Invictus, Latin for Unconquerable
Some poems resonate so deeply with people that they seem to transcend time. 'Invictus' by William Ernest Henley is one such poem. While the poem was written in 1875 and published in 1888, it has gone on to inspire many throughout history, most notably Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela.
During his incarceration, Mandela would recite the poem to other prisoners in order to instill it's message of fortitude and self-mastery. In 2009, a film was made about Nelson Mandela and the circumstances surrounding the 1995 Rugby World Cup titled, Invictus.
While the poem evokes thoughts of imprisonment, war time, and violence, it was actually written during a time of illness by the author. Henley had suffered from tuberculosis of the bone at the age of 16 resulting in the amputation of his left leg.
Later on, in his early 20's he was told that he would require a similar treatment for his remaining leg. Rather than accept this diagnosis, he travelled to Edinburgh to seek the help of renown surgeon Joseph Lister. In the end, the leg was saved and Henley was inspired to write a collection of poems titled, In Hospital.
Henley's work is known to express what is now referred to as Victorian stoicism, the concept of individual fortitude in the face of adversity that was often taught as an English virtue. Because of this, 'Invictus' has often been invoked during times of strife in English history, most notably during WWII by Winston Churchill.
In 2014, an international paralympic sporting event was created by Prince Harry, called the Invictus Games. This sporting event features wounded and injured soldiers participating in the events. The poem, 'Invictus' along with a similar sporting event taking place in the US called the Warrior Games were the key inspirations for the event's creation.
Comments
Post a Comment