Blog Entry # 8

Dylan Thomas’ poem, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” at first seemed confusing as to what the author was trying to convey. After reading this poem multiple times, the message Thomas was trying to say became clear. Although life may not be ideal to most, it is better to be alive than dead. The author strongly believes that one should fight to stay alive and not give up and pass away. Thomas has a personal connection to this concept with the mention of his father’s last moments of life.

Repetition of lines in literature, especially in poetry is usually intended to emphasize what the author is trying to say. In this poem Dylan Thomas repeats two lines, both four times. “Do not go gentle into that good night” (line 1, 6, 12, 18) means to not let go of life so easily after each day. Who knows, maybe “that night” might be one’s last and it shouldn’t be one’s last without a fight. The line “Rage, rage, against the dying of the light,” (line 3, 9, 15, 19) compliments the other line in the message the author is conveying. Life is precious and it shouldn’t end without a passionate fight to claim one’s life.

Thomas also uses the symbolic concepts of dark and light that goes with his overall message. In the second stanza, “Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lighting they Do not go gentle into that good night.” Dark represents death, although people fear death they are aware that it is bound to happen to us all and we should not go to our deathbed gently without a fight. Light represents life; the wise men know that death is apart of life, but people should go towards life than to be drawn into death.

The author’s usage of repetition, symbolism and his personal reference to the author’s father makes this poem authentic and heartwarming. Thomas’ bluntness in his choice of words goes deep in his overall message, without playing it safe. On a personal level, this poem reinstates my own personal belief that life is precious, even if it isn’t ideal.