4. An analysis of the poem “Invictus”
i) I believe this poem us saying that whatever life puts in front of you, whether it be an obstacle or challenge, you must face it and not back away from it. The narrator in the last two lines is saying that he is the master and controller of his own destiny. Because of this reason I believe that the theme of this poem is determination. Facing one’s problems and not backing away from them is a sign of bravery and determination.
ii) The poet has created a very unique and interesting mood and tone. The poem starts out with a desperate and sorrowful type of mood. As the poem continues it seems like the poem is getting somewhat lighter and brighter as the narrator talks about how he has overcome all his obstacles and that he controls his own fate and destiny. This helps emphasize the theme because through the narrators determination he made it through all the bad times, and it seems that the worst is beginning to end.
iii) This poem uses the rhyme sequence of a, b, a, b. This makes the poem seem calmer and makes the theme seem more intense.
iv) This poem uses similes, and hyperboles. An example of a simile is “Black as the Pit” which uses the word “as” as a comparison of two objects (black and pit). A hyperbole in this poem was “beyond this place of wrath and tears”, this is an exaggeration because our earth is not really such a depressing and painful place to live, although it may seem so at times. They help contribute to the mood and the tone of the poem because they emphasize the point that the narrator is in a really dark and horrible time.