Invictus: the human condition summed up

Nelson Mandela’s favourite poem and one that inspired him greatly in his time of    imprisonment was one poem ‘Invictus’ by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole

Morgan Freeman stars as  Mandela in 'Invictus'  

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.

It cannot be denied that there is a definite inspiring element to this poem. Just listen to Morgan Freeman read it:

Invictus is a poem of depth and substance. While it is perhaps confidence inspiring, Invictus tragically finds itself embracing flawed ideas of self-sufficiency and dependance and ultimately reckless rebellion in the face of death. Defiant and bold the poet claims he has not cried aloud in distress or in pain of defeat. Can anyone in honesty claim this?

The poet has plodded on and continued to fight the fights in life, because of his own sense of what bravery and courage is. He presents himself as a proper G.  

But to what end does the poet persevere in life? What is his purpose and goal? Beyond life's struggles, Invictus points only to a darkness in death. The poem asserts that if there is an afterlife, it is utterly desolate and lonely. If there is no afterlife, then the poet ceases to be and that is it. This is, as he says, “…the Horror of the shade…” 

Henley claims he doesn’t care 'how strait the gate' or 'how charged with punishments the scroll'. 

In The Gospel according to Matthew, Jesus says:

Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. 

In the New Testament letter of Romans, chapter 3 and verse 23, Paul says:

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Invictus clearly points to these passages and recognises in some way their validity. But for Henley such words, even if from God, just don't matter. Defiantly, he claims to be the master of his fate and the captain of his soul. He has freedom to choose what is right and wrong and does the pretty typical human thing and chooses the wrong. He doesn't give a care that his decisions have consequences nor does he accept that he will be held accountable for his own thoughts, words, and actions. It is his life. He calls the shots. Nothing and no one else matters.

This is a pretty common way of responding to the pains and problems we recognise in our lives. Indeed, it is how many of us live - with a lack of realisation of how serious our problem is. We don’t appreciate the depth of our sin. We don’t respect the reality that we need God’s mercy. We are very happy to do things our own way...at least for now. Like the poet we are all too aware of the impending reality of death and the reality of our sin and shame hangs over us...but we put a brave face on it and just press on recklessly embracing our punishment. This is the human condition summed up. This is why the broken world, by and large, remains unfixed even though such a fix is possible.

Personally, I prefer the words written through Isaiah the prophet over those of Henley the poet. In these words, Christ and the hope, help, and healing he would bring to those who trust in Him are foretold. He is the master of my fate. He is the captain of my soul. With Him I am safe, whatever good or ill may come my way.

Isaiah 53:4-12 

Yet he himself bore our sicknesses,
and he carried our pains;
but we in turn regarded him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced because of our rebellion,
crushed because of our iniquities;
punishment for our peace was on him,
and we are healed by his wounds.
6 We all went astray like sheep;
we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished him
for the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment;
and who considered his fate?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.

10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely.
When you make him a guilt offering,
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
11 After his anguish,
he will see light[ and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will carry their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him the many as a portion,
and he will receive the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,
and was counted among the rebels;
yet he bore the sin of many
and interceded for the rebels.