Dylan Thomas is a famous Irish poet whose works include “Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night” published in 1951. The speaker in this poem urges people not to fear death, as has been the tradition. The poem notes that death is an inevitable circumstance that all persons will encounter. As a result, individuals should develop defense mechanisms of fighting against death depicted as night. The speaker addresses the elderly who are medically challenged by different illnesses. Dylan Thomas dedicates this poem to his father, who later dies in 1952 (Thomas, 2017). Essentially, the poem also notes the essence of the family as a vital social theme. The speaker, nevertheless, uses a warning and motivational tone to encourage individuals to face death fearlessly.
The poem constitutes terms whose relevance is depicted in different stylistic devices. For instance, Dylan Thomas has used imagery to accentuate the reality of death. Individuals are informed of this phenomenon, which is dreaded and sorrowful. Death, as depicted in the poem, entails a battle which requires courage and motivation. Rhymes have been integrated in the poem to stress the main message (Thomas, 2017). For instance, the term rage has been repetitively used to encourage individuals against death. Furthermore, rhyming words such as light and night have been used to improve the poem’s rhythmic flow.
The poem has also integrated symbolism to motivate people against fearing death. For instance, night has been periodically mentioned indicate the dying process. The speaker uses this term frequently to remind individuals that death is imminent (Thomas, 2017). Symbolism is also depicted in the poem through the use of light. Ideally, the speaker notes that people are afraid of the death process, leaving one helpless and grieving. Dylan Thomas communicates a personal experience of an ailing father who later succumbed to long-term illness (Thomas, 2017). The use of symbolic terms enhances understanding of the message communicated in the poem.
Alliteration has been uniquely adopted in the poem from the beginning to the last stanza. Most importantly, the poem’s title uses this stylistic approach to underscore the main themes of death and defiance. Essentially, consonants ‘n’ and ‘t’ have appeared severally in the title to stress the primary message of remaining defiant to death (Thomas, 2017). Alliteration aims to improve the poem’s rhythm as it ensures a smooth flow during the stanza transition. In essence, Dylan Thomas has been objective in ensuring an accurate and consistent integration of useful poetry terms.
In conclusion, the speaker of the poem uses different metaphors while communicating with the audience. The elderly are considered vulnerable members of the societies as they face varying medical challenges. Light is used to represent life, protected, whereas night introduces a transition into death. The term good night is used to describe the dying process, as evidenced in the personal life of Dylan Thomas. These metaphors are useful in developing relevant social themes. In this case, the speaker communicates insolence in fighting death among the old. Facing death with courage as a normal phenomenon requires boldness, as indicated. As a result, the speaker constantly reminds the audience that death is inevitable and imminent. Developing the courage to overcome tragic situations would be useful in transiting peacefully into the night. The transition process, as highlighted, should be fought vigorously as a means of avoiding death.
Reference
Thomas, D. (2017). The Poems of Dylan Thomas. New Directions Publishing.