'Do not go gentle into that good night' (Edexcel IGCSE English Literature)
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'Do not go gentle into that good night'
Below you will find a guide to the poem ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ by Dylan Thomas from the Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology (part 3: unit 1, section B). This guide includes:
Overview: a line-by-line breakdown of the poem
Form, Structure and Language: an exploration of the techniques and poetic choice that Thomas has used
Themes: an exploration of the themes and ideas in the poem
Comparing Poems: suggestions on which poems to compare the poem to
Overview
To answer an essay question on a poem, you must understand what it is about. The overview section includes:
A summary of the poem
A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Thomas’ intention and message
A summary of 'Do not go gentle into that good night'
This poem is written by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and it was first published in 1951. While the poem was dedicated to Thomas’ father, the message is one that everyone can relate to. The speaker of the poem is encouraging a dying person to fight bravely against death.
'Do not go gentle into that good night' analysis
Lines 1–3
“Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Translation
The speaker is arguing that people should not give up when faced with death
Thomas’ intention
The first stanza considers the main theme which is to fight death
The phrase “do not go gentle into that good night” uses a metaphor to describe dying as transitioning from day to night:
This is extended in the second and third line by describing old age or the end of life as “close of day”
The first line uses consonance with the “n” and “t” sounds being repeated, which adds emphasis to the speaker’s passionate message
Another metaphor occurs, stating that “old age should burn”:
It suggests that, even at the end of one’s life and in old age, one should still have the strength to fight
The speaker uses epizeuxis, a form of repetition, in line 3 with the word “rage”, which underscores the speaker’s passionate message of fighting death
“Light” is used to symbolise life and death or dying represents darkness or the “dying of the light”
Each of the lines in this stanza are end-stopped lines, which adds conviction and confidence to the speaker’s statements
Lines 4–6
“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.”
Translation
The speaker references wise men who know death is inevitable but still do not give in
Thomas’ intention
The speaker uses an example of wise men who know that death is inevitable to highlight how they still fight against it
The use of the phrase “dark is right” suggests the “wise men” know they eventually have to die
In the second line, “lightning” could symbolise inspiration and innovation and “forked” could suggest the act of creating it
According to the speaker, these “wise men” are resisting death by not going “gentle”:
Therefore, the speaker is suggesting that they will fight to live in the hopes that they will be able to achieve their goal
A refrain is used at the end of this stanza as the first line of stanza 1 is repeated
It is worth noting that lines 4 and 5 are enjambed lines with line 6 being an end-stopped line:
This heightens the tension in the poem as the pace quickens, which could reflect the passion and energy necessary to fight death
Lines 7–9
“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.”
Translation
This stanza focuses on “good men” who do not feel like they have lived fulfilling lives and so fight death
Thomas’ intention
The speaker uses the example of “good men” and describes how they are not satisfied with the lives they have led:
The “last wave” is a metaphor for life and the final surge of life before they die
The speaker states their “frail deeds” have not made any significant impact and the moral lives they have led have amounted to nothing:
The speaker states their “deeds” could have “danced in a green bay” if they were “bright”, suggesting the men feel they have led insignificant lives
Lines 10–12
“Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.”
Translation
The speaker refers to “wild men” and how they lived their lives freely and without worry until they realised death was near
Thomas’ intention
The phrase “wild men” refers to those who have lived life without inhibitions and any real care:
The metaphor “caught and sang the sun in flight” suggests these men enjoyed life without any worries or concerns
However, they then realised “too late” that their lives were ending and so “grieved” the sun “on its way” and along with it, they grieved the life that had passed them by:
As a result, they now fight death by not going “gentle” into the “night”
Once again, the speaker is playing with light and darkness by referencing the sun, which could symbolise life, vitality and youth:
In contrast, the “night” that the men are fighting is a metaphor for death
Lines 13–15
“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.”
Translation
The speaker describes serious men who feel they could have done more with their lives
Thomas’ intention
The phrase “Grave” is referring to men who are serious and the opposite of the men in the previous stanza:
The speaker states that these men realise that they could have done more in their lives to make their eyes “blaze like meteors and be gay”
The use of the phrase “blinding sight” is an oxymoron as the speaker uses two words with opposite meaning:
However, it could suggest that they have the ability to perceive things in a much more significant way
The simile of “blaze like meteors and be gay” highlights that these men did not use their clever insight and perception to experience life to the fullest, resulting in regret
Again, the speaker plays with light but this time uses the example of those who are “blind”:
The speaker declares that even those who only see darkness have the ability to experience light if they live their lives properly
As a result of this revelation, these “grave men” regret the lives they have lived and now fight the “dying of the light”
Lines 16–19
“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.”
