by Saint Mark (bio)
Here is the poem in its entirety, along with a moving rendition here:
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| image via eva juliet |
When I first saw the movie "Invictus" and heard the self-titled poem by William E. Henley (1849-1903), I was moved to tears. It was powerful. It was evocative. The fact that Nelson Mandela used Henley's words to keep his mind, body and spirit alive while incarcerated for 27 years was a testament to the indomitable soul of mankind.
Here is the poem in its entirety, along with a moving rendition here:
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
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.
Although I enjoyed this poem, there was something about the last stanza that resonated as only quasi-truth to me. "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul" speaks to the truth that we possess God-given agency or "inalienable rights," but there seems to be a falsehood contained in its text that we can truly determine what happens to us.
To a certain degree, based on our own choices, we do have qualified "control" over our lives. I can and do choose my thoughts, words and actions. But, based upon other's choices (e.g. an apartheid government murdering and imprisoning those who challenge a prejudiced system of government), we have little to say. I cannot control you and you cannot control me.
After I heard the poem "Invictus," I couldn't articulate how it was not the final word on the subject until I read Orson F. Whitney's "The Soul's Captain." Elder Whitney (1855-1931) was an Apostle of Jesus Christ and, for me, he speaks the whole truth on the subject of who really is the Master of our fate and who truly is the Captain of our souls. The form of his poem is, in a way, an answer to "Invictus."
Here is Elder Whitney's "answer." For a modern take on Elder Whitney's refrain, click here.
Art thou in truth? Then what of him
Who bought thee with his blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood?
Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but him could bear.
The God who died that man might live,
And endless glory share?
Of what avail thy vaunted strength,
Apart from his vast might?
Pray that his Light may pierce the gloom,
That thou mayest see aright.
Men are as bubbles on the wave,
As leaves upon the tree.
Thou, captain of thy soul, forsooth
Who gave that place to thee?
Free will is thine — free agency
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto him
To whom all souls belong.
Bend to the dust that head "unbowed,"
Small part of Life's great whole!
And see in him, and him alone,
The Captain of thy soul
Compared to Elder Whitney's "The Soul's Captain," "Invictus" comes across as a little proud and defiant. Don't get me wrong, however. In a situation like Mandela's, a little pride in one's cause and defiance against one's wicked captors seems like a good choice. However, a better choice may be to approach one's fate as Elder Whitney suggests, and as Joseph of Egypt, Alma the Younger, Nephi and Lehi, the Apostle Paul, and Joseph Smith did. We may not be able to control all that happens to us, but we can control our response. We can "turn the other cheek." We can "do good to them that hate us." We can "bless them that curse us." We can "pray for them that persecute us." We can be the children of Christ when we are confronted with the children of the devil.
I do not know Mandela's heart but only what he read while in prison. I do not judge him but only judge for myself who is my pilot, my captain, my master. Especially in these times of hardship and trial, whether it be unemployment, marriage struggles, children rebelling, family loss, or other pain, "as for me and my house," Jesus the Christ is the only Captain and Pilot and Master of my soul.
6 comments:
Lovely. Thank you.
I always considered Invictus to mean the exact same thing as Elder Whitney's poem. As Corrie Tanbaum (sp?) testified in The Hiding Place--captains of our souls, we have the ultimate control over what we choose to do. Trust in God, (thus by doing so, trust ourselves), or trust man (who obviously, can break that trust). Making such a choice displays how we are captains of our souls. Choosing not to sin--to be tempted, but not to sin--is displaying ultimate "control" over one's self and one's soul. Choosing to accept God's will is the same. I always thought they meant the same--never saw pride in what Nelson Mandella did. Recall too, that although all the Book of Mormon, Bible, and current day prophets "turned the other cheek"--they also stood and defended what they believed. Alma the Younger did not just stand by and allow the king's sheep to be stolen--he stood up to the robbers--and cut off their arms. Joseph did not just allow his brothers to leave Egypt without learning a lesson--he taught them what "being humble" truly meant--after threatening Benjamin's life. Even Joseph Smith, on more than one occasian, stood up to those who "hurt" him--defending the Lord, the faith, and even, at times, himself and trying to gain justice for the Church and the Saints. Turning the other cheek does not always mean just "putting up with" being mistreated. One of the ultimate ways, I believe strongly, that we can honor the Lord's sacrifice for us, is by seeking appropriate justice and the "inaleianable (sp?) rights" we were born with (given, ultimately, by the Lord)--as well as defending the same rights of others.
It is a falsehood to believe that Elder Whitney's poem does not promote this, as much as Invictus. In many ways, Nelson's plight and Joseph Smith's in Liberty Jail were not that different (except that Joseph was a prophet--Nelson was a political prisoner), but both were fighting ultimately for those "rights"--we all were supposed to "come with".
I too was moved by this poem after seeing the movie, so much so that the kids and I added it to our list of memorization. Now when we recite it we always shout the last few lines because I agree with "me", we are captain's of our souls because we have free agency. As free agents, we can choose to align our will with Heavenly Father's or not. But we are truly masters of our own fate and captains of our own souls.
I too always read the first poem in line with your explanation of the second poem. We do not control our destiny, but we do control how we respond to life's events. He does say, "it matters not how strait the gate,how charged with punishments the scroll" before attesting his own responsibility for his actions, suggesting that it's not about determining about what happens to him, but how he reacts to it. I think there's less distance between the two poems than you suggest. But thank you for posting the second poem, it was new to me!
"Free" agency isn't free.
If we are the true masters of our fates and captains of our souls, then why would Christ say these words: "Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ" (Matthew 23:10)?
"Me" and Cher, I understand and appreicate your perpsectives: we must work out our salvation and make the choices that determine eternal progression or eternal damnation. I get it and agree with it to a point. But, defiantly stating that we are the only master of our fates or souls impliedly denies that Christ is the only true Master, of life, of truth, of our very souls. We may choose whether to submit our will, our agency, to His, but in the end, whether we choose Him or not, the consequences of our choices of agency willl inevitably illustrate that He was and is our only Master.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said it best: “The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar."
Or, this gem: "Coming unto the Lord is not a negotiation, but a surrender.”
"Invictus" is wonderful but limited in its "unbowed" defiance to any other as potential Master.
In a "Good, Better, Best" world, "Invictus" puts it "good" while Elder Whitney puts it best. Jesus Christ is the ultimate Master of our fates; the Only Begotten Son is the Captain of our souls. Any other captain, even ourselves, is second-rate.
I think it's important to know the background of the poem. Invictus was written by William Henley whose friends included Robert Louis Stevenson and J.M. Barrie. Henley suffered a leg amputation at a young age and wrote the poem shortly after, to show his strength in overcoming such an ordeal.
While nothing in our study of Henley suggests he was Christian (clearly in the first stanza he suggests he is not any particular religion), I appreciate it's message to our kids about having an unconquerable spirit.
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