When Henley was 16 years old, his left leg required amputation owing to complications arising from tuberculosis.[1]: 16  In the early 1870s, after seeking treatment for problems with his other leg at Margate, he was told that it would require a similar procedure.[2]

He instead chose to travel to Edinburgh in August 1873 to enlist the services of the distinguished English surgeon Joseph Lister,[1]: 17–18 [3] who was able to save Henley's remaining leg after multiple surgical interventions on the foot.[4] While recovering in the infirmary, he was moved to write the verses that became the poem "Invictus". A memorable evocation of Victorian stoicism—the "stiff upper lip" of self-discipline and fortitude in adversity, which popular culture rendered into a British character trait—"Invictus" remains a cultural touchstone.[5]

indeed he was. Such a rebel!

My grandfather had the last two lines as his senior quote

up until the line "how charged with Punishments the Scroll" i was impressed. but to insinuated that how many punishment are on the scroll, well that's the kind of statement Lucifer would make. He was the master of his fate. don't know quite how to take this.

Sorry, you are not the master of your fate or your soul. The Lord God is. All you have choice over is whether to accept the invitation from Jesus.