Rare UBS TV-Commercial Series "Poems 1997", which has been broadcasted on CNN. Original footage has been provided as VHS video by the advertising agency on behalf of UBS. Copyright by UBS.
This poems sends such a strong message. The last two lines make me feel as if he is saying that you can do whatever you want to - you have freedom. 'I am the master of my fate, 'I am the captain of my soul.'
Whatever UBS paid Alan Bates, it was not enough. He perfectly captures the essence of the poem. I suspect, knowing a little about the life of W. E. Henley, Bates' recitation describes Henley's feelings as he wrote. My first exposure to the poem was more than 50 years ago as a Sophomore in high school. It's helped me through more than a few trials and tribulations since then.
In considering this poem we must think of the life of the poet Henley had one leg amputated and used crutches for the rest of his life he does not winch or cry aloud does not curse his luck his great friend Robert Louis Stephenson admired him for toughness and grit.think of it as Henley saying come on life do your worse i'am not afraid
Henley laid in that hospital bed for a long time, surrounded by death and agony. The creep timothy McVeigh said this poem as his final words before execution and that sickens me.
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.
This is superb. Invictus was Nelson Mandela's favourite poem and a great solace when he needed all the strength, resolve and hope he could muster, during his terribly difficult years. Morgan Freeman also does this poem justice, but with different intonation. For me though, the wonderful, mellifluous voice of Alan Bates and his sensitive interpretation of the words cannot be bettered. He is one of the all-time greats. Listen to him speaking The Road Less Travelled' . . . more goosebumps.
Best poem ever... After all it did inspired a whole nation... William Henley was such a wise and courageous man ...I really admire him for writing this poem while he was in the hospital.. this poem has really changed me... Thanks William. (Thanks one tree hill , because without it I wouldn't have known this poem )
В глухой ночи без берегов, Когда последний свет потух, Благодарю любых богов За мой непокоренный дух. Жестокие тиски беды Не выдавили даже стон. Ответом на удар судьбы Была лишь кровь, но не поклон. Да, за юдолью слез и бед Лишь ужас кроется в тенях. И все ж угрозы этих лет Вовеки не внушат мне страх. Неважно, что врата узки, Что муки ждут меня в тиши - Я властелин моей судьбы, Я капитан моей души.
All the plebeians who think Morgan Freeman's version "shits on this" have literally no taste. Morgan Freeman has no intonation, articulation, or emphasis on any of the words, essentially rendering the words meaningless, and relies entirely on his famous gravel voice for effect. Alan Bates on the other hand, masterfully recites the poem, with brilliant acting and each word articulated in a meaningful and thought-out way, to make this a nearly perfect piece of performance art. As much as I love Morgan Freeman as an actor, his recital of this poem is watered down for the movie-going masses, it's fast food. Alan Bates' recital is pure craftsmanship and art.
How right you are. I guess our appreciation of this great recital qualifies us as Patricians of Poetry!! Being serious though, you are spot on. Only an English actor of Bates' quality could render this poem perfectly. His early death was a disaster. A truly wonderful actor.
In a speech to the House of Commons on 9 September 1941, Winston Churchill paraphrased the last two lines of the poem, stating "We are still masters of our fate. We still are captains of our souls." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invictus
Alan Bates infuses this recitation with such intense, yet subtle emotions. There is a sense of defiance in the final lines. Defiance born of lived suffering, of experience. It's in the totality of Bates's reading. The intonation, the timbre, the expressions, the bearing, the turn of the head. This is masterful. Simply masterful.
@@6079_SMITH_W to each his own. I'm deeply moved by that intonation at the very end. But art is so subjective, what I find moving, someone else won't 🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🏾
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.
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.
This epitomizes Philip Marlowe's worldview, and completely embodies (Robert B. Parker's) Spenser: As sentient beings, we have an obligation to try to control events around us, but, on those occasions when we find that we cannot... ...we can always control ourselves. (Bates is great; how I wish that there was a clip of Orson Welles reading this, out here.)
The poet wrote Invictus (Latin for unconquerable, undefeatable) in 1875. When he was 12, he lost a limb, followed by surgeries for the other. He conquered the loss. How appropriate to call the games for wounded warriors, Invictus.
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
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...
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.
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?
