An Analysis of “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”

William James, an American philosopher and psychologist once said “believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” Life, regardless of how close it lies to death, is worth keeping. The poem “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”, by Dylan Thomas is a son’s appeal to a fading father. He shows his father that men from all walks of life confront death, however, they still war against it. Thomas uses figurative language to classify men into four different categories to persuade his father to realize that a life, regardless of how it was lived, should be fought for.

In the poem, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” Dylan Thomas presents a dramatic and desperate tone towards fighting against death through the continual use of cacophonous diction. To begin, he persuades his father to stay alive and “rage” against death (Thomas 3). The “wise” men know that death will come but they have “forked” no “lightning” meaning they should allow themselves to fight to the very end (5-6). The harsh diction in this expresses his thoughts and feelings on his dying father. He continues on by making an impression that he is emotional through the word “crying” (7).

In the line, "Old age should burn and rave at close of day", "old age" can be seen as personification, but can also be interpreted as metonymy for his father. "Burn and rave" are strong emotions Thomas feels his father should take against "the close of the day" which is a metaphor for death. In the second stanza, the phrase "dark is right" represents a concise acknowledgement of the intellectual recognition how death is unavoidable; however, the awareness that his father's words had "forked no lightning" is a metaphor for the failure to influence the powerful and brilliant forces in society (Grolier 231).

In this poem, there are two lines that are repeated. These lines are “Do not go gentle into that good night” and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” By repeating these lines, Thomas is letting the speaker reiterate his encouragement over and over to his father. The speaker is obviously angry at death for wanting his father, and uses this to help him fuel his father’s effort to live.

Thomas declares, “wise men know dark is right” (4), and symbolize death as “good night” (1). Despite his resistance against death, Thomas ironically already knows dark, which is death, will come. He knows the reality that death is inescapable, and as a result states death as good night to show his kindness for his father to rest in peace. Similarly, Bishop seems fine to lose stuff, which is surprising, as normal people feel the opposite. However, as the lost materials grow more significant, the tone is evident to be sarcastic because the rhyme scheme of “last, or” (10) and “master” (12) is a half rhyme. The rhyme scheme is shaken for a moment, exposing Bishop’s mental instability, which probably rooted from her reluctant knowledge about loss’ unavoidability and pain. Yet both speakers continue ignoring the harsh reality and recoup with separation distinctly. Thomas’ grievingly asks his father to “curse, bless me” (15). The oxymoron signify Thomas’ will for his father to oppose death as by cursing him, Thomas will know his father is still alive, which will also bless him. The oxymoron moreover indicates how Thomas wants something that doesn’t make sense, that is for his father to overcome death. Bishop’s tone seems brave at first, but as it is revealed to be sarcastic, the tone starts becoming serious.

Although Milton and Thomas draw very different conclusions about life as a whole, they share a strong sense of regret for lives wasted uselessly. Thomas brings this sentiment to his poem through his descriptions of other men; he uses "Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright/ Their frail deeds might have danced" (7-8); "Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight/ And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way" (10-11); and "Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight/ Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay" (13-14) as examples of who should "rage against the dying of the light." Each group of men is tormented at death by a realization of how

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas explores death and how those facing it should fight for their lives because death is a heartbreaking subject to him. The writer is addressing his father and pleads him to resist the power of death as it would be devastating if the father was to die from the writers perspective. Throughout the poem, Thomas writes about different traits of men. Some aspects include wise, wild, good and grave which helps create a poem that covers all aspects of a person.

Contrary to Frost?s peaceful, luring diction and images, Dylan Thomas uses forceful, irate words to deter death. "No poet gives a greater sense of the feel of life" as Thomas, who provokes the reader to "rage" against death (Ackerman 407). Thomas conveys a resistance towards death with images of fury and fighting, as in "do not go gentle." Vivacious words as "blaze" and "burn" intensify desires to live on and to the fullest. With images of "good night" and "dying of the light," Thomas conveys death as the "end where only darkness prevails" (Savage 381). He takes his "stand within concrete, particular existence, he places birth and death at the poles of his vision" (Savage 381). "Life [for Thomas] begins at birth and ceases at death" therefore leaving no room for a previous life or an after life (Savage 381). Excessive images of anger and rage towards death exemplify the passion Thomas feels for life. His villanelle repeats the theme of living and fury through the most forceful two lines, "do not go gentle into that good night" and "rage, rage against the dying of the light." Contrasting images of light and darkness in the poem create the warmth of living and the coldness in death, so as to shun people from choosing the bleak, bitter frigidity of death.

This form is restrictive, creating a clear message and a sense of urgency. It is believed that the poem was a message for Thomas?s father, who was dying when it was written. The poem deals with topics such as life, death and mortality and a central theme is to not succumb to death when it is near, but to leave the world fighting and struggling. Another theme present is to live each day as if it were one?s last; one must make the most out of every moment to be satisfied. Like any writer should, Thomas makes

Thomas realizes it is human nature to take life for granted; until death approaches. Thomas wrote this poem for his father, to tell him that there is so much more for him here, living, to do. The only way to deter death is through fury and frenzy. Death comes too quickly for most people and only with "rage" can death be defied.

There are many poets that have been writing some of the most amazing poems in the world for years upon years. Poetry is a great way to write about some of the most meaningful things in one’s life, without directly having to state what you’re trying to say some of the times. A lot of poets write about events within their lives as well as things in everyday life in the lives of everyone in the world. The poems “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) and “Psalm of Life” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) both use great diction and varying tone in their poems to portray their individual perspectives about life.

Throughout the poem, Thomas relates the passing of a day to a lifetime. He refers to death as ‘that good night’ and ‘the dying of the light’ repeatedly. This metaphor shows the inevitability of death, in the same way that the end of each day is inevitable. Additionally, this metaphor comes at the end of the last line of each stanza, making the form imitate the ‘good night’ coming at the end of the day and death at the end of life. Despite this acknowledgement of the assuredness of death, Thomas insists that ‘old age’, a use of metonymy to represent the elderly, should ‘burn and rave at close of day’. Burning

Wise men know that death is appropriate, but they do not embrace it. These wise men fight death because they feel their words have not been adequate enough to touch or illuminate others. The son creates a visual image of the inadequacy wise men feel upon realizing their words have not enlightened others--"their words had forked no lightning." The son also mentions good men who do not die peacefully. These men despair that their feeble deeds did not accomplish enough. Even though they were good men, they feel they could have done so much more if given the time.

Dylan Thomas wants his father to put up a fight against death and save himself even though that’s death is unavoidable. The poet’s suggestion for his father, the man whom he looked up to, is to fight like every wise man does. “Even the wisest men try to escape the cold grip of death” (Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night: Dylan Thomas - Summary and Critical

This is expressed by the multiple examples of old men whom regret certain aspects of their lives and defy death even when they know their time is up. The speaker is urging his father to fight against old age and death. The meaning and subject of the poem influence the tone and mood. The tone is one of frustration and insistence. Thomas is slightly angry and demanding. His words are not a request, they are an order. The mood of the poem is is serious and solemn due to the poem focusing mainly on the issue of death. This mood and tone is created by words such as “burn”(2), “Grieved”(11) and “rage”(3) along with phrases such as “crying how bright”(7), “forked no lightning”(5), “near death”(13) and “fierce tears”(17). The insistent feeling is also created by the repetition of the lines “Do not go gentle into that good night”(1), and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”(3). The figurative language used also affect how the meaning, tone and mood are interpreted.