DYLAN THOMASDO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

• Originally the poem was a plea to his dying father• “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”

was written in 1945• The poem discusses various ways to

approach death in old age. • It advocates affirming life up until the last

breath, rather than learning to accept death quietly.

LINE-BY-LINE SUMMARYTERCET #1

• The first tercet (stanza of 3 lines) introduces the poem’s theme. Bonus questions: what is a 4 line stanza?• It also introduces the two recurring refrains that end

alternate stanzas.• Both of these lines emphasis Thomas’ basic theme

about resisting death, but they contrast in several ways. • Look at the poem: Which words are near opposites

of each other?• The tone of each line is quite different too…how so?

TERCET #2

• The next four stanzas examine different type of men and their approach or reaction to death

• Wise men: scholars – philosophers• What does the word “Though” suggest?• Line 5:• Explains why they act unexpectedly considering their

knowledge• They have yet to accomplish their goals• Why did he end the line in mid sentence?• Line 6:• In many villanelles, the refrains simply serve as a chorus.

Here Thomas makes it an integral part of the stanza

TERCET #3

• This stanza is about “Good men”• What characteristics make a man good?• What duel meaning/image may “last way”

possess?• What duel meaning/image may “crying”

possess?• What impact does the final line of the

stanza provide? How does it contrast with the type of man described in it?

TERCET #4 AND #5

• Tercet 4: Wild men• How do the lifetimes of the “wild men” compare

to the lifetimes of the “good men”?• Tercet 5: Grave men• What duel meaning/image may “grave” possess?• There is a paradox (two simultaneous yet logically

impossible ideas…standing is more tiresome than walking) in the first line of the 5th tercet. What is it?• There are two contrasting images in this tercet.

What are they?

FINAL QUATRAIN (4 LINE STANZA)

• The final stanza is not addressed to a type of man but directly to his dying father.• Who is very close to death: “sad height”• Of the four men mention in the middle four stanzas

which would you like to be? What are you now? Why?• Wise (smart and intellectual) • Good (kind, moral, and simple)• Wild (joyous and powerful)• Grave (serious, responsible, and understanding)

THEMES

•Anger…”rage” – unfulfilled lives plagued by disappointment•Human Condition – AKA: the situation we all find ourselves presented with. Nothing can be done to make the arrival of death less visceral

STYLE/METER/RHYME SCHEME

• Villanelle: 5 tercets followed by a quatrain• The first line in the first stanza also ends the

second and fourth tercets.• The third and final line of the first tercet serves

as the last line of the third and fifth tercets.• They will also become the last two lines of the

quatrain• Meter: ??????• Rhyme Scheme?????