Such is destiny, for it is written by you,No one can choose for you to fail,No one can choose for you to be good or vile. It is a matter of heart that determines it, What you do with your life is akin to faith,Faith is a belief in something unknown, That you should choose to believe is one option. That you could to turn away is another, If you've ever had a tear in your eye, the answer is fact
Down the Way Along life's way there's valleys Down aways there's hills Come dank and dreary alleys Some lose their faith- Some never will. Where forever ever goes {《\☆/》} Where forever ever goes The path I chose to follow Ending from the beginning knows Unheard calls with a conscience hollow {《\☆/》} Left unattended turned away Like deep sea vessels slowly sinking Held on too long to yesterday's, Some things require more than thinking {《\☆/》} Don't let one moment untouched pass Into those times gone by From the heart God bless can cast With grace a soul can fly {《\☆/》} It's really not if forever does It's going onward when you're done It's in surety of knowing it is, and always was Ceasing time within an eternal dimension, the everlasting kingdom of the Son... The End author unknown Found written down On scrap paper While homeless in Dallas, Texas July 2002 thru March 2007
@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.
Invictus reworded, enjoy...One moment gave me a chance at conception, For that, i am smiling,It gave me a moment to choose, And for that...I pause,Each moment of each chance of fate is mine, For i alone shall choose my destiny, Hearken to each moment You will but be given a pause in one moment in time,Each moment is a choice of fate, For each choice equates to your destiny, Fail, win, or ignorance is measured by your worth,
It's Elgar's Nimrod - I would recommend you listen to the "live" Daniel Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra version which you can find on TH-cam - true beauty to the ears.
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.
@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.
This is the goofiest video I have ever seen. What is with that music? And the camera movement, HILARIOUS. I have been laughing for 5 minutes. Thanks whoever made this.
How sad that you cannot appreciate this stirring poem, beautifully read by a great actor with the most mellifluous voice. Even the music is uplifting. Poor sad you - go and watch an episode of The Simpsons, you'll understand that.
This poem is my ultimate philosophy in life. What a masterpiece.
Proof that poetry still matters.
Finally I found the true version of it!
This poems sends such a strong message. The last two lines make me feel as if he is saying that you can do whatever you want to - you have freedom.
'I am the master of my fate,
'I am the captain of my soul.'
Timothy McVeigh wrote this down before his execution...Yes, you have a point.
I say it daily like a prayer. The darkness and strain I have overcome with these words is beyond words. I will recite them upon my last breath.
Superb rendition of this poem.Alan Bates was an immense talent that never fulfilled his destiny.God bless him.
Whatever UBS paid Alan Bates, it was not enough. He perfectly captures the essence of the poem. I suspect, knowing a little about the life of W. E. Henley, Bates' recitation describes Henley's feelings as he wrote. My first exposure to the poem was more than 50 years ago as a Sophomore in high school. It's helped me through more than a few trials and tribulations since then.
Peace has cost you strength, victory has defeated you
@@Mighty_Juggernaut LMAO! Stupid comment - totally irrelevant to the topic!
@@westtexasphantom Oh, you think darkness is your ally?
Pure class. Wonderful poem with perfect delivery. One of the best adverts ever surely? RIP Sir Alan Bates.
I am the master of my fate.
I am the captain of my soul.
In considering this poem we must think of the life of the poet Henley had one leg amputated and used crutches for the rest of his life he does not winch or cry aloud does not curse his luck his great friend Robert Louis Stephenson admired him for toughness and grit.think of it as Henley saying come on life do your worse i'am not afraid
Henley laid in that hospital bed for a long time, surrounded by death and agony. The creep timothy McVeigh said this poem as his final words before execution and that sickens me.
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.
Why is it on like wrong paragraph it should be stanza but o well not rely a problem but thanks for the poem
Thanks for taking the time.
Tu sei il re di tutti i re
This reading brought tears to my eyes in less than a minute.
" I have not winced nor cried aloud."
Alan Bates is sorely missed. RIP Sir.
Alan Bates....the finest recitation ever!!!
His fans can listen to his amazing recitation of The Road Not Taken too
Goosebumps....so so powerful recitation. Loved this version the most.
This is superb.
Invictus was Nelson Mandela's favourite poem and a great solace when he needed all the strength, resolve and hope he could muster, during his terribly difficult years.
