CS 101 : Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric
Analysis
Prof. Madhavi Reddy

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CS 101: Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric Analysis Assignment

Invictus
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.

Invictus is a short poem written by William Ernest Henley. It is the most famous and
remarkable poem written by him. .This poem is in four quatrains which is four-line stanzas. Invictus
is Latin word which has a meaning unconquerable, invincible, undefeated. theme of the poem is the
will or wish to survive in difficult situation, when we face challenges. poet wrote this poem when he
was in a similar conditions. Poet henely was suffered by tuberculoisis in his tewnties. because of this
he lost his one leg below the knee. but unfortunately his other leg also infected by same disese. and
doctor warn him that he had to go through same procedure that he had to loose his another leg.
Luckily, He met another doctor who was a developer of antiseptic medicine. He saved his leg but
henely had to spend 20 yrs in hospital. In his Hospital perios Henely wrote this Invictus poem and
many more. As he was in difficult situation he was motivating himself to go thourgh this situation,
and pass that phases successfully without loosing hope. this showed his optimistic way of thinking.
Poem start as

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CS 101: Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric Analysis Assignment
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.

William henely describe someones life has become dark it means life of that persons life has become
like a pit or which we can called hell. He is facing problems. but person overcome his trouble, he
thanked god, and he feeled that nothing can get in his way. unconquerable word establishes the theme
and a link with the title.

In the Second stanza In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Poet describe someone who has difficult life. He face many difficulties and trouble but that
person never give up. clutch of circumstance is person who trapped in circumstances. after facing all
difficult situation and hard time he is still strong and hopeful. someone has beaten down, but he is
still capable to stand again on his feet to conqure the troubles of life.

In third stanza
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.
In this stanza poet explain person is aware that there will be some circumstances that he can
not prevent from happening. but experience he gain from previous struggle, has made him enough
strong that he is unafraid of it. He even ready for more hardship which is going to come.

In last stanza
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.
Henely finishes his poem in last stanza which is most famous. This lines tell us that how
person is the controller of his life. whatever situation person encounter in life or even life throw at
him, he can manage by their own, they have authority of their life, they can proceed on the road
whatever they want of their choice as - He is the master of his fate , he is captain of his soul.

Poet evokes the emotional response in the audience. In rhetorical analysis pathos is related to
emotional responses. Argument which evokes the emotional response in audience is known as pathos.
Therefore this poem is highly supportive- example of pathos.

Other Rhetorical Devices

Metaphor

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CS 101: Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric Analysis Assignment
Metaphor - There are many metaphor through out the poem. It can find in every stanza.
Metaphor can be define as - It is a figure of speech in which a word or a phrase is apllied to an object
or action to which it is not literally applicable. As poet use different metaphor poem become
intresting, we can visualise it while reading it and also feel the feelings of poet.
"Out of the night that covers me" this is the first line- we get mataphor. "Night" represent the
feeling of suffereing and pain that poet describe. "Night" is dark, opposite of a day and therefore
henely compare it with agony and pain.
Next metaphor we find in line "Looms but the horror of the shade". In this shades represnt
unexpected event which is going to come in life.
Last example of metaphor is in same stanza,And yet the menace of the years/ Finds, and
shall find, me unafraid. The term menace of the years stands for coming of the age and author said
that is not scared to face any situation. He is ready to face them. These lines also help ur to undestand
about a poet, we understand that poet is a brave, who ready to face challenges and have optimistic
view toward life.

Simile
We can see the poem is open with a simile in second line which is "Black as the pit from pole
to pole". Simile is used to create a picture of how dark and depressed that time was for him and he
was in pain and pain he was feeling has spread from north pole to south pole.

Personification
Personification - It is the attribute of personal or human characteristic to an inanimate object,
or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.
The first object given human abilities is the word Night. poet used personification and give
a "Night" a human quality in the first line of the poem, "Out of the night that covers me". Night is
similar to suffereing and the poet describe that this suffering is covering or taking over his entire body.
Second use of a personification is in a first line of a second stanza, "In the fell clutch of
circumstance". Henely is comparing difficult cirumstances in which he is going through to a deadly
grip. That grip is holding him back from doing his best what he can do.

The poem is powerful, which is dark and depressed but poet remain Optimistic. He used the
above mentioned rhetorical devices and using that in his language he kept the dark tone through out
the poem and this gives reader a feeling of the misery, pain from which author was going. The last
two lines are very much inspirational - I am the master of my fate:I am the captain of my soul.
William Earnest Henely Carefully select his elements of metaphor,Simile and personification in his
poem "Invictus", which tell us to overcome fear and conquer the negativity.

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CS 101: Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric Analysis Assignment

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Above poem is written by one of the most famous marathi poet Kusumagraj whos real name
was Vishnu Waman Shirwadkar. He was the one of the Dnyanpith Award winner author. Dnyanpith is
the most prestigious award in literature in india. Like first poem this poem also speak on a problems
which we face in our life and how we should tackle to that problems. When situations, cicumstances
are not in our favour, we are in darkness then we should rise and should fight against it . Lets See the
Poem

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Some one come in rain to visit his teacher (Me) in my house. His clothes were crumble and his hairs
were wet.
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He sat then smiled and told that his house was affected by flood. His house was fulled by river water.

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CS 101: Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric Analysis Assignment
, , .
Water were everywhere in his house, but in such situation his wife survived.
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Wall were broken, stove was out, whatever was there, all were gone but there were tears in our eyes
which reamain as a Prasad blessing in our eyes.
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Now I am fighting against this situation with support of my wife. I am building that broken walls,
removing all muds. Trying to build the house.
, .
In such situation I (Teacher) felt that I should help him. I take my hand towards my pocket to remove
my wallet. He said that no sir, I dont want money. I was feeling alone. Thats why I come here.
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My world is broken,shattered but my backbone is strong which means I have strong determination.
You just put your hand on my shoulder and just order me to fight back.
In indian Context, Kana Backbone is consider, related to the Pride or self respect. Therefore
one who have slefrespect is known as a Strong Backbone ( , etc) and one with no
pride is consider as he has weak bacbone ( ). In such way Kana Backbone which is the
title of this poem is much more suitable.
While reading this poem reader feels very much emotional. Poet beautifully stirs emotions in
readers mind. As it is related to emotions we can consider it in Pathos.
Other Rhetoric Devices
1. Metonymy
We get different Metonymy in this poem like

Poet use word. But he want to represent a river. Ganga is

consider as holiest river that is the reason we called her as a
mother. So Poet used Mother Ganga but he want to suggest river.

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CS 101: Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric Analysis Assignment

Poet use to suggest house. Generally house is in a

reactangle form, have four walls, which represent comfort,
safe,secure etc.

2. Metaphor
We can see there are many metaphors used in this poem.

It means Nest. Poet used reference of nest to represt house of a victim.

This is the one beautifule word poet used in this poem. Because of flood,
person lost his house, he is sad he is crying. It happened because of excess water. Poet
compare that with water which come in his eyes which is his tears and labelled as
Prasad means blessing.

It is the most important as its a name of the poem. represents Pride or self
respect.

3. Analogy

It is a analogy. Poet compare water of a river with a girl which is

recently married and she has come in her parents house. Opposite to in laws house,
Girls usually feels very free in their parents house. So therefore they can roam
wander here and there. This is comapre to the water which is flowing in the house.

Submitted By

Submitted by- Prashant Khade

CS 101: Introduction To Communication

Rhetoric Analysis Assignment
Prashant Khade

Submitted by- Prashant Khade