Do not go gentle into that good night
Encyclopedia
Do not go gentle into that good night, a villanelle
, is considered to be among the finest works by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas
(1914–1953). Originally published in the journal Botteghe Oscure
in 1951, it also appeared as part of the collection "In Country Sleep." Written for his dying father, it is one of Thomas's most popular and accessible poems.
The poem has no title other than its first line, “Do not go gentle into that good night”, a line which appears as a refrain throughout the poem. The poem's other equally famous refrain is “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”.
Another explanation is that the speaker admits that death is unavoidable, but encourages all men to fight death. This is not for their own sake, but to give closure and hope to the kin that they will leave behind. To support this, he gives examples of wise men, good men, wild men, and grave men to his father, who was dying at the time this poem was written. There is little textual evidence for this interpretation, however, except the words "curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray." Also, it has been historically stated that Thomas never showed this poem to his father; if so, it would seem that Thomas composed it more for his own benefit than his father's.
A third reading of the poem observes the possibility that the speaker's listing of various reactions of men in their final hours is a self-addressed rationalization of his father's scolding catharsis before passing on. The line "Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray," might then suggest a negative interaction between the two generations, and because historical evidence leads readers to believe that the poet never in fact showed this poem to his father, it would not be ridiculous to think that Thomas wrote the poem knowing that his father was not the designated audience at all. He cites all of human beings' rage against death, regardless of disposition, and perhaps attempts to write off this negative interaction as a natural byproduct of death's impending arrival.
Another reading of this poem shows the author's own fear of death. He seems to fear having little separation between life and death such as in John Donne
's poem "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
", where:
"As virtuous men pass mildly away,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
It shows the author's fear that there is very little that separates life from death. As such he feels the need for a strong indication of the difference between the two. It does not even matter whether he is being blessed or cursed, he wants to see a reaction (l. 17). The poem could be written as well in the hope that the speaker would be able to see his dying father. He gives the impression that since wise men, good men, wild men and grave men all regret leaving this world his father as well should not be wanting to leave this world without a fight. It seems to be a wild hope, that he will be able to see his father before he passes; that each will be able to say those last words to each other - whether curses or blessings.
The poem is structured as a villanelle, which seems to imply a light gay tone. This already alludes to a profound paradox: unavoidable death in the face of the perpetual rhythm of rebirth. The haunting refrains seal the poem between courage and frustration, strength and grieving. The different epithets "wise", "good", "wild", and "grave" allude to the attitudes of men in front of their last challenge.
By the time the poem was written, Dylan was facing not only the severance of the last solid bond in his life – the relationship with his father – but also the imminence of his own demise. As his wife Caitlin notes in her memoirs, a sinister foreboding accompanied Dylan since his teenage years, when, after an illness, a doctor gave him four years to live. Also D.J. (his father) used to say that his son would not have reached the age of 40. The same ominous feeling informs "Poem on his Birthday", composed shortly after "Do not go gentle into that good night".
, which commemorated the work of the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales and 2002 release Do Not Go Gentle
. Films to use part of, or a paraphrase from, the poem have included such diverse titles as comedies Dragnet
, Back to School and The Rundown, high school drama Dangerous Minds
',' and was part-quoted by Bill Pullman in his defiant presidential speech in the 1996 blockbuster action movie Independence Day
. The poem is also a re-occurring theme and quote in the book "Matched" by Ally Condie.
Television writers have also borrowed from the poem, from Doctor Who
, Northern Exposure
, Rain Shadow
, Mad Men, to Family Guy
, while the poem's connotation with death and endings was used to effect in the final episodes of both St. Elsewhere
and Roseanne
.
Musicians have also found themselves drawn to the poem's words. Igor Stravinsky
wrote a musical work in 1954 the year after Thomas' death, "In Memoriam Dylan Thomas", that included the poem to commemorate him. Jeannie Lewis
sang and recorded the poem in her 1973 album Free Fall Through Featherless Flight, while Elliot del Borgo
wrote a piece in 1979 by the same name for full orchestra
, using hemiola
and hymn
s in polyrhythm
s to portray the struggle of the poem in musical form. Thomas' fellow countryman John Cale
, set the poem to music in 1989 and performed it at a concert held to celebrate the opening of the National Assembly for Wales
. Modern bands to use the work include Brave Saint Saturn
, Great Big Sea
and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
.
It has also been sampled in the American play and movie, "Butterflies are Free".
Villanelle
A villanelle is a poetic form that entered English-language poetry in the 19th century from the imitation of French models. The word derives from the Italian villanella from Latin villanus . A villanelle has only two rhyme sounds...
