William Ernest Henley was born in Gloucester, England on august 23, 1849. He was an influential poet, editor and critic of the late-Victorian in the nineteen century. Henley was the oldest of six children's, five sons, and a daughter; his father William Henley a bookseller and stoner, died in 1868, living his wife and children's with debt. Henley was a student at the Crypt Grammar school at Gloucester. Thomas Edward Brown profoundly influenced on the young Henley, he encourages him to read books and to study literature. After few months, Henley passed the local Oxford examination with an excellent result, but due to financial and ill- health made it impossible to begin his study. William Ernest Henley, throughout the poem he uses certain words and phrases which bring out the image of the format while at the same time keeping the idea of self- respect and most important, pride.
Henley never subscribed to any organized religious belief at any point in his life, however. At the very least he sensed a power that controlled and manipulated the universe. While in the hospital he realized that it was only through his own inner power that he was able to overcome his overwhelmingly despairing circumstances. Henley developed a philosophy that the individual must lead an active life and never regret dreams that may have been turned into reality. The closest that Henley ever came to admitting to a greater power was in "Invictus" "I thank whatever gods there be." Though it mentions the possibility of gods, the poem lacks any hint of faith. The speaker is agnostic and very well may be an atheist. And so, Invictus serves as a testament to Henley's own personal philosophy, as it demonstrates the individual's own inner strength and indomitable free will as being his/her the only resource for survival.
Ever since Henley was diagnosed with tuberculosis, his live change completely. Most of the time it was hard for Henley to do things by himself.specially because he had used artificial feet, which he felt really uncontrollable and didn’t know how he was going to survive like this. At the hospital of Gloucester, the doctors did not fully understand henley's disease. According to Jerome Hamilton Buckley, "his body had grown all out of proportion to his withered limbs. An insidious enemy gnawed at his hands and feet"(36).
At the age of 12, Henley was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the bone, which it was led to an amputation from his left leg below the knee.In 1874 at the age of twenty-five, after all, the coverage he found himself in, of the hospital at Edinburg. From there he was sent to the Cornhill magazine where he wrote poems in irregular rhythms, describing all his experiences at the hospital. Leslie Stephen was the editor that help Henley to edit all the poems he had written. Along with Stephen and his good friend Robert Louis Stevenson, they both visited his contributor in the hospital. While he was recovering in the infirmary, he was moved to write the verse that become one of his most famous poem the "Invictus".
His poem sequence “In Hospital” sets the pattern for most of his subsequent work. Presenting a rather new idea for a series of poems, he attempts the unhackneyed in his treatment. The volume chronicles his hospital experience from his moment of entry to his exit, and he gives brief sketches of most of the other people in the hospital at that time. He begins with entering Patient, continues with Waiting for the operation, then the Operation itself, and with his other experiences until he is Discharged. He also sketches the nurses, the surgeons, and various other people confined as patients. These poems are essentially topical, but in some instances, his language is realistic and powerful enough to convey his themes with vividness. The probe used on him while he is waiting for the operation feels like a crowbar, and the life he believes is a blunder.
In 1877, Henley moved to London and began his editorial career by editing London, a journal written by his won rather than the public. William Ernest Henley edited four different magazines during his lifetime. But for some reason, all his work was anonymous and never had his name or anything that state it he was the one that edit them.In the old French forms, Henley contributed himself to a series of verses. He had been writing poetry since 1872, but sometimes due to his illness he had trouble in focusing in what he was writing. At the age of Twenty-seven, he started to focus more and he edited the Magazine of Art. At the end of that period, he came into the public eye as a poet.
This period of his life, a couple of recollections from his childhood, was the primary inspiration of the poem and play a major role in its meaning. The "Invictus" is a short Victorian poem that was written in 1875 but was not published until 1888 originally with no title. This document was Henley's first volume in poems in the book of verse, and it was meant to be under the section life and death. The poem's main purpose is to exemplify the actors past, present, and future; and also his inability to be overcome or conquered. The speaker is trying to get the reader to realize how a man, or a woman, should react to a challenge or struggle. The meaning behind this poem is that if life hits you get up and fight harder to get to be in the right place.
Henley's uses a vivid language in his poem, "Invictus" creating imagery which turns the poem's powerful and courageous tone. The poem also brings the reader a good visual and easy images that are created by using specific language.The specific language he uses in the poem is so strong and deep that it almost took the reader to a new world, which one feeling of pride has emerged. The first stanza mainly introduces Henley emotionally. The meaning of “night” in the first line is the representation of Henley’s emotional state and depressing obstacles he overcame individually. In the poem, certain language is well built especially when Henley says, "I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul” (lines 3-4). Simply by choosing the word "gods” in these lines, the author implies that he possesses some kind of supernatural strength that the gods have given him.
