Invictus - William Ernest Henley (by Alan Bates)

[Cedric27Qc]

What is the music playing ? Please help ;p

[XRockVstarI499]

everything's perfect about his reading, but it lacks impact. only morgan freeman could do that :D

[boss429manfred]

The best poem ever written, but i kind of like it more if Morgan Freeman speaks it

[BarbinPeru]

Heartfelt but not overblown. I agree with Aubury, rweerakkody & others who give a thumbs-up to Bates's reading, which is absolutely spot on. That said, I wonder what the poem would be like if read by Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow?

[rweerakkody4565]

i am the master of my fate, i am the captain of my soul.....what compelling words and a compelling voice

[dbsk06]

wow i almost teared up

[markindurbs]

WOW!!! Really beautiful!!!!

[Thereisonlythemoment]

"I am the Captain of my Soul" just love those words. That's where true power lies - deep within us, up to us to harness it for the greater good. Nice Post.

[hwesta123]

I think neither Freeman nor Bates does it with perfection, and both do excellently albeit different ways.

Freeman has the passion, Bates has the deviance, now can we get someone to do alittle of both?

[MorrisMan95]

He makes it sound too cheerful in my opinion...

there's more real emotion in Morgan Freeman's version...

it's not about who puts the best "intonation" on it, it's about who felt the real emotion of the poem.

[thechieftain21]

@MorrisMan95

I don't think its fair to compare the two readings, when Morgan does it, as you say, there is so much real emotion behind it, so however he read it would have a similar effect. I think this guy reads it in a very English way, straight-backed, with his face toward whatever trials lay before him, as if making a speech to those who might listen. When Morgan reads it, it is much more personal, he reads it more to himself, strengthening his own resolve.

[Lokimera]

@MorrisMan95

"cheerful" no defiant yes. That is where Freeman's ready fails by being soppy. Personal opinion but having watched Mandela i would associate his read to be closer to Bates' then to Freeman's. Also it is interesting to see how emotion is always perceived to be either sadness or love nowadays while all others seem to take second place or even dismissed entirely. A bit narrow minded if you ask me. And this is quite an emotionally charged read. Just not an overly sad one.

[Lokimera]

Apologies to all the Morgan Freeman fanboys around here but i heard both and Alan Bates is near perfect, reading this poem. Freeman's is dragged, whispered and with little to no intonation.

[jthweatt]

@Lokimera Keep context in mind. This recitation (which is excellent and which I keep on a playlist to watch often) is being done for a commercial. If you're talking about the film Invictus, it's not Morgan Freeman reciting the poem, it's Nelson Mandela, who is in the midst of serving a life sentence imposed by the apartheid regime at was - even for South Africa at the time - one of the least fun prisons in which to be incarcerated.

[Lokimera]

@jthweatt Apologies for quoting myself but as mentioned "Personal opinion but having watched Mandela i would associate his read to be closer to Bates' then to Freeman's." The poem is pure defiance and i believe it would not have been read in that manner but instead like a mantra for strength and will. Freeman's read of this poem is, again in my view, contradictory to every single speach i heard or text i read by Mandela. Opinions.

[CannibalCatfish]

it will never be as good as morgan freeman :(

[wellbredmongrel]

@CannibalCatfish It's just better, it really is. Morgan Freeman doesn't come close.

[0rioni]

@CannibalCatfish

This is waaaay better than Freeman's.

This is called "reciting"; Freeman's is "whispering".

[marlera1]

well... Just GREAT! :-)

[footballstar864]

i love his voice... i wish i could pay him to narrorate my life lol



[Chabune]

He is great. I really wish he had read Kipling's If too... Harvey Keitel is OK, but nothing compares to this reading. Bates would have done it much better.

[spayne2003]

he's got nothing on morgan freeman

[Chabune]

What??? In comparison with Bates, Freeman seems a cowboy reading a shopping list, even for my non-native ear !