, is considered to be among the finest works by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
(1914–1953). Originally published in the journal Botteghe Oscure
Botteghe Oscure
Botteghe Oscure was a literary journal, published and edited in Rome by Marguerite Caetani from 1948 until 1960.It was named after Botteghe Oscure Street, where the editorial office was located...
in 1951, it also appeared as part of the collection "In Country Sleep." Written for his dying father, it is one of Thomas's most popular and accessible poems.
The poem has no title other than its first line, “Do not go gentle into that good night”, a line which appears as a refrain throughout the poem. The poem's other equally famous refrain is “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”.
Poem text
- 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.
Analysis
Thomas watched his father, formerly in the Army, grow weak and frail with old age. Thus, the speaker in his poem tries to convince his father to fight against imminent death. The speaker addresses his father using wise men, good men, wild men, or grave men as examples to illustrate the same message: that no matter how they have lived their lives or what they feel at the end they should die fighting. It is one of Thomas' most popular, most easily accessible poems, and implies that one should not die without fighting for one's life, or after life.Another explanation is that the speaker admits that death is unavoidable, but encourages all men to fight death. This is not for their own sake, but to give closure and hope to the kin that they will leave behind. To support this, he gives examples of wise men, good men, wild men, and grave men to his father, who was dying at the time this poem was written. There is little textual evidence for this interpretation, however, except the words "curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray." Also, it has been historically stated that Thomas never showed this poem to his father; if so, it would seem that Thomas composed it more for his own benefit than his father's.
A third reading of the poem observes the possibility that the speaker's listing of various reactions of men in their final hours is a self-addressed rationalization of his father's scolding catharsis before passing on. The line "Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray," might then suggest a negative interaction between the two generations, and because historical evidence leads readers to believe that the poet never in fact showed this poem to his father, it would not be ridiculous to think that Thomas wrote the poem knowing that his father was not the designated audience at all. He cites all of human beings' rage against death, regardless of disposition, and perhaps attempts to write off this negative interaction as a natural byproduct of death's impending arrival.
Another reading of this poem shows the author's own fear of death. He seems to fear having little separation between life and death such as in John Donne
John Donne
John Donne 31 March 1631), English poet, satirist, lawyer, and priest, is now considered the preeminent representative of the metaphysical poets. His works are notable for their strong and sensual style and include sonnets, love poetry, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs,...
's poem "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" is a metaphysical poem written by John Donne. According to Donne's biographer Izaak Walton, Donne composed it for his wife, Anne More, in 1611, when Donne was about to embark on a trip to France and Germany...
", where:
"As virtuous men pass mildly away,
- And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
- "Now his breath goes," and some say, "No."
It shows the author's fear that there is very little that separates life from death. As such he feels the need for a strong indication of the difference between the two. It does not even matter whether he is being blessed or cursed, he wants to see a reaction (l. 17). The poem could be written as well in the hope that the speaker would be able to see his dying father. He gives the impression that since wise men, good men, wild men and grave men all regret leaving this world his father as well should not be wanting to leave this world without a fight. It seems to be a wild hope, that he will be able to see his father before he passes; that each will be able to say those last words to each other - whether curses or blessings.
The poem is structured as a villanelle, which seems to imply a light gay tone. This already alludes to a profound paradox: unavoidable death in the face of the perpetual rhythm of rebirth. The haunting refrains seal the poem between courage and frustration, strength and grieving. The different epithets "wise", "good", "wild", and "grave" allude to the attitudes of men in front of their last challenge.
By the time the poem was written, Dylan was facing not only the severance of the last solid bond in his life – the relationship with his father – but also the imminence of his own demise. As his wife Caitlin notes in her memoirs, a sinister foreboding accompanied Dylan since his teenage years, when, after an illness, a doctor gave him four years to live. Also D.J. (his father) used to say that his son would not have reached the age of 40. The same ominous feeling informs "Poem on his Birthday", composed shortly after "Do not go gentle into that good night".
In popular culture
The poem and in particular its two refrains 'Do not go gentle into that good night' and 'Rage, rage against the dying of the light' have become much quoted in popular culture. Welsh works to use the poem in their titles include the 2001 film Against the Dying of the LightAgainst the Dying of the Light
Against the Dying of the Light is a documentary film about the work of the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales. Consisting of interviews with Welsh directors, actors and public figures about the significance that film has played in their lives, it achieved a limited UK cinema release in...
