Analysis Of Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

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Death is a topic that can elicit strong emotions in the writer and reader alike. The topic of death combined with the unconventional and free “spirit” allowed in poetry can create impressionable words and imagery that stick with readers for ages. Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” is one such poem, touching on impending death and doing so in a raw and powerful way. Thomas’ poem uses the metaphor of life by mentioning the ocean and the symbol of death in the references of darkness and night to foster the theme of mortality.
“Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” is about the speaker addressing, at first, an unknown listener. The speaker is encouraging the listener to resist death as strongly as possible. Even though death is inevitable, it is something to only go into with struggle and not something to
The sun and day are elements that represent life; therefore all mentions of darkness and nighttime represent death. Line two states, “Old age should burn and rage at close of day…” (Thomas). This line means sunset, which is a symbol for night. This is the time when men die and close of day is the setting sun but also the setting of their life. Their final day is finished and as the light dies, so do they. Death being inevitable is highlighted in line four, “Though wise men at their end know dark is right…” (Thomas). Here, again, darkness is symbolic of impending death. Finally, the title, which is repeated in lines 1, 6, 12, and 18, captures the night symbol of death, “Do not go gentle into that good night” (Thomas). Night means death, but by putting “good” in front of it, it also makes an allusion to goodnight, as if the final words spoken to someone before they go away at the end of the day. So all mentions of the darkness, the night, and the day ending further reinforce the death and mortality theme that pervade this

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