In the poem Invictus by William Ernest Henley the writer has given us a glimpse of the theme in the title itself. Invictus means invincible or unnoticed in Latin. Knowing that this poem was written from Henley while he was in the hospital being treated for bone tuberculosis. This only helps to strengthen my argument that this poem is about strength and perseverance in the face of death. Say no to plagiarism violent video games shouldn't be banned"? Get an original essay The first stanza talks about strength and death. The entire stanza basically states that the author woke up from the dark knight he describes in the poem. He was grateful that he woke up because he doesn't wish to die. Although he does not wish to die, he knows that one day he will die. He states in the sentence “I thank whatever god may be for my invincible soul”. You can see that he thinks darkly when he uses phrases like "out of the night that covers me" and "black as the pit from pole to pole." When he wakes up the next morning and he is still alive, he is grateful, so he has happy thoughts because he is still alive. The second stanza is about the author persevering through his problems. “In the dire circumstances I neither flinched nor cried aloud.” In this sentence the author states that under the sinister grip of circumstances he has preserved through his troubles. Henley also states that under the blows of the case the author's head is bloody but untamed. This basically means stating that, even if he has taken the many blows of life, he doesn't give up. I think he's mostly talking about his strength and how he's fighting to stay alive. When he talks about strength he says things like “I didn't flinch or cry aloud” and “My head is bloody but not bent.” When he talks about struggling to survive, he says things like "In the grip of circumstances" and "Under the blow of chance." The third stanza is mainly about death. “Beyond this place of anger and tears.” This sentence talks about the Earth. The writer describes the earth as a place of hardness, pain and tears. "Yet the threat of the years finds me and will find me without fear." This statement is saying that the author is not afraid of death and will never be afraid. I think Henley was thinking that life was hell for him, so he writes about it. You can see it when he uses phrases like “looms the horror of the shadow, yet the menace of the years” and “beyond this place of wrath and tears.” I think the poet was having another bad day because he went back to writing really dark things. For example the kingdom of the dead, harshness and tears. The final stanza talks about the author's strength to move forward. "It doesn't matter how straight the gait or how laden with punishment the scroll." This means he doesn't care how tight the pace is to get where he's going or how much punishment is meted out every time he gets where he's going. He will decide where to go, whether it will be heaven or hell. “I am the master of my destiny, I am the captain of my soul.” I believe that while writing the author was thinking about the end of his goal because he knows that it is almost his time. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essay All the evidence I have provided supports my thesis which is to have strength and perseverance in the face of death. In the end the author realizes that he is the master of his life. In life you will always have to make decisions that will direct your destiny one way or another, but you are the only one responsible for your outcome.