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Rudyard Kipling, “If—”

Kipling’s famous poem, which takes the form of a father’s address to his son, offers a vision of masculinity that is deeply informed by British stoicism. Though less conservative from the point of view of gender, Henley’s poem shares with Kipling’s a strong focus on the importance of cultivating stoicism in the face of hardship.

John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

In his young-adult novel from 2012, Green explores the physical and psychological challenges of living with cancer. The protagonist’s experience with her illness may be usefully compared to that of the speaker in Henley’s poem. Both works ultimately underscore the resilience of the human spirit.

Claude McKay, “If We Must Die”

Written by the Jamaican poet Claude McKay, “If We Must Die” offers a powerful response to the infamous “Red Summer” of 1919, during which the United States experienced an upsurge in brutal anti-Black violence. The primary theme of this poem relates to the need to resist white supremacy and the violence that accompanies it. Though written in a very different context than “Invictus,” both poems ultimately showcase the necessity of meeting adversity with defiant strength.

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