[underarmour64243]

I don't understand what this reading is for

[The3nlightened0ne]

@underarmour64243 It's an ad for a bank, lol

[butt3rflyinrain]

beautiful beautiful

[qstayhigh]

this guy looks creepy...........plus the music wow i was waiting for something scary to pop out.

[ComradeAgopian]

Bravo  .

[ericintohistory]

youtube needs more of this type of video.

[dergeier117]

This reading brought tears to my eyes in less than a minute.

[9bombay1]

utterly perfect.

[imthegaby]

a cause de seomeon doit lèapendre pour l reveblanc :(

[papashez]

(cont.) That life with Him! And His the aid,

Despite the menace of the years,

Keeps, and shall keep me, unafraid.

I have no fear, though strait the gate,

He cleared from punishment the scroll.

Christ is the Master of my fate,

Christ is the Captain of my soul.

by Dorothea Day

[papashez]

My Captain Out of the night that dazzles me, Bright as the sun from pole to pole, I thank the God I know to be For Christ the conqueror of my soul. Since His the sway of circumstance, I would not wince nor cry aloud. Under that rule which men call chance My head with joy is humbly bowed. Beyond this place of sin and tears

[quicequeen]

@papashez ..Beautiful :)

[papashez]

A brilliant reading of the most sickening poem I have heard in many a year! A terrifying vision of self-conceit and pride and it is no surprised that McVeigh used this poem. I am not sure what year it was written but it would have made a catchy anthem for the Third Reich!

[servafidem]

@papashez The poem itself is beautiful, read here superbly by one of the finest character actors of recent years. I am moved every time I hear it and have used it to motivate myself and others on many occasions. Suggesting that it would be perfect for the Third Reich is just ridiculous.

[papashez]

@servafidem Are you suggesting that 'beauty' and 'emotional experience' are sufficient to refute my suggestion that here there is nothing out of kilter with the mindset of fascism. Motivating it maybe but clearly Timothy McVeigh found it motivating too. Perhaps you consider me guilty of Godwin's Law? I am not, of course, comparing the poem or the poet to Hitler but I am suggesting here is dark moral vision in which 'self' is vaunted above everything and beholding to nothing.

[servafidem]

@papashez

Dark moral vision? You're just reading far too much into this. Henley wrote it as a young man in hospital, having just had a leg amputated, after 12 years suffering from tuberculosis. For me, its about triumph despite adversity, about having personal resolve to keep going whatever the odds. Any motivational text can obviously "fall into the wrong hands" without it demeaning the text itself. Linking it to both Timothy McVeigh and the Third Reich in the same post is really going some!

[papashez]

@servafidem Yes, perhaps, McVeigh and Reich III are, on reflection, going some! I also take your point about the fate of motivational texts as one well made. I suppose the heart of my distaste is that what boils to the surface in this poem is the dark conceit that self is Lord . Many meet hardship and disaster; some seem to choose a way that leads to pride and ultimately a rigid and destructive arrogance while others endure humbly and are tenderised and gentled by the testing.

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez This poem is great precisely because it highlights the fact that 'self is Lord'. What is the alternative? that other people are lords and you should live in selfless service to them (which was Hitler's philosophy, since you brought it up) or that 'god' is lord and you should spend your life in selfless service to that nonentity.

You describe egoism as a 'dark conceit', it seems pretty damned conceited for you to say that a man's life doesn't belong to him.

Altruism makes my blood boil.

[papashez]

@dannidandannikins Jesus said "If any one would be first, they must be last of all and servant of all." There is a very clear sense in which we are the masters of our own destiny and that destiny is governed by the choices we make. My view is that Jesus is truly Lord of all because He chose to lay His life down for all and in doing so set men free to choose to accept the gift of a life of true freedom. You say that altruism makes your blood boil - if you were drowning would accept help?

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez I would not expect someone to help me out of duty - I'd be more than willing to give them a reward, even if all I could offer was my gratitude. I find it illuminating that you are a christian - altruism can only ever be defended from a mystical base.

