Analysis

An analysis of the poem “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley shows that the poem’s composition is relatively simple and straightforward. The poem has four stanzas with four verses each and a fixed rhyming pattern.

The speaker of the poem seems to be a persona of the author, who wrote “Invictus” as a way of coping with his illness. Throughout the poem, the speaker contrasts the suffering he experiences with his undaunted and undefeated attitude.

The language of the poem focuses on the dark situation the speaker is in and the contrast of his attitude. This is done mainly through the help of adjectives that present a clear picture of what the speaker is feeling and of his determination not to give in.

The poem presents some poetic devices that reflect the speaker’s bravery and determination. Alliteration adds musicality to the poem and captures the readers’ attention. Metaphors and similes draw attention to the obstacles that the speaker is forced to face.

Excerpt

Below, you can read an excerpt from our study guide:

Metaphors and simile

The metaphor is one of the most common poetic devices used in the poem “Invictus”. The poet uses many metaphors to refer to his difficult situation.
The speaker refers to his suffering as “the night that covers me” (l. 1). This highlights how dark his situation is and how there seems to be no hope for him.

Similarly, the metaphors “the fell clutch of circumstance” (l. 5) and “the bludgeonings of chance” (l. 7) point ...