Pienaar Invictus Poem Meaning

The word Invictus means “unconquerable” or “undefeated”. In the movie both Mandela and Pienaar had shown that they are unconquerable. Pienaar showed that a team, not so good, can be unconquerable even though they were defeated in the beginning, only because they didn’t believe in themselves. If you try hard and actually use teamwork anything almost everything is possible. In the beginning of the poem it states “Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole.” Mandela, in the movie, when in prison read this poem and it helped him get through without giving up. When he was in prison all he could see was black and finally when getting elected president everything changed, he knew that things were going to change. “I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul.” This means from the movies aspect that he thanks God for giving him an unconquerable soul, which helps him through the movie. “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul,” this quote means he isn’t going to change because others want him too, no one can tell him what he can and cannot do.

A quote from the poem that reminds me of the team is “ My head is bloody, but unbowed.” Even when they were covered with bruises, cuts, and blood they didn’t give up. They played all the way through and didn’t quit once. Another one is “shall find me unafraid.” They might have been fearing the Australians in the beginning but towards the end I didn’t see any fear. They stop fearing them probably half way through the game. The last quotes that reminded me of the Springbok teams was, “I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance,” bludgeonings means a short heavy club and the quote is saying something like I haven’t said I’m giving up even with the short amount of chance. They didn’t think they were going to beat the Australians but they