What I am most interested in is whether you would care to admit that Hitler was an advocate of altruism - contrary to your original assertion.

p.s. it isn't a life of 'true freedom' if not worshiping the right god means eternal damnation.

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez Hitler preaching selflessness:

'The wishes and the selfishness of the individual must appear as nothing and submit.'

'[man] must renounce putting forward his personal opinion and interests and sacrifice both'

- Both quotations taken from Mein Kampf, cited in 'The Ominous Parallels' by Leonard Peikoff.

Nazi Party slogan: 'Du bist nichts; dein Volk ist alles' ('You are nothing; your People is everything')

Do you still claim Hitler was an egoist, papashez, or are you honest?

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez Still waiting for you to admit that Hitler espoused altruism...

[papashez]

@dannidandannikins

My apologies for the delay in responding! Was Hitler really espousing true altruism? If we agree with the dictionary definition that "Altruism is selfless concern for the welfare of others" then we would be very hard pressed to find any amongst European Jewry, Romanies, the mentally ill, physically disabled, and mentally retarded; homosexual and transsexual people; political opponents; and religious dissidents to say nothing of the Pole, Slavs and Russians who...

[papashez]

@dannidandannikins If altruism is, as the dictionaries tell us, the selfless concern for the welfare of others then how many of the Jews, Slavs, Poles, the mentally ill, physically disabled, and mentally retarded; homosexual and transsexual people, political opponents and religious dissidents of the mid-20th century would you find agreeing with you? Sacrificing yourself for a cause does not make one an altruist, less still simply demanding such from others while not doing so oneself.

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez Altruism is not concern for the welfare of others - the dictionary is wrong. Altruism is a moral theory originated by Auguste Comte and means placing others above oneself. Hitler did not demand sacrifice from Jews (whom he deemed too congenitally selfish to be allowed to exist) but from Aryans, of whom he said 'The Aryan is not greatest in his mental qualities as such, but in the extent of his willingness to put all his abilities in the service of the community'.

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez The terms 'Egoism' and 'Altruism' denote opposite answers to the question 'what is the proper purpose of my actions?' Egoism says that the purpose is to benefit oneself, Altruism says that the purpose is to benefit others.

You say that altruism means kindness to others, this is a common misunderstanding: it means regarding others as more important than oneself, which means that selfishness is evil. You implied this yourself. ('dark moral vision in which 'self' is vaunted...')

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez Since selfishness is deemed by altruists to be evil, it is obviously the case that a person who regards his own opinions as more important than the opinions of the majority, who spends his own money on his own pleasures, and regards the purpose of his life as his own happiness is - to altruists - evil. He should agree with everyone else. He should give his money to the poor. He should spend his life doing what others want him to do. Then he will be good and selfless.

[papashez]

@dannidandannikins

Jesus Christ has a wonderful way of clarify the murk of human philosophy. He says"Do to others as you would have them do to you....and...the measure with which you measure out to others will be the measure used to measure back"...judge others in the manner you wish to be judged...if you refuse to forgive you will not be forgiven...In a nutshell, whatever currency you build your economy around will be the currency you have to live with unless you have a change of heart!

[dannidandannikins]

@papashez errrr..... right. Whatever. 

[KeyGordy]

@papashez  beholden

[KidMillions]

@papashez That would be the wrong interpretation... It was written by Henley in 1875, after he had his leg amputated at age 25.

[papashez]

@KidMillions Sorry to have taken so long to reply. My view of the poem has changed as I have read other people's responses. Henley most certainly was not espousing National Socalism! He was saying that he was determined to power through his problems by the sheer dint of his determination. Many would argue that at least at one level this is generally regarded as noble. My experience was that in my darkest hour I cried out to Jesus Christ and He utterly restored my life. He is now my Captain!

[ThefightingCelt]

Brilliant

[Balthic]

This is why the English accent is superior.

