8/10/2019 William Ernest Henley: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article.pdf

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8/10/2019 William Ernest Henley: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article.pdf

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band of contributors, in most instances justified his insight. Charles Whibleywas friends with Henley and assisted Henley edit

the Scots Observerand also the National Observer. The journal's outlook was conservative and was often sympathetic to the

growing imperialism of its time, and among other services to literature it published Rudyard Kipling's Barrack-Room Ballads.

Henley died at the age of 53 and was buried in the same churchyard as his daughter in Cockayne Hatley. His wife, Salina

Robinson Henley, was later buried at the same site.

Works

Arguably his best-remembered work is the poem "Invictus", written in 1875. It is said that this was written as a demonstration of

his resilience following the amputation of his foot due to tubercular infection. This passionate and defiant poem should be

compared with his beautiful and contemplative acceptance of death and dying in the poem "Margaritae Sorori". The poems of InHospitalare also noteworthy as some of the earliest free versewritten in England. With J.S. Farmer Henley edited a seven

volume dictionary of Slang and its analogueswhich inspired his two translations into thieves' slang of ballades by Francois

Villon.

In 1890, Henley published Views and Reviews, a volume of notable criticisms, which he described as "less a book than a mosaic

of scraps and shreds recovered from the shot rubbish of some fourteen years of journalism". The criticisms, covering a wide

range of authors (all English or French save Heinrich Heineand Leo Tolstoy) were remarkable for their insight. During 1892, he

published a second volume of poetry, named after the first poem, "The Song of the Sword" but re-titled "London Voluntaries"

after another section in the second edition (1893). Robert Louis Stevenson wrote that he had not received the same thrill of

poetry so intimate and so deep since George Meredith's "Joy of Earth" and "Love in the Valley". "I did not guess you were so

great a magician. These are new tunes; this is an undertone of the trueApollo. These are not verse; they are poetry". During

1892, Henley also published three plays written with Stevenson Beau Austin, Deacon BrodieandAdmiral Guinea. During

1895, Henley's poem, "Macaire", was published in a volume with the other plays. Deacon Brodiewas produced in Edinburgh in

1884 and later in London. Herbert Beerbohm Treeproduced Beau Austinat the Haymarket on 3 November 1890.

Henley's poem, "Pro Rege Nostro", became popular during the First World War as a piece of patriotic verse. It contains the

following refrain:

What have I done for you, England, my England?

What is there I would not do, England my own?

The poem and its sentiments have since been parodied by many people often unhappy with thejingoismthey feel it expresses

or the propagandisticuse it is put to. "England, My England", a short story by D. H. Lawrenceand also England, Their England

the novel byA. G. Macdonellboth use the phrase.

While incarcerated on Robben Islandprison, Nelson Mandelarecited the poem "Invictus" to other prisoners and was empowered

by its message of self mastery. In the 2009 movie Invictus, produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, the poem is referenced

several times. It becomes the central inspirational gift from Mandela, played by Morgan Freeman, to Springbokrugbyteam

captain Franois Pienaar, played by Matt Damon, in advance of the post-apartheid Rugby World Cup hosted in 1995 by South

Africaand won by the underdog Springboks.

The famous Finnish female writer Hella Wuolijokihas mentioned in her memoirs Enk ollut vankithat the poem "Invictus" also

inspired and encouraged her during her incarceration in Katajanokka/Skatudden prison in Helsinki at the end of World War II.

External links

Poetry Archive: 137 poems of William Ernest Henley

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

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