Morgan Freeman also does this poem justice, but with different intonation. For me though, the wonderful, mellifluous voice of Alan Bates and his sensitive interpretation of the words cannot be bettered. He is one of the all-time greats.
Listen to him speaking The Road Less Travelled' . . . more goosebumps.
Absolute perfection. What a fine reader Alan Bates was.
What a bloody fantastic accent! Cheers!
Best poem ever... After all it did inspired a whole nation... William Henley was such a wise and courageous man ...I really admire him for writing this poem while he was in the hospital.. this poem has really changed me... Thanks William.
(Thanks one tree hill , because without it I wouldn't have known this poem )
В глухой ночи без берегов,
Когда последний свет потух,
Благодарю любых богов
За мой непокоренный дух.
Жестокие тиски беды
Не выдавили даже стон.
Ответом на удар судьбы
Была лишь кровь, но не поклон.
Да, за юдолью слез и бед
Лишь ужас кроется в тенях.
И все ж угрозы этих лет
Вовеки не внушат мне страх.
Неважно, что врата узки,
Что муки ждут меня в тиши -
Я властелин моей судьбы,
Я капитан моей души.
All the plebeians who think Morgan Freeman's version "shits on this" have literally no taste. Morgan Freeman has no intonation, articulation, or emphasis on any of the words, essentially rendering the words meaningless, and relies entirely on his famous gravel voice for effect. Alan Bates on the other hand, masterfully recites the poem, with brilliant acting and each word articulated in a meaningful and thought-out way, to make this a nearly perfect piece of performance art.
As much as I love Morgan Freeman as an actor, his recital of this poem is watered down for the movie-going masses, it's fast food. Alan Bates' recital is pure craftsmanship and art.
How right you are. I guess our appreciation of this great recital qualifies us as Patricians of Poetry!! Being serious though, you are spot on. Only an English actor of Bates' quality could render this poem perfectly. His early death was a disaster. A truly wonderful actor.
Jazz Man What do you think it would happen if Bates lived a little longer than he did? Be on some more notable roles in these modern times?
I swear, you two sound like the biggest art snobs.
Bates version is better, Freeman recited version was not quite as it was written... he made a few mistakes!
I think he went a little too fast
by far the best recital of this famous poem .. thank you.
That's a badass voice
i am the master of my fate, i am the captain of my soul.....what compelling words and a compelling voice
I LISTEN TO THIS ALL THE TIME, IT GIVES ME THE STRENGTH TO GET THROUGHOUT THE CHALLENGES OF EVERY DAY LIFE.
Victorian poetry's tribute to stoically weathering hardships. It has its own charm you know!
In a speech to the House of Commons on 9 September 1941, Winston Churchill paraphrased the last two lines of the poem, stating "We are still masters of our fate. We still are captains of our souls."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invictus
Alan Bates infuses this recitation with such intense, yet subtle emotions.
There is a sense of defiance in the final lines. Defiance born of lived suffering, of experience.
It's in the totality of Bates's reading. The intonation, the timbre, the expressions, the bearing, the turn of the head.
This is masterful. Simply masterful.
@@6079_SMITH_W to each his own. I'm deeply moved by that intonation at the very end. But art is so subjective, what I find moving, someone else won't 🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🏾
Both are perfect... He was such a great actor, Alan Bates.
Just found this! I love this poem. The last two lines have been an inspiration in my life. Thank you so much for posting this.
i have always loved this poem since i was 15
Alan Bates read this poem to perfection
The best reading ever of this masterpiece
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.
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.
youtube needs more of this type of video.
Volto sempre aqui, para me lembrar quem sou, de onde venho! Saudações
One of my favorite actors Alan Bates
This poem was Nelson Mandela`s creed when he was in prison. What a piece of poetry!
beautifully 'read' - and handsome in the autumn of life. . .
This epitomizes Philip Marlowe's worldview, and completely embodies (Robert B. Parker's) Spenser:
As sentient beings, we have an obligation to try to control events around us, but, on those occasions when we find that we cannot...
...we can always control ourselves.
(Bates is great; how I wish that there was a clip of Orson Welles reading this, out here.)
Beautifully read by the very talented Alan Bates. The best!
Powerful words and impeccably recited!
