ipl-logo

Free Will And Fate In William Henley's Invictus

1161 Words5 Pages

Few problems in philosophy are so well-known and complex such as the notion of free-will and fate.We unconsciously face these concepts throughout our daily life when we come to contact with things that we enjoy, like books, songs or movies. They are also ever present in ourselves, because we always confront with these ideas when we wonder whether we shape our life according to our free will, or we are simply following what some call ‘destiny’ or ‘path set by a Supreme Being’. The different conceptions that we have of these question, are another source of diversity within people.
William Henley takes a clear position in his poem ‘Invictus’: the human being is the Master of his Fate and the Captain of his Soul, which means that he is the one …show more content…

‘Beyond this place of wrath and tears…’ and ‘It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll…’, he conveys the message that even though he doesn’t know what’s coming on his way, he is unafraid and ready for life, and with the time that is left , he will continue to master his Fate. The most controversial line is ‘I am the Master of my Fate’, because even if he claims that he is unsure of the next occurrences of his life, he says that he will try to master it.This is a hard problem to deal with, because even if we identify freedom of will with our complete spontaneity,we have to understand how such volition can also come from God

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast Krakauer Vs Epstein

    731 Words  | 3 Pages

    Krakauer answers the prompt “How much of what happens in our lives do we actually control?” more convincingly than Epstein because of stronger evidence, rhetoric, and logical reasoning. Jon Krakauer explains the role of fate in life better than Epstein with stronger evidence. Chris McCandless comes to a moment in his life when he decided to make his own decisions, “I think I’m going to disappear for a while” (Krakauer 16).

    Read More

  • The Theories And Arguments Of Roderick Chisholm And Harry Frankfurt

    588 Words  | 3 Pages

    when it comes to our first order desires because we cannot control them. But, we cultivate free will through our second order desires by using will power. Thus, free will ignores the external aspects of a human being, instead, it is developed internally (Frankfurt). Through the theories and arguments of Roderick Chisholm and Harry Frankfurt, free will is explained and defined.

    Read More

  • Equality 7-2521 In Ayn Rand's Anthem

    335 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since, he was a kid, he 's wanted to know about life and its meaning. He had searched for meaning in life. " It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect." This demonstrates that he now realize that he is the meaning in life. He is overcome with the emotional experience of his understanding; he has the right to risk his own life.

    Read More

  • 'Inspiration In William Henley's Invictus'

    314 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1888, William Ernest Henley published his poem titled Invictus. When Henley was 12, he was diagnosed with tuberculous in his bones. Doctors told Henley that both of his legs would have to be amputated; He did not let that happen. The doctors amputated one leg and he continued with a successful life as a poet. The world invictus is latin for unconquerable.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Fate In Ernest Cline's Ready Player One

    845 Words  | 4 Pages

    A famous quote says, “Fate decides who comes into your life. Your heart decides who stays. ” There is no changing the people that are put in your path. Meeting them is inevitable, maybe even destiny.

    Read More

  • Jonathan Edwards: Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

    726 Words  | 3 Pages

    God Gives Us Free Will Jonathan Edwards preaches that if people follow God and obey him they will experience his great mercy. “Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God,” he explains this concept in his sermon. Most people back in 1741 and to this day would be persuaded by his sermon about the Lord because of how passionately and strongly he spoke about his beliefs’. In this sermon Edwards refers to Gods everlasting wrath. He describes Gods anger towards those who do not follow and believe in Him.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of Human Nature In George Orwell's Never Let Me Go And 1984

    1539 Words  | 7 Pages

    Fate is defined as the development of events that are not in an individual’s

    Read More

  • Connections In Macbeth

    1131 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Contemporary Connections Between Macbeth and Today William Shakespeare 's Macbeth is a play that portrays a tragic event and that has many contemporary influences. Despite the fact that this play is from the past, the materials discussed throughout the play display various themes that are still very relevant to this day. This tragedy tells a tale of a heroic soldier that seeks into a prophecy composed by a group of witches. The prophecy foreshadows a heroic soldier becoming king of Scotland.

    Read More

  • Free Will In The Alchemist

    622 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is the hand that evokes love, and creates a twin soul for every person in the world”(95). Fate is a story written of the entire universe, and controls everything within. Free will does not change what has already been written by fate as it is all controlled by one. The universe could be made of a single being, but the choices made by people change outcomes of what is supposedly fated. Fate and free will together result into the universe, but only together does it explain all

    Read More

  • Ethos Pathos Logos

    484 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before we're born, our lives are foretold. We're woven through puzzles until we're placed correctly, and we wait till our time comes. Our choices, actions, and beliefs are predicted by the Gods. Our blueprints are engraved in stone -- destined to follow their paths perfectly. Every step is planned, and every future is known.

    Read More

  • Fate In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    548 Words  | 3 Pages

    Failures and successes in life have led many people to believe that destiny plays a role in one's future life outcome. Some say destiny, the “hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future”, is unchangeable; fate has already decided how one will live their life. Although in some cases this may be true, one is able to change their destiny by the deeds and actions they commit during their lifetime. Many people disregard the idea that actions play a large role in forming one's future.

    Read More

  • Boethius Boethius Free Will

    1532 Words  | 7 Pages

    Free will is an important components of the human experience and

    Read More

  • Fate And Free Will In The Matrix

    1133 Words  | 5 Pages

    Fate and Free will are both two ideas that have a questionable outcome. Whether one has free will or fate the outcome for both is unknown until the end. In the Matrix, the computer generated world which humans "live" in, it appears that fate is key. The computer system is prewritten, predesigned, and already programed. However, free will starts to take place in the minds of the individuals who begin to escape.

    Read More

  • Chronicle Of A Death Foretold Fate Analysis

    1202 Words  | 5 Pages

    In order for free will free will to be tangible, an individual would have to have control over his or her actions regardless of any external factors. It can be argued that the inevitability of

    Read More

  • Nietzsche's Views On Free Will

    1322 Words  | 6 Pages

    To German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, the concept of free will is of relevance just as it is to all other existentialist philosophers alike. In understanding Nietzsche’s account against free will, it is of utmost importance to first be aware of his theory on human nature in general as the two are interconnected. For a strong believer in free will, Nietzsche’s philosophy might simply be regarded as the ‘other’ or the opposite view, that is, a determinist view on human nature. Nietzsche’s philosophy, however, is not necessarily deterministic per se and it is wrong to label him as such since he goes beyond the belief that all our actions are pre-determined. For the purposes of this paper, the focus will be on Nietzsche’s view on what free

    Read More

More about Free Will And Fate In William Henley's Invictus

Open Document