[MrGipape]

THAT is A DecLAmAti0n Pi3C3! grr...

[MrGipape]

I memorize that <3 !!!

[simonizer888]

8 people are illiterate.

[ilovfob]

This is... amazing!!!

[torrecuso]

tumbs down FORBIDDEN for this video...excelent

[mrpaddytkd]

every time i dont want to train or go to the gym i listen to this poem, and go anyway!

[dpo131996]

nice poem♥♥

[andrewaperrine]

It is to hold on to hope, when all thats left to hold is hope itself

[CedricQuebecLibre]

Whats the music ?

[fifilafumetruth]

McVeigh claimed Invictus as a personal epitaph, it was written by a far better man, but the brilliance of Henley's masterpiece is that it's meaning is universal to all of us, no matter the personal connotation each of us would apply to it.

[near1909]

love you men POGI!!

[HimeSkye]

0:29

[HimeSkye]

0:17

[justicenoapart]

wonderful

[umbdude]

Powerful words and impeccably recited!

[saddlestone11]

POETRY VAULT: Poem of the week ``Invictus`` by W. E. Henley

[rugbyboy198127]

yeah - victorian england - a wonderful poem - the stuff legends are made from! dare to take on a proud and defiant englishman... go on i dare you... yeahhhhhh love it!

[ulises3099]

Mexico gana a Argentina el domingo ASI ES ASI SERA

[MrMichigen]

0:30 - 0:40 ... looks like LION ....great ;)

[HoosierDaddy5381]

in hell they are

[fediks63]

Pure epic

[SanDonatoKings]

What a feeling in the last line!

[alelooooooya]

hee hee ! if it wasnt for an add I would of said cool

[jonessmithGB]

miss you AB

[TheRZKfan]

IS there anyone who can tell me, what name this great music in the background has??? Please help me...I really love this music!

[tothe99thloser]

Stunning performance

[nyguy]

Is this Charles Bronson? I bet he got a 44 magnum.

[hanson666999]

One of the best renditions i seen! An amazing poem.

[Aubury]

Alan Bates read this poem to perfection

[Zweihundertde]

yeah he did...you should watch his version of "the road not taken"

[Ennio444]

Both are perfect... He was such a great actor, Alan Bates.

[Neoandrew1]

My God thats stunning!!!!!!!

[coolsparrow]

FUCKING COME ON!!!!!!!!!

[yeatsrilke]

you should remember, timoty macveigh recited this before they executed him hor having bombed oklahoma building. So a poem can be friendly to many kind of people and many purposes. Since bible to Clint Eastwood

[MrKashieca]

well....he's very good in delivering lines....

[shaven07]

Outstanding.

[TomBee55]

Brilliant accentuation, very moving and with good empathy towards the authors mind.

[fitwarrior237]

I concur. Brilliant!

[Ennio444]

Fantastic reciting!

[AFROMANFAN]

Lol is he tone deaf? It was as if he were asking a question at the end... I am the captain of my soUL?

[eoliathain]

He's not tone deaf. it's called emphasis and I'd like to see you do a better job.

[kermitefrog64]

@Corinebuckeyb I totally agree this is an incredible movie. It brought tears to my eyes. After all that Nelson went through he did not take his revenge but acted with a love for life and humanity that is so uncommon today. It has been a long time since I have seen a movie twice in just a short while. This movie deserves the Oscar and this award should also be bestowed upon the director and two key actors.

[ne1l007]

Very moving.

[admintechzxe]

Such a majestic oration! Each word spoken is saturated with the resilience of a man's undying soul!

[dergeier117]

Unfortunately, this is a reading of the poem Invictus, for which the recent movie was named.

[LatinKingzzz]

epic

[AngelGirlBeethoven]

Well done, sir, well done! Most swimmingly preformed, most swimmingly preformed, indeed!

[Whicker493]

What a wonderful poem. ^_^

Very relaxing

[phoenixtimes2]

For those of us who love this poem, this is a fitting rendition. These are heady words-great words, and to live them is beyond great. It is the sine qua non of being a man or woman.

