The poem Invictus: The Unconquerable by William Ernest Henley is the first page of chapter 7 in my book “Embrace Life’s Randomness: Breath in the Amazing. The chapter continues with the heading, “What Does “Invictus” Tell Us of Random Events?" Invictus was written when Henley was treated for tuberculosis of the bone in the hospital, also known as Pott’s disease. The poem is about showing undivided courage in the face of death and maintaining one’s dignity against all the hardships in life. Is courage a stoic code word for “suck it up”? As Henley “felt the clutch of circumstance.” he might have considered tuberculosis a random event in his life.
Random events bring us face-to-face with the unexpected and are one more way we are forced to define ourselves by how we react. Henley tells us that the strength to respond to random events is what defines him and makes him a master of his should.
Determinism is the name of the theory that says that all events, including moral choices, are ultimately determined by previously existing causes. This view can be held by one who doesn’t believe that God is necessary, and everything comes down to prior events, but it can also be controlled by those that believe that everything that happens is part of God’s plan for us.”
This poem is an effective tool in the book and lets people get a feel for the book’s focus. Check out the book.