, which commemorated the work of the National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales and 2002 release Do Not Go Gentle
Do Not Go Gentle
Do Not Go Gentle is a 2002 British film directed by Emlyn Williams. It was the United Kingdom's submission to the 74th Academy Awards for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but was not accepted as a nominee.-See also:...
. Films to use part of, or a paraphrase from, the poem have included such diverse titles as comedies Dragnet
Dragnet (1987 film)
Dragnet is a 1987 film comedy starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks, directed by Tom Mankiewicz, based on the television crime drama of the same name starring Jack Webb. The screenplay is written by Aykroyd, Alan Zweibel and Mankiewicz. The original music score is by Ira Newborn...
, Back to School and The Rundown, high school drama Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Minds
Dangerous Minds is an American drama film based on the autobiography My Posse Don't Do Homework by former U.S. Marine LouAnne Johnson, who took up a teaching position at Carlmont High School in Belmont, California, where most of her students were African-American and Hispanic teenagers from East...
',' and was part-quoted by Bill Pullman in his defiant presidential speech in the 1996 blockbuster action movie Independence Day
Independence Day (film)
Independence Day is a 1996 science fiction film about an alien invasion of Earth, focusing on a disparate group of individuals and families as they converge in the Nevada desert and, along with the rest of the human population, participate in a last-chance counterattack on July 4 – the same...
. The poem is also a re-occurring theme and quote in the book "Matched" by Ally Condie.
Television writers have also borrowed from the poem, from Doctor Who
The Shakespeare Code
"The Shakespeare Code" is an episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was broadcast on BBC One on 7 April 2007, and is the second episode of Series 3 of the revived Doctor Who series. According to the BARB figures this episode was seen by 7.23 million viewers and was...
, Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure
Northern Exposure is an American television series that ran on CBS from 1990 to 1995, with a total of 110 episodes.-Overview:The series was given a pair of consecutive Peabody Awards: in 1991–92 for the show's "depict[ion] in a comedic and often poetic way, [of] the cultural clash between a...
, Rain Shadow
Rain Shadow (TV series)
Rain Shadow is an Australian television drama series which premiered on 7 October 2007 on ABC TV. It aired on Sundays at . The six-part series was produced by Southern Star...
, Mad Men, to Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, while the poem's connotation with death and endings was used to effect in the final episodes of both St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere
St. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
and Roseanne
Roseanne (TV series)
Roseanne is an American sitcom broadcast on ABC from October 18, 1988 to May 20, 1997. Starring Roseanne Barr, the show revolved around the Conners, an Illinois working class family...
.
Musicians have also found themselves drawn to the poem's words. Igor Stravinsky
Igor Stravinsky
Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky ; 6 April 1971) was a Russian, later naturalized French, and then naturalized American composer, pianist, and conductor....
wrote a musical work in 1954 the year after Thomas' death, "In Memoriam Dylan Thomas", that included the poem to commemorate him. Jeannie Lewis
Jeannie Lewis
Jeannie Lewis is an Australian musician and stage performer whose work covers many different styles such as folk, jazz, Latin, blues, opera, rock, fusion. Her music often includes a strong social consciousness and she is capable of making very strong political statements in her work.-Early...
sang and recorded the poem in her 1973 album Free Fall Through Featherless Flight, while Elliot del Borgo
Elliot del Borgo
Elliot A. del Borgo is an American composer for winds and strings. He is also in demand as a guest conductor. Though Del Borgo's primary instrument is trumpet, his love of percussion is apparent in his works, which typically focus around intricate percussion parts and an immense variety of...
wrote a piece in 1979 by the same name for full orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, using hemiola
Hemiola
In modern musical parlance, a hemiola is a metrical pattern in which two bars in simple triple time are articulated as if they were three bars in simple duple time...
and hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s in polyrhythm
Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm is the simultaneous sounding of two or more independent rhythms.Polyrhythm in general is a nonspecific term for the simultaneous occurrence of two or more conflicting rhythms, of which cross-rhythm is a specific and definable subset.—Novotney Polyrhythms can be distinguished from...
s to portray the struggle of the poem in musical form. Thomas' fellow countryman John Cale
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
, set the poem to music in 1989 and performed it at a concert held to celebrate the opening of the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
. Modern bands to use the work include Brave Saint Saturn
Brave Saint Saturn
Brave Saint Saturn is a Christian rock band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1999. The band is a side-project of former members of Five Iron Frenzy started by Reese Roper...
, Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is an American experimental rock band, formed in 1999 in Oakland, California. The band fuses classical, industrial, and art-rock themes throughout their music...
.
It has also been sampled in the American play and movie, "Butterflies are Free".