Very moving.
The poet wrote Invictus (Latin for unconquerable, undefeatable) in 1875. When he was 12, he lost a limb, followed by surgeries for the other. He conquered the loss. How appropriate to call the games for wounded warriors, Invictus.
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
What an amazing reading of an excellent poem
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...
This poem is there for me in schools
This is... amazing!!!
My friend took his own life. If only he had read this poem before that fateful day.
Fantastic reciting!
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.
What a feeling in the last line!
Thank you for this one and if you find more from Alan Bates it will be nice.
Wow, wonderful recitation!
THAT WAS BRILLIANT reading of a great poem! Morgan Freeman did a fine job,and a fan of his,but Bates reading was SPOT ON.
utterly perfect.
Brilliant
Wonderful.It would be lovely if his other rendition could be enjoyed.
WOW!!! Really beautiful!!!!
It is to hold on to hope, when all thats left to hold is hope itself
tumbs down FORBIDDEN for this video...excelent
Mass Effect introduced me to the world of poetry I'm proud to say
which part?
Grande poema declamado por um grande ator!
I concur. Brilliant!
What a wonderful poem. ^_^
Very relaxing
Where is this ethic in our day?
thanks for the upload headlink
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?
superb
Stunning performance
What makes this for me is the little straightening up and intake of breath before the last line, as if using what has been said to compose one's self.
wow i almost teared up
Such is destiny, for it is written by you,No one can choose for you to fail,No one can choose for you to be good or vile. It is a matter of heart that determines it, What you do with your life is akin to faith,Faith is a belief in something unknown, That you should choose to believe is one option. That you could to turn away is another, If you've ever had a tear in your eye, the answer is fact
Down the Way
Along life's way there's valleys
Down aways there's hills
Come dank and dreary alleys
Some lose their faith-
Some never will.
Where forever ever goes
{《\☆/》}
Where forever ever goes
The path I chose to follow
Ending from the beginning knows
Unheard calls with a conscience hollow
{《\☆/》}
Left unattended turned away
Like deep sea vessels slowly sinking
Held on too long to yesterday's,
Some things require more than thinking
{《\☆/》}
Don't let one moment untouched pass
Into those times gone by
From the heart God bless can cast
With grace a soul can fly
{《\☆/》}
It's really not if forever does
It's going onward when you're done
It's in surety of knowing it is, and always was
Ceasing time within an eternal dimension, the everlasting kingdom of the Son...
The End
author unknown
Found written down
On scrap paper
While homeless in
Dallas, Texas July
2002 thru March 2007
if you set goals to yourself, yes.
Thankz 4ah Tha Upl0ad..Dud3!! :)
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul
thanks po
british accent i can listen whole day
Bravo .
@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.
well... Just GREAT! :-)
Invictus reworded, enjoy...One moment gave me a chance at conception, For that, i am smiling,It gave me a moment to choose, And for that...I pause,Each moment of each chance of fate is mine, For i alone shall choose my destiny, Hearken to each moment You will but be given a pause in one moment in time,Each moment is a choice of fate, For each choice equates to your destiny, Fail, win, or ignorance is measured by your worth,
Awesome
awesome
still be listening to it (l)
wonderful
this awesome poem for a swiss bank??
I memorize that
Oh, god. His voice is ABSOLUTELY sexy...!! Oh, god. What a wonderful recite it is..!!! I don't regret leaving my comments here..
It's Elgar's Nimrod - I would recommend you listen to the "live" Daniel Barenboim with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra version which you can find on TH-cam - true beauty to the ears.
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.
I give you the likes,babe. :D
@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.
nice poem♥♥
Good POEM .DO YOU LIKE THIS POEM
Pure epic
To all we outside the Collective
This is the goofiest video I have ever seen. What is with that music? And the camera movement, HILARIOUS. I have been laughing for 5 minutes. Thanks whoever made this.
You're clearly an illiterate fool. Poor you!
TheLocusClassicus Why does his laughing at this stupid video make him illiterate?
You are an idiot.
I like the poem. Dont like the video.
How sad that you cannot appreciate this stirring poem, beautifully read by a great actor with the most mellifluous voice. Even the music is uplifting. Poor sad you - go and watch an episode of The Simpsons, you'll understand that.