Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas

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.

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 learn, too 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.
                                                                 -Dylan Thomas, 1914 - 1953

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" is a poem written by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. It was written by Thomas for his dying father and is still one of Thomas' most popular poems today. It was also featured in the movie Interstellar. The use of this poem in this film made it more famous than it already was.

In this poem, life is symbolized by light and death is symbolized by the night and darkness. It refers to all kinds of men ("Wise men", "Good men", "Wild men", and "Grave men") and how they did not achieve all the things they wanted to. As a result, they all "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" and resist their deaths. At the end of the poem, Thomas encourages his father to do the same and fight and protest his death. 

There are many interpretations of this poem based on the the perceptive of the reader. One interpretation can also suggests that we all live ignorant to the fact that we all have to die in one or another way but this poem suggests the people should not accept the death mutely but face it by struggling to cling on to life.

In essence, I think this poem can apply not only to old age and death, but to any adversity we face. We should not give up so easily and always go down kicking. In any endeavour we choose to pursue and any struggles we face, we should persevere and remember to "not go gentle into that good night" whether the 'good night' is failure, or death.

At the end of the poem the poem becomes intensely personal in which the poet is talking about his own fathers condition and want him try to stay alive even if it means to curse or bless the poet.

As it is often the case, this work stands on it’s own. It either speak to one, or not. But no matter what personal reasons inspired Thomas, the poem speaks to our need to make our lives count against our inevitable deaths. Though the theme is paradoxical, it declares to all: Live your life while you are actually dying. Do not accept death passively. Live intensely and resist death passionately. All the beautifully contrasting metaphors where Thomas’s way of gracefully asking his father not to leave him alone, in the dark.

Random Master

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