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Analysis Of A Refusal To Mourn The Death, By Fire By Dylan Thomas

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Thomas uses symbols and imagery to show that the speaker is resorting to religious tools such as the “Zion of the water bead/And the synagogue of the ear of corn” to find comfort in the danger happening around them (8-9). This bubble by religious means of escape, such as “Zion” and “synagogue”, shield the speaker from the uncertainty of death and preserve the beauty of “London’s daughter” (19). The use of “Zion” and “synagogue” provides imagery so that the audience can imagine the impact of religious beliefs. The topical meaning is Thomas commenting on the “London bombings during World War II”, a time in which many turned to religion for security (“Dylan Thomas”, Poetry Foundation). The religious symbols also add to the larger idea that …show more content…

One can conclude that the speaker doesn’t have a broad capacity for mourning since they don’t know how to approach it when confronted with death. This way of mourning is applicable to anyone, as humans cannot register the magnitude of another’s suffering. The speaker is only able to understand his own pain, although he is unable to stick to a method of dealing with the pain. All together, the self reflection, symbolism, and fickleness of mourning proves that the entire poem contradicts itself and exemplifies Thomas’ obscurity, which is also seen in “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good …show more content…

This separation is done to provide multiple examples from all corners of the world as to why humans shouldn’t easily accept death and the order is significant as to how far each man’s deeds spread. First, the wise men signify that death is inevitable and should be treated as such, yet they don’t accept death gently. This is due to their deeds not creating much of an impact seen in “their words had forked no lightning…” (5). On the contrary, the deeds of “Good men, the last wave by…” are like the waves of an ocean, recurring motivators in society (7). Had the waves hit the shore, they may have had a larger influence. Next, the “Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight…” represent the impact of adventurous individuals (10). Compared to the movement of the sun, wild men’s deeds chase after worldly things and have an impact so great that it pertains to the light of day. Last, “Grave men, near death.../Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay” speak for serious individuals, going to say that their deeds, although they may be small, can still have a major impact (13-14). The speaker points out these four examples in order to elaborate on the significance of not accepting death. The same idea stands in both “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” and “A Refusal To Mourn The Death, By Fire, By A Child In

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