Monday, March 12, 2012

Invictus


I was just reading about the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley. (It's below)


I first came across it when I was in school in Ireland at about the age of 16... in English Literature class. I loved the poem back then... mostly because as a 16 year old boy, hard core poems about "bludgeoning" and "blood" go over well.


I didn't know any of the history of the poem.


Briefly:


1. Henley wrote it in 1875 when he was 26 and it was about losing his leg below the knee to tuberculosis.


2. Nelson Mandela kept it on a scrap of paper in his cell during his 27 year incarceration.


3. In the recent movie, Invictus, Mandela (Morgan Freeman) gives the captain of the South African rugby squad (Matt Damon) a copy of the poem before the final game of the 1995 World Cup in which they are to face the heavily favoured New Zealand All Blacks. The Springboks (South Africans) go on to win.


4. In reality Mandela gave the Springbok captain (Francois Pienaar) an excerpt from The Man in the Arena speech by Theodore Roosevelt. This quote has always been one of my favourites - see it on the sidebar.


5. Invictus is latin for unconquered.


For these reasons Invictus has now joined the excerpt from Man in the Arena as my favourite pieces of literature. What amazing stories and coincidences.


Invictus


Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.


It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

- William Ernest Henley, 1875

Tweet this!

11 comments:

Missy said...

What! Have you been busy or something?!! Where you been? Yeah, I know, me too, crazy go nuts.

I really need to check out that movie, looks great.

Mike said...

Woah, coincidence indeed!

I kid you not, this is my favorite poem of all time for a very different reason and I've been able to recite the last two phrases by memory since I was a boy.

When my Great Grandpa Otto died (I was maybe 10 or 12), I found an original book of phrases, quotes, poems, etc, barely still hanging together by a thread-bare spine. This was one of the best preserved pages in the book and he'd marked the margins with pencil which made me think it had been important to him as well. The last phrase obviously grabbed me.

I had no idea it was about losing his leg. Incredible! Thanks for posting this Meyrick.

Maris said...

This poem has an undeniable powerful charge to it that one can't help but feel emboldened every time he reads it. I've never really read it thoroughly if you had not blogged about it. Thanks!

Holly Salsman said...

What an inspiring poem! I love the history you included as well, about who found inspiration from it.

TRiathlete23 said...

You should record your results and training with this brand new application. Definitely the best one i have seen.



220 TriLog for the iPhone!



iTunes Link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/220-trilog/id405993632?mt=8&uo=4

Michael Bullis said...

Hello:
I'm the Executive Direcgtor of the IMAGE Center for people with Disabilities in Baltimore Maryland. We're collecting information from people with disabilities, like ourselves, who have techniques they use to help people become comfortable with their disabilities.

I'm hoping that you might help us by telling us your techniques and by spreading the word about this project.
It's possible that some ice-breaker you use will be of value to someone else, or, it's possible that what they do could be of use to you.
Just let us know. Some people raise questions about whether some technique or other is "apropriate." That is, something like using self depricating humor. We understand there is controversy about some of these things but would prefer that everyone forget about that for a moment and just send along their methods of helping people become comfortable with disability.
We'll collect everything and send it back out to the disability community. Our final goal is to develop this body of knowledge and use it with our students to help them master a series of techniques they are comfortable with when dealing with family members, friends or associates, and employers.
People can respond in one of two ways. Either send the information to me, Michael Bullis,
mbullis@imagemd.org or comment on our wall on our facebook page at
The Image Center for People with Disabilities.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Image-Center-for-People-with-Disabilities/131582240241653
If you'd like to send videos, that's fine as well.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
Michael Bullis
The IMAGE Center,
Towson Maryland
410-982-6311

BlogFront said...

Hi MJ,

BlogFront.org is committed to uphold the quality standards of blogging. We strive to maintain and promote only the most credible blogs in their respective fields.

Spam blogs or "splogs" has been a problem for some time now and people are getting confused about which blog to trust.

We would like to thank you for maintaining such a reputable blog. We know that it takes time, effort and commitment to keep such a blog and as such, we have added your blog as one of the top Disability Blogs.

You can see your blog listed here: http://blogfront.org/disability

You can also claim your BlogFront Top Blogs badge at http://blogfront.org/badges/disability

Thank you for keeping your blog credible. Let's keep the blog revolution alive!

Maria Blanchard
BlogFront.org
Blog Revolucion

Linda Pendleton said...

Interesting about the history of the poem. I had no idea, either, and actually have never paid much attention to it except for the last two lines. This gives it a whole new meaning, especially for those of us who have lost a leg. Thanks for sharing, Meyrick.

Disabled Schools said...

I've read Invictus and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by it! It really is a great story!

Kim Sparling said...

My favorite poem! I had no idea about the history behind it, pretty rad.

Anonymous said...

Thаnk you for the goοd writeup. It in fact was a amusement aсcount it.
Lοoκ advаnced tο more addеd agreeablе ftom уou!
Hοwеνer, hоw could wе сοmmuniсatе?


Feel frеe to surf to mу page; plеaѕe
cliсk the neхt page ()