BLOG XI

Fighting for Life

            The poem of  Dylan Thomas, Do Not Go Gentle into that  Good Night, is about death and how four kinds of men should fight for live, even though they have  had no a good life. I believe the poem’s speaker is related to the author because it is a plea for Thomas father who is possible dying. So the poem has a speaker: Thomas, a listener: his father, and a situation: a dying person (his father). Because of  that Thomas present to his father this kind of men in this particular poem named, villanelle.

            The structure of this poem , four tercets and a concluding quatrain, let Thomas present four kind of men to his dying father because he believes that it would help his father continue fighting for his life. The first category of men is the wise: “Though wise men at their end know dark is right” (line 4).Thomas believes these men are conscious of death, and they see it such as a natural thing of life. But, also Thomas says that they are not in accordance with death because they do not feel that they write his history in world’s memory: “Because their words had forked no lightning” (line 5); so they should fight death until they get from life what they want.

            The second kind of men is: “Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright” (line 7); Thomas believes that these men in their last years of their lives could feel that their achievements are not enough to leave a good impression in live: “Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay” (line 8); so they should protest against death  until their deeds were strong enough to let a record in the world.

            The third kind of men is: “Wild men, near death, who caught and sang the sun in flight” (line 10). These men enjoy a lot of life but with no sense. They just live in a wild way life, but they do not have anything back from it. But when they realize the cruelty of wasted life is late to take a life’s sense: “And learn too late, they grieved it on its way” (line 11). Even though they waste life, they have the right to fight for it: “Do not go gentle into that good night.” (line 12)

            The fourth kind of men is: “Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight” (line 13). Even though they are in their last years of life, they should fight for a new chance of living. Never is late to be against death, because the important thing is fighting and never lose hope: “Rage, rage against the dying of the light” (line 15). It does not matter your age, fighting for live is a right for every one. Never is late for fighting death, so Thomas father should take this in his mind and do not let death win the race.

            The last stanza is a Thomas’ plea to his father. He is asking his father for strength, and he urges his father for more ambition about life: “Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray” (line 17). Through out all four examples of men above presented, Thomas encourages his father for living. Never is late to fight death even though people have or not good deeds, history, or youth.  The repetition of the these two verses: “Do not go gentle into that good night/ Rage, rage against the dying of the light” makes outline the importance of fighting death even though you do feel the right to do it.