Imaginary Essay

It is apparent that the theme of the poem “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas is of death. It is human nature to fight for life.  The first five stanzas of the poem are generalized.  Stating that old age should be fast and furious near the end of life; “Old age should burn and rave at close of day”, making it seem unfair the aged must slowly die after living so long.  The observations made of the wise, the good, the wild and the grave are interesting.  It illustrates to the reader that no matter what type of person one is, or the regrets one may have throughout a lifetime, do not matter in death.  “And learned, too late, they grieved it on its way,…”.  However in the last stanza the writer formulates the poem so the topic becomes personal by adding the plea to his own father who is on his death bed “And you, my father, there on the sad height,”; “do not go gentle into that good night”.  The tone of the poem is poignant; do not give up the fight be brave in the face of death, even though death is inevitable. 

This poem has a total of six stanzas, the first five stanzas have three lines and the sixth stanza has four.  It is written in Villanella style, aba aba aba.  Notice every other line rhymes and the last line of every other stanza is repeated, making it song like as in a Villanella.  The poet used metaphors and similes, “Their frail deeds might have danced…” describing the ‘good men’ and their feeling of incompleteness.  “Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,” telling how ‘grave men’ (serious men) are enlightened to the real joys of life.