Summary

The poem begins with a narrator climbing out of a metaphorical pit of despair, thanking the gods for his "unconquerable soul" which refuses to accept defeat (4). Although he has faced difficult circumstances and much suffering, he has not cried out or protested. The speaker acknowledges that life is suffering and death is horrible, but he is still unafraid. He concludes that, no matter how difficult life is, he is at least capable of governing himself.

Analysis

“Invictus” has been long celebrated as a poem about the triumphant power of the human spirit in times of hardship. The final lines of the poem, in particular, are often quoted out of context as a generalized invocation to personal strength and self-determination.

However, “Invictus” is also a deeply personal poem. Though it is generally understood to be good practice to avoid conflating the private life of the...