The next two stanzas reflect how Henley dealt with the pain. He had “not winced nor cried aloud” meaning publicly he had not dealt with his pain and suffering. The imagery of his head “bloody, but unbowed” is so vivid and clear. His agony and pain are obvious to an observer, represented by the bloody head, yet he had not given up and had no intentions of giving up on life, represented by his unbowed head. This internal conflict occurred for many years, yet due to his unconquerable soul, he is unafraid, as stated in (lines 11-12).
The final stanza is truly where the metaphors show how only you are responsible for your own fate. Henley finishes his poem powerfully, which his regret for his decisions or what the consequences were for his choices. The thirteenth and fourteenth lines almost reject Christianity. Henley states, “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll". Basically, it does not matter when you reach the gates of Heaven what you are charged against in the scroll or Bible. The last two lines are both metaphors to be taken connotatively, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” These two metaphors are essentially the entire meaning of the poem; if you are unconquerable only you can determine your fate. You are the master and captain of your destiny. The tone and mood of the poem and its poet are serious, strong, and deep yet somehow leaves the reader inspired.
He came out with his foot and his life. He was discharged in 1875 and was able to lead an active life for nearly 30 years though he was, of course, a cripple. With an artificial foot, he suffered horribly all his life from his disease before it killed him at 54. "Invictus" was written from a hospital bed. Throughout the whole poem, Henley words are supernatural and his unconquerable soul, it just something that keeps the reader more focused until the end of the poem. The language Henley is using helps the soul to keep ringing in the reader's head. At the end of the third and fourth stanza, Henley writes, " the menace of the years finds, and shall find me, unafraid....I am the captain of my soul" (lines 12,16), these words are chooses for a reason. Henley's goals it to keep the readers to think positive, thinking about some fearless. the language William Ernest Henley uses throughout the poem, is to keep the reader focused in the idea that he wants his poem to get across. His had chosen this language not only to create but maintain imagery- one which that is abundant throughout the poem. When the poem begins, the readers are introduced to a dark environment, a night which is "Black as the Pit Pole to Pole" (line 2). The theme of the poem is he survive in the face of a severe test. Henley himself faced such a test during his sickness.
Many people would agree that William Henley did have an 'Unconquerable' soul. The reason is because he have survived when chances had it he would not. When William was just a little boy when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in his bone. He was transferred to different hospitals and at the second hospital, he was doctored by Joseph Lister. After few years of painful treatments, doctor Joseph saved his leg and he also saved his life. This drastic time period is what encourage William Henley to write the poem Invictus. The word "Invictus" comes from the Latin root, meaning unconquerable.
The poem Invictus had changed people's lives, by inspiring others to keep moving forward in life and never look back to the bad experience. The influence by William Ernest Henley made a big impact in many people's spirits, especially in the famous president Nelson Mandela. which he was in prison for 27 years, he has accused of a crime, that was not really a crime. He stood up against the government because of all the bad choices they were doing to harm the African Americans. Inspiration can be found everywhere, whether it is a person or a poem, it can make a huge difference when it comes to changing unfortunate situations. For instance, the "Invictus" is based in Nelson Mandela's life, one of the key freedom- fighter of the world. Telling the story of a former prisoner becoming the president of south Africa, the importance of uniting a people by giving them a common goal. In order to reach those goals, inspiration is crucial, because in hard times it can mean the difference between success and failure.
The best thing about this poem is that it can be interpreted so differently by so many people. From the perspective of a dying human, can seek the courage to face whatever may come after the flesh expires. From the perspective of a young man, far from his time, it can be about getting through every day. The fact that the poem relates to no specific tones is quite clear, and although we are aware of the context, it can really inspire anyone. It’s simple form and tone means it is easy to understand as well.
Life is like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs. for every human being, there will be always some type of problem We face many challenges in our lives. It is a fact that we do not have control over the type of obstacles and challenges we come across. However, we can control the outcome of our decisions or actions. These outcomes have a great impact on our lives in a positive or a negative way. So, it is our responsibility for our actions and the directions we take to live our lives. We also have to accept the outcome of the decisions we make. For example, the main reason students are getting bad grades is because they are putting themselves in this position by not working to their full potential and slacking off. So, if they want to make better grades, they will have to show more responsibility to work hard. Henley shows this belief when he states, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Destiny is determined by the decisions, choices, or actions, good or bad, made by a person.