Do not Go gentle in to that good Night - Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage,rage against the daying of thel ight.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
because their words had forked no lightning they 
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage,rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
and lean, to late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage,rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage,rage against the dying of the light.

Critical Analysis:

It’s son’s plea to a dying father. His purpose is to show his father that all men face the same end, but they fight for life. “Old age should burn and rave at close of day is the theme of this poem. Thomas persuades his father is realized that no matter the life choices there is a reason to live.

Four Group of men. Wise men are the first group “though wise men at their end know dark is right,” – suggests that they know the death is a natural part of life and they are wise enough to know they should accept it. The next line reasons that they fight it because they feel that they have not gained enough reputed – they want to hold on to life to be able to leave their mark, there by live in history as great scholars or philosophers.

Next men group are good men. They reflect on their lives as the end approaches “last wave” good men are few now, Thomas believes his father to be a good man and the world can still use him. “crying how bright” refers too men telling their stories in a limelight. They self – proclaim their works as good. “Their frail deeds might “describes men knowing that their deeds will not be remembered. “Green bay” refers to eternal sea which marks their place in history. They want their names written down in history.

Next group – wild man- They have learned too late that they are mortal. They spent their lives in action and only realizes as time has caught up with them that this is the end.

“wild men ……… sun in flight” exaggerates their experiences and how they wasted away their days chasing what they could not catch.

“caught and song the sun” -refers to these wild men lived. They were daredevils who faced peril with blissful ignorance. “And learn too late” ………refers to their realism of their mortality. They grieve because they have caused much grief living their lives in folly. Even though the end is approaching they will not give in because they want more time to hold on to the adventures of their youth or right a few wrongs that there done.

Grave men are the last group.

“Grave men…………...blinding sight – grave men have two meaning, referring two men who are saddened as well as being physically near death. They know they are physically decaying their eyes are failing along with the rest of the body. However, there is still a passion burning within their eyes for an existence. “Blind eyes…. …. Meteors and be gay” – It represents a man’s struggle for survival. He is possibly offering that in this frail state his father could be happy living longer.

In the last stanza, Thomas is showing that all men no matter their experience or situation fight for more time. He urges his father to do the same. “curse bless…… I pray” – describes his pain and passion that are causing him to beg his father not to die. It appears that his father either peacefully surrendered himself or has resigned himself to his fate.

Literary Devices

1.The phrase conveys a powerful message that, when death approaches, one needs to know what made his life meaningful and he should never fear death.

The theme of this line is mortality and transe endentalism.

Metaphor:  Good Night is a Metaphorical expression of death.

Alliteration - Alliteration occurs in sound ‘g’ in Go Gentle and Good” and N sound in “not and night”

Setting: Night Darkness

Good Night symbolizes death or afterlife. Close of day symbolizes end of life “light in the dying of light” symbolizes life sprit or soul.  “sad height” symbolizes the closeness of death.

Rhyming scheme is ABA, ABA, ABA, ABA, two rhymes and two refrains the first line and the third line are repeated four times in the poem.  The use repetition of the two refrains “Do not go gentle into that good night” and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light” is one effective devices.

“Do not go gentle in to that good night” the alliteration here is used to call attention to the words go and good which get great emphasis.

Imagines in this poem is all visual imagery and the poet uses “lighting” and “wave” imagery to show the attitudes of wise men and good men towards death when they are faced with death.

Metaphor, simile and oxymoron are employed in this poem to give a universal message

In brief the analysis of the poem presents main elements of poetry which contributes to readers it will help readers to understand the universal message.