Translation
The speaker is speaking directly to their father and imploring them to fight death
Thomas’ intention
The speaker is now speaking directly to his father and the conjunctions a reminder that the previous examples were all for the speaker’s father:
The possessive pronoun of “my” emphasises the personal aspect of the poem
The metaphor “sad height” is used to describe old age:
The image created by this metaphor is of the speaker’s father standing above everything and looking down on his life
In the second line, the speaker implores his father to “curse, bless, me now”:
This highlights the speaker’s desperation at wanting their father to fight death
The use of the phrase “fierce” suggests that the speaker wants their father to be passionate in his battle with death
The speaker uses religious language with the words “curse”, “bless” and “pray”, which suggests they are seeking God’s assistance
Each line in this stanza is end-stopped, highlighting the speaker’s conviction and insistence that his father should fight
Form, Structure and Language
When you consider how Dylan Thomas uses form, structure and language, try to focus your analysis on how he presents his ideas and why he has made these choices in 'Do not go gentle into that good night'. You will gain more marks if you focus on Thomas’ themes than on individual poetic techniques.
Here are some suggestions for key aspects of the poem you might want to consider:
Form
'Do not go gentle into that good night' is one of the most famous examples of a Villanelle poem.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s Intention |
Death and defiance | The poem is written in iambic pentameter:
| The use of iambic pentameter adds rhythm to the poem and mimics the sound of a heartbeat, which could reflect the speaker’s passion and defiance:
|
The rhyme scheme in Thomas’ poem is ABA for the first five stanzas and ABAA for the final stanza | The rigidity of the rhyme scheme reflects the speaker’s message as they are focused on only one thing, which is to fight death |
Structure
The poem is constructed of 19 lines, which are divided into five three-line stanzas (also known as tercets) and a quatrain at the end.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
Death and defiance | The poet uses refrains, which are lines that are repeated throughout the poem. These are:
| A villanelle poem always includes refrains:
|
Throughout the poem there are a number of end-stopped lines | The use of the end-stopped lines mirrors the speaker’s conviction and self-belief that what they are saying is true:
|
Language
The speaker uses a range of language techniques to add strength and passion to their argument.
Theme | Evidence | Poet’s intention |
Old age and grief | In the final stanza, the speaker addresses his father and uses the personal pronoun “my” | This adds a sense of poignancy and emotion to the poem:
|
In the final stanza, the speaker asks their father to “curse, bless, me know with your fierce tears, I pray.” | The use of the words “curse” and “bless” while initially appearing strange together, reveals something significant about the speaker:
| |
Death and defiance | The poet uses a range of metaphors throughout the poem to argue about how death should be dealt with:
| The use of metaphors to describe death turns the process of dying into a journey:
|
Themes
While knowing the poem is important, you also need to show the examiner that you can write an informed, personal response. Understanding the main themes, ideas, setting and events depicted can help you to form your own ideas about what you think the poet is trying to achieve.
While you are not explicitly assessed on context, it is still important that you have an awareness of any background information that is relevant to the main themes in the poem. This can help you to demonstrate a sustained, critical understanding of the text.
To help you do this, consider the two main themes that Thomas explores in 'Do not go gentle into that good night':
Death and Defiance
Old Age and Grief
Death and Defiance
Dylan Thomas wrote the poem in 1951 during the final years of his life:
The poem was dedicated to his father and encourages the dying to fight against death
The poem is a villanelle poem containing 19 lines that are split into five three-line stanzas and one quatrain:
The rigid structure and tight rhyme scheme of a villanelle poem lends itself nicely to the message and passion of the speaker
The poem uses examples of other people who have regretted the choices they made in their life when faced with death:
It highlights how these people fought with death at the end of their lives in order to have more time
The two refrains that the speaker uses throughout the poem emphasise the speaker’s desire for his father to “rage against” death:
The speaker does not explicitly tell the reader to avoid death or refuse death as that is impossible. Instead, he instructs the reader, and his father, to fight back
The examples that the speaker has used of “wild men” and “grave men” may have been the speaker’s attempt at highlighting how, even at the end of one’s life, it is important to fight:
What all the men mentioned have in common is that they realise their life has been wasted when they are dying
It could be interpreted that the speaker’s defiance may be his attempt at dealing with his father’s impending demise and coming to terms with his death:
Rather than seeing his father give in to death, he wishes his father to be “fierce”
Old Age and Grief
The speaker begins the poem by declaring that “old age should burn and rave at close of day”:
This suggests that the elderly should still feel the vitality of youth and to use that same energy up until they die
From stanza 2 up until stanza 5, the speaker uses examples of different men who have aged and are approaching death defiantly:
In each of these examples, the men realise that they no longer have any time left to live their life in a way that is fulfilling or inspiring
It could be interpreted that the men are desperate to live long enough to do something inspiring:
It could also be interpreted that their frustration and defiance comes from the realisation that they are too late to do something worthwhile
The tone at the end changes from defiant and strong to a more personal and intimate conversation between a father and a child:
The use of the personal pronoun “my” adds to this
The speaker uses the metaphor to describe their father “there on the sad height”:
The phrase could imply their father is distant and looking down at the life he has lived
In the final quatrain, the speaker feels grief and the use of the phrase “I pray” reflects his desperation and angst at the prospect of losing his father
Comparing Poems
In your exam, you will be required to compare two poems from the anthology, so you must have a good knowledge of poetic form, content and meaning to compare the poems effectively.
