INVICTUS – WHEN PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD

THE WORDS BEHIND CLINT EASTWOOD’S INVICTUS
The irony of much English poetry is that it is intense, emotional and passionate – characteristics that are not generally used to describe the English themselves. But as Henley’s poem (below) demonstrates, marshalling words together in a specific order is the creative challenge of writing. Words alone have brought down governments and launched revolutions – the least they can do is to inspire individuals, as these words inspired Nelson Mandela, among others. Andrew L. Urban reports.

Hungary’s national poet, Petőfi Sándor, triggered the Hungarian Revolution in 1848 with his rousing poem, Stand Up, Hungarian; that, and a 12 point letter of demand, was what fuelled the Hungarians to rise up against the oppressive Hapsburg Empire. On the morning of March 15h, the young revolutionaries who had gathered around the highly motivated, Petőfi began to march around the city of Pest, reading out the poem and the 12 points to the crowd (which swelled to thousands). Then, they visited printing presses, declaring an end to all forms of censorship and printing Petőfi's poem together with the 12 points. The mayor was forced by the crowds to sign the 12 points. Later, a mass demonstration was held in front of the newly-built National Museum, after which the group left for Buda on the western of the Danube. When the crowd rallied in front of the Imperial governing council, the representatives of Emperor Ferdinand felt they had no choice but to sign the 12 points. As one of the points was freedom for political prisoners, the crowd moved on to greet the newly freed revolutionary poet Mihály Táncsics.