Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Essay

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“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” is a poem by Dylan Thomas (1242). The poem is addressed to his father, who was dying at the time he wrote this. He asks his father to fight death as hard as he can. He believes that no matter who you are, you shouldn’t give in to death. Whether you are good or bad, young or old, wild or tame, you shouldn’t die without kicking and screaming. This poem was picked because I thought it was beautiful and powerful. The poem conjured up feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness while I was reading it. I thought the poem was brilliantly written and beautiful. It was also somewhat inspirational. Dylan Thomas’s excellent diction invokes images of sunsets and beaches, while his use of metaphors and similes draw …show more content…

There are only a few universal truths in this world, and one of them is that everyone dies. Dylan Thomas knows this, and uses it to create a common ground. No matter what choices one has made in their life, death will come for them. That doesn’t mean you should go quietly; actually, it means you should fight as hard as you can against it. People from all walks of life should abide by this. The dreams that one has are reason enough to keep on living and fighting. The two repeating rhymes in this play a large part in why this poem is great. The second rhyme uses the word, “rage”, which is a very strong word. Instead of saying be angry at your death, Thomas says you should, “rage” and fight against it. Rage, compared to anger, is much deeper and fiery. It is something that is intrinsically instilled into you. Rage is something that comes from the deepest part of you. Dylan Thomas also says that wise men, even if, “their words forked no lightning” (2.2.1242) need to keep living, so they can make a difference. When lightning forks, it strikes the ground with impact. This word choice is powerful considering the context; which is making an impact on the way people think and live. Wise men wish to impart their wisdom onto others, or create a fracture or division in the way people usually think. Visually, lightning also looks fractured and forked. Thomas also writes, “Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright / Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay” (3.2-3.1243). The last wave by is referring to two different things. It could be the last goodbye before death, but it could also be comparing their lives to the crashing of waves. Good men also wish to see their efforts come to fruition. One can think of their actions as seeds. The seeds could grow, flourish, and “dance” in a “green bay”. The color green represents lushness and fertility. Dylan Thomas also makes excellent use of allegories to inspire his readers. One such

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