships and gain strength from the experience. Life is full of such hardships, and it all depends on a choice - to push through or to give in. “Invictus” is a poem composed by William Ernest Henley in 1875. According to the Poetry Foundation, Henley was battling tubercular arthritis, which caused the amputation of one of his legs below the knee. While he was recovering, he wrote several poems including “Invictus”. The poem displays perseverance and determination in the face of hardship and pain. Although all the odds are …show more content…
Throughout his childhood, his family was mentally and physically abused by his father. When he was thirteen years old, his mother passed away due to cancer. He was then left to protect his siblings from his father’s agonizing abuse. Out of grief and sorrow, his father committed suicide on his mother’s birthday a month later. His aunt, a kind and loving woman, graciously took them in and raised them. My father lost his first wife to cancer, and his second wife neglected my brother mistreated my brother. She forced him to stand against a wall on his toes and whipped him every time his heels touched the ground, would not allow him to play, and several other cruelties. When he discovered what all she had done and divorced her, she lied and told the family that it was he who was mistreating my brother. This lie divided my father’s family; very few family members believed my father did not do it. When I was born, his family started to trust him again and soon realized how wrong they were to believe her. His life seemed to be getting better. However, a few years later, he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away