Destiny and Henley

"Invictus" was written by Henley when he was in the hospital with tuberculosis. While in his twenties he contracted a tubercular infection that led to his leg being amputated below the knee. Later he developed the same infection in his other leg and was told it would have to be removed as well. Henley refused to have it amputated and sought the help of a doctor who had developed antiseptic medicine. Twenty months later Henley had finally recovered and was able to leave the hospital. It was during this dark time in his life when he wrote "Invictus". When you read the poem you can see how passionate he felt: “I thank whatever gods may be / For my unconquerable soul”(Henley). Instead of falling into despair, Henley was able to be thankful that, though his body was beaten, his soul wasn’t.

Even in the highest of his horrible circumstances, Henley refused to let life defeat him, but instead he rose up and fought back: “In the fell clutch of circumstance / I have not winced nor cried aloud” (Henley). He did not waste his time despairing over what he had lost, but instead focused on getting better. You can also see how desperately determined he was: “I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul” (Henley). He refused to give into the idea that someone else was in control of his life. In the poem he cites “the bludgeonings of chance,” which shows he felt it was simply fate that this happened to him, and yet he went on to defiantly state that he was in control of his own destiny (Henley). By looking closely at "Invictus", you can clearly see the struggles that Henley went through in his own life.

The powerful tone in “Invictus” is gloomy and dark although Henley remains optimistic and with the help of the three types of figurative language the dark tone is constantly seen throughout the poem helping readers truly feel the misery the author is going through . Invictus could be taken as a hopeful poem for those suffering, constantly being reminded that you