In the second line, there is a simile and the comparison is made between the darkness of night to the color of the pit. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. The phrase, “unforgiving minute” is a metaphor for life. Kipling’s poem is all about how to be an ideal human being. In the last stanza, his voice contains a tone of rejection and it becomes more authoritative. This theme is present throughout the work along with some important themes such as being human, success, failure, life, strength, and self-control. The expression of the speaker creates a serious yet uplifting mood inside the text. Instant PDF downloads. While reading the lines, readers become enlightened concerning how to tackle the odds of life. Mazeppa is a narrative poem written by the English Romantic poet Lord Byron in 1819. Robert Frost and A Summary of Design. The poem was first published in 1888—without a title—in Henley’s first volume of poetry. In the first stanza, the “if” clauses were grouped in lines of two, with the exception of the final four lines. The title of the poem, ‘Invictus,’ which is Latin for “unconquered,” was given by the editor of “The Oxford Book of English Verse.” This poem is a favorite in popular culture, making appearances in movies such as Casablanca and the Nelson Mandela movie of the same name. Jenson, Jamie. In ‘Invictus’, W. E. Henley concerns several themes such as suffering and rejuvenation, fatalism, free will, homocentrism or anthropocentrism, realism, and agnosticism. Please log in again. The third and fourth lines present the next “if” situation. He faces each challenge with courage and is not afraid, and he can surmount any hardship. Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar: Summary and Analysis Paul Laurence Dunbar through this lyric poem highlight the suffering of the oppressed by prejudice and unfair laws with the use of the analogy of caged bird. The login page will open in a new tab. William Ernest Henley was born on 23 August 1849 in Gloucester. It requires self-discipline and a good moral character. Kipling continues right on to his next “if” clause: If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spokenTwisted by knaves to make a trap for fools. Here, Kipling urges his reader to dream and think but to not get so caught up in dreams and thoughts that the reader loses his grasp on reality. To become a “Man,” readers have to incorporate those ideas into their minds. Kipling writes, “If you can keep your head when all about you / Are losing theirs and blaming it on you…” In this first “if” scenario, Kipling reminds the reader of the importance of maintaining a level head even when those around the reader do not have one and are blaming the situation on the reader. The main theme of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘If—’ is Victorian-era stoicism. Neither the “punishments” inscribed on the “scroll” makes him frightened. The Rajasthani legends mention him as the Rajput ruler Ratan Singh. The most important theme of the poem is suffering and rejuvenation. Enjambment is another interesting device, one that occurs when the poet cuts off a line before the natural stopping point of a sentence or phrase. It is his self-belief and courage that will sail him through all the difficulties. Figurative language is often synonymous with poetic language. It has a set rhyme scheme of abab cdcd efef ghgh. Rather it’s about how one fights in the war and stands courageously until the end. ‘If—’ was written in 1895 and first published in 1910 in “Brother Square Toes,” a chapter of Rewards and Fairies. It is based on a popular legend about the early life of Ivan Mazepa (1639–1709), who later became Hetman (military leader) of Ukraine. Henley writes, “In the fell clutch of circumstance/ I have not winced nor cried aloud.” In other words, the speaker has not allowed himself to become a victim of the events that have transpired in his life. Thereafter, by using the phrase “from pole to pole,” the poet conjures up an image of the world, and it gives an almost nautical feel to the poem. The mood of the poem is dark and gloomy. The reader must always be prepared to start again. Since, his writing has come under some scrutiny as readers’ opinions of his colonial, sometimes overly masculine tone now seems much less tasteful. Later the poem got reprinted in several 19th-century newspapers under various titles such as, “Myself,” “Master of His Fate,” “Captain of My Soul,” and “De Profundis.” The well-known title ‘Invictus’ was added to the poem by Arthur Quiller-Couch, the editor of the “Oxford Book of English Verse (1900).”. The final four lines of the first stanza flow together nicely, almost sounding as though they are one complete thought. The speaker of the poem, presumably Kipling, keeps a positive and upbeat tone throughout the work, informing the reader what he or she needs to do in order to be a successful person in life. If one is able to keep all of these things in check, one will have the world at one’s fingertips. He calls them imposters as both of these events don’t last long. The third stanza starts with the “if” clause continuing on into the first four lines. Kipling makes use of several literary devices in ‘If—.’ These include but are not limited to repetition, enjambment, and caesura. Perhaps Henley’s use of the word unconquerable here is what inspired the editor of “The Oxford Book of English Verse” to title the poem ‘Invictus’. Magical Realism is a genre of fiction writing that is interested in imbuing the modern realistic world with magical, fantastical elements. It seems as if the poet wrote this poem from the perspective of a person who is courageously fighting the odds of his or her life in a dark and upsetting phase. Whether to adopt them or not, is up to the listener. The reader discovers what will happen in the final two lines of the work. It is also worth noting the capitalization of “Will.” Perhaps Kipling wanted to emphasize the resilience of the human spirit here by making it a power that is separate from the person who possesses it. The word “victus” has come from the past participle of “vincere” meaning “to conquer, overcome.” Collectively the word “Invictus” means one who cannot be conquered, meaning unconquerable. Refine any search. He writes: If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch. Kipling writes: If you can make one heap of all your winningsAnd risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,And lose, and start again at your beginningsAnd never breathe a word about your loss…. Readers can find a variety of ideas in it. Jenson, Jamie. Kipling makes this a very personal poem by his use of the pronoun “you.” In fact, one could even interpret that the poem is Kipling talking to himself or giving himself a pep talk. Kipling’s life took a tragic turn in the 1930s with the death of his second child. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Magical Realism is a genre of fiction writing that is interested in imbuing the modern realistic world with magical, fantastical elements. After developing an ulcer and undergoing surgery, Kipling died less than a week later. Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry, brought to you by the experts, Home » Rudyard Kipling » If— by Rudyard Kipling. In the following two stanzas, the speaker’s tone becomes firmer. In these lines, Henley personifies circumstance, giving it human-like qualities to show just how tightly the events of one’s life can take hold. The login page will open in a new tab. Additionally, he could possibly be suggesting that these two words often come with disruption or change. That’s why this poem does not have a single meaning. The choice is conditional. A British writer, Kipling, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907. Many people consider ‘If—’ to be one of the most inspirational poems ever written. Kipling leaves the “then” until the final two lines, revealing to the reader that if he or she is able to do all that was just mentioned, he or she will not only have the world at his or her fingertips, but he or she will also be a “Man.”. Henley’s most famous and inspirational poem, that resonates with people worldwide. Here is a list of a few poems that depict the themes present in Henley’s poem, ‘Invictus’. About Beowulf; Beowulf Summary; Character List; Lines 1-193 Summary and Analysis; Related Links In some respect, the tone also projects a sense of insecurity, but the courage of the speaker dominates it. It is quite easy for the reader to picture a complete night. Fate is just an abstract idea that obstructs one’s thought process. Finally, the poet gives the reader his final piece of advice: If you can fill the unforgiving minuteWith sixty seconds’ worth of distance run. The poem also has a set metrical pattern. He wrote several books of poetry but he is most famous for his 1875 poem ‘Invictus’. It is through you visiting Poem Analysis that we are able to contribute to charity. Interestingly, defeat doesn’t last for a long time too. The poem has an almost mathematical proof about it with its if-then scenario. The first stanza wastes no time in setting up the if-then scenario. "If— by Rudyard Kipling". That’s why both triumph and disaster are traps in themselves. In the first stanza of ‘Invictus’, the speaker immediately sets the stage for his reader. But, no matter when the poem was written, it is still resonant today. Then he chose to travel to Edinburgh in August 1873 for treatment under the renowned English surgeon Joseph Lister. The word impostor suggests a pretense or disguise. The speaker demonstrates in these lines the importance of being able to pick oneself up and start again if they fail—even if the thing they’ve failed at has taken all of their life to attempt. He again tells his reader that he does not fear anything. The poem ends on a particularly high note, which Kipling emphasizes with his use of an exclamation point. Phenomenal Woman is a lyrical poem that sends out an important message to the world of convention and stereotype: empowerment comes from being confident in your own female skin, no matter if you are not seen as cute or fashionable by the masses.. Maya Angelou published this poem in 1978 when it appeared in And Still I Rise, a … "Invictus by William Ernest Henley". 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