You must be able to explore links and connections between texts, which includes looking at both poets’ use of language, form and structure.
In 'Do not go gentle into that good night', Thomas’ main ideas are centred around defiance and grief; therefore, the following comparisons would be a good starting point:
'Do not go gentle into that good night' and ‘Remember’
'Do not go gentle into that good night' and ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’
For each pair of poems, you will find:
Comparison summary
Similarities and differences between the ideas presented in each poem
Evidence and analysis of these similarities and differences
Exam Tip
When answering a question that asks you to compare two poems, you need to make sure you’re writing about both poems in a balanced way. Do not focus on one more than the other. To help you with this, try to integrate your comparisons through your responses rather than focusing on one poem first and then the next as this will ensure you achieve more marks.
You can begin by comparing and explaining what the poems are about and then moving on to comparing an idea in the two poems. Don’t move on to another point until you have made your comparison. This ensures that you achieve marks, even if you run out of time as you have been comparing throughout.
'Do not go gentle into that good night' and ‘Remember’
Comparison summary:
Both poems deal with the inevitability of death. However, 'Do not go gentle into that good night' is written from the perspective of someone who is witnessing a loved one die, whereas, ‘Remember’ is written from the perspective of someone who is dying and speaking to their loved one before they pass.
Similarities:
Topic sentence | Both poems deal with individuals preparing for death | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Do not go gentle into that good night' | ‘Remember’ |
The poem is written from the perspective of someone who is offering advice to someone who is dying | The poem is written from the perspective of someone who is dying and speaking to their loved one | |
The poem is mostly written in iambic pentameter, which could also mirror the beating of a heart, signifying life:
| The poem is also written in iambic pentameter, which is appropriate for a poem about death and love as it mimics the sound of a heart beat | |
The speaker uses metaphors to reflect their passionate belief that people should fight against dying:
| The speaker also uses a metaphor to describe death as a “silent land”, hinting that all communication is gone once a person passes away | |
Both poems refer to death as a journey | ||
In Thomas’ poem, the speaker begins to poem by speaking directly to their listener and demanding that they “do not go gentle” | Similarly, in ‘Remember’, the speaker uses the phrase “when I am gone away” to suggest that the speaker will be undertaking a journey into “the silent land” | |
Differences:
Topic sentence | While both poems deal with death, they offer different perspectives | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Do not go gentle into that good night' | ‘Remember’ |
In Thomas’ poem, the speaker wants the dying individual to “rage” and fight against death:
| However, the speaker of ‘Remember’ is the person who is dying:
| |
In Thomas’ poem, the speaker is clearly afraid of losing their father:
| It is clear that in Rossetti’s poem, the speaker is not afraid of dying:
| |
The poem is a villanelle, which is a fixed and rigid poetic form that has a set rhyme scheme:
| In contrast, ‘Remember’ is a Petrarchan sonnet:
| |
The final line of the stanza re-emphasises the speaker’s desperation and passionate desire to see his father fight death:
| The final stanza of the poem reflects the speaker’s acceptance and how it is “Better by far you should forget and smile”:
| |
'Do not go gentle into that good night' and ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’
Comparison summary:
Both poems are about the speakers’ fathers, who have died or are dying. However, in Thomas’ ‘Do not go gentle into that good night’, the speaker is a child who is imploring their father to fight death. However, in ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’, the poet, Alice Walker, is reminiscing and reflecting on all the things she has learned from her father, who has passed away.
Similarities:
Topic sentence | Both poems are about a child who has lost their father or is about to | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Do not go gentle into that good night' | ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’ |
The speaker is a child whose father is dying and the speaker is desperate for their father not to give in to death without a fight | The speaker reflects on the positive impact her father had on her life | |
The speaker uses metaphors to describe death as “night” and life as “light”:
| The speaker also uses metaphors throughout the poem to highlight the influence her father had on her life:
| |
The speaker uses two refrains:
| The speaker uses repetition:
| |
At the end of the poem, the speaker addresses their father directly and in doing so, their grief is evident for the first time in the poem:
| At the end of the poem, it is evident that the speaker still feels grief over the loss of her father but also acceptance:
| |
Differences:
Topic sentence | Both poems are written from different perspectives | |
Evidence and analysis | 'Do not go gentle into that good night' | ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’ |
The speaker of this poem is a child who is imploring their father to meet death with defiance and passion:
| ‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’ is written from the perspective of a child who is reflecting on the positive impact her father had on her life:
| |
The poem is written in a steady iambic pentameter, though there is some variation in the order of iambs in some lines:
| The poem is written in free verse:
| |
The poem has 19 lines, which are split into five three-line stanzas and one final quatrain:
| The poem does not follow a rhyme scheme, which makes the poem feel more organic and free-flowing:
| |
‘Poem at Thirty-Nine’ is more intimate and personal as the speaker is recalling memories with her father and her relationship with him:
| ||
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