[chardmb]

thanks for the upload headlink

[chardmb]

i have always loved this poem since i was 15

[blagiat]

I would like to see such admire for poetry in my country, for my national poetry... despite the fact that it is just a commercial the poem is true and remarkable...

[paulinevanguardia09]

nicely done.simple yet it catches attention to the listeners. thumbs up!!!

[broedmiranda]

Nonesense!!!!

[hackingtime88]

what a good speaking voice, i like it

[NeoVolk]

This poem always comforts me.

[dundalkmd]

McVeigh's last few words !

[headlink]

I actually had mixed feelings about McVeigh's use of this poem while publishing it.

I came to the opinion that especially this incident reminds us always to consider both: the poem and the person who recites it - the use and abuse of great words.

[dundalkmd]

But the words fit him well.

[joeyeff]

Compare with Cicero's On Fate, especially section 12, where we come across the "argos logos" or "The Lazy Argument."

[champman99]

Pure class. Wonderful poem with perfect delivery. One of the best adverts ever surely? RIP Sir Alan Bates.

[EnemyCombatant74]

@champman99 as if adding a visual to a personal could equate YELLOW

LEDBETTER

[zeu1]

superb

[joeyeff]

I love this poem and Bates' delivery. However, just a brief note to say 'Fate' is preordained and cannot be avoided. 'Destiny', however, is forward-looking and must be achieved. 'Destiny is not fixed like 'fate'.; one might or might not fulfill one's destiny. Thus, the poem ought to read, 'I am the master of my destiny', rather than 'of my fate'. Still, good stuff.

[jimroddy]

That's the whole point!!!!!!!!

[joeyeff]

Exactly, which is why 'Fate' cannot be mastered. Hence my introduction of 'Destiny'.

[HelenSquight]

Can YOU think of a decent rhyme with "destiny"? XD

I think that being the master of something that is fixed is a lot more... I don't know, it's more powerful than being the master of your destiny.

Like the stoics believe, you can't change fate, but that doesn't mean you can't fight it. You can choose to run behind the wagon you're tied to, or be dragged by it. "My head is bloody, but unbowed..."

[joeyeff]

Yes, yes, "bloody, but unbowed", but not under the the bludgeonings of FATE (determinacy), but rather of CHANCE (indeterminacy --hence, destiny, again). This isn't a Sisyphus. That is, unless one wishes to go radically stoic: "Ducunt volentum fata, nolentem trahunt." And, no, I can't think of a rhyme with 'destiny'.

[claudedrayton]

i was wondering if you took into consideration the poets' condition at the time of writing this..

"I am the master of my fate", appears to me to be describing that despite his suffering the fate of his ill condition, he was still alive and breathing, so the potential for better/for regaining control of his life was still there. even though as you said, the his suffering couldn't be avoided, and he had to go through it.

[claudedrayton]

i don't think fate is finished at any one point, except at death. therefore as long as you have life, your fate is not determined, and you have a measure of control...choices to make, actions to take.

[RMCDisciple]

Captain your ship has sailed without you.

[gaither2008]

I say this poem EVRY DAY....I am the Master of my Fate , I am the Captin of my Soul.

Great, and Powerful Words!

- MrGaither

[makunah]

wowh! ThaTS OuR pOEm In The SchoOl Thanks For UpLoAdInG iT...

[4now5]

Thank you for this one and if you find more from Alan Bates it will be nice.

[julia59]

Thank you for sharing!

[mikdan777]

Can´t be better. Whenever I see this commercial I become speechless. Thanks for posting.

[funky164]

Whens the last time you saw this commercial then mikdan777? Its just that Alan Bates died 6yrs ago and you are talking about it like it is a current campaign....

[MyeshaC]

Thankz 4ah Tha Upl0ad..Dud3!! :)

[tomelty]

Again, thanks, this means a lot.