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Invictus By William Ernest Henley

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Invictus by William Ernest Henley is a very powerful poem that uses tone, literary devices, and language to portray its powerful message. The meaning of the word Invictus is Latin for “unconquerable”. The message behind Invictus is the drive to thrive when faced with a severe test. The poem was written while Henley was still hospitalized. Henley demonstrates the theme by speaking about his illness, his battle with it and overcoming it. The theme is present throughout the poem, like when he says "for my unconquerable soul" (4). The theme is a result of the experiences Henley was undergoing at the time he wrote this powerful poem. The illness that destroyed his body, tuberculosis of the bone, and his fight with it, was the inspiration for "Invictus". Henley was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the bone at only twelve years old. His leg became infected which led to amputation, and later his other foot became infected as well but despite what doctors advised him, Henley refused to have the other foot amputated. …show more content…

Phrases like “Out of the night that covers me,” represent obstacles. Henley uses “night” to represent his challenges, like tuberculosis. The night is described to be “Black as the Pit from pole to pole” signifying that the night is not a simple obstacle but something demanding fear and being dark, something that can “cover” or take control of him if he does not have the mere strength to conquer it. However, in the last line of the first stanza he states, “I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul,” meaning that he does indeed have the strength required to overcome this obstacle. “Unconquerable soul” is the strength he holds that doesn’t let him be seized by his illness or as he puts it the

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