Alex Reyes CIS 133
Napoleon Bonaparte
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night”, by Dylan Thomas focuses on the debt that everyone must pay, death. The Speaker is a son pleading to his father to not accept death but fight it every step of the way. Throughout the poem, there are comparisons of other men from all walks of life who struggle to the end for every second of their lives. He uses these examples as a method to give his father hope and a reason to fight for his own life. The poems overall message is the inevitability of death and the struggle one must make until the end. This theme is emphasized throughout the poems structure and the firm structure itself can also be interpreted as a metaphor for death and its certainty.
Two phrases are repeated back and forth, at the end of every stanza in the poem. These phrases “Do not go gentle into that good night” (Thomas) and “rage, rage against the dying of the light” (Thomas) are the most important phrases in the poem because they help communicate the meaning to the reader. Dissecting these phrases, the reader realizes that “Into that good night” (Thomas) and “dying of the light” (Thomas) are euphemisms for death. Knowing this, then the reader can begin to understand the analogies that are being used to compare his father to other men who fought the “dying of the light” or going “into that good night”. These constant repeating phrases help focus the reader and keep them on the main point.
Further analysis of these two phrases allow more in depth meaning of what the son is trying to tell his father. The first phrase “Do not go gentle into that good night” (Thomas) is a blend of harshness and gentleness. When the words “Do not go” are read, they are meant to be interpreted as an order. This gives the reader the feeling that the father is being commanded by his son not to let go. However contrasting the bleakness of a son commanding anyone on a death bed to do anything, the speaker added “gentle into that good night” which softens the command. All these words blended together gave a powerful backbone to the poem. The second phrase “Rage, Rage against the dying of the light” (Thomas) again commands his father to not let go however asks him something differently. Death is inevitable and the speaker is aware of this. He proceeds to ask his father to “Rage” against it. The definition of rage according to dictionary.com is “Violent, Explosive Anger” (rage) One can surmise that the speaker is ask ing his father to give one last push before the end of his life.
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