My Thoughts on "Do Not go Gentle into that Good Night"

Obviously, the main theme of this poem is death. I think that Dylan Thomas is trying to say to not let yourself die out without putting up a fight. He doesn't want, in this case his father, to die and leave his great life behind without remembering all the great times and at least trying to stay alive as long as he needs to remember those things. The main message, as I see it, is to fight for what you love and don't let your life waste away before your eyes; live a life of purpose and love.

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 that 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.

Biography

Dylan Thomas was born on October 27, 1914 in the Uplands of Swansea, Wales. As a child, he was very sick, and suffered from asthma and bronchitis. During the summer months of his childhood, Dylan visited his aunt's dairy farm, and even wrote about it in his famous poem "Fern Hill." Even though both of his parents spoke Welsh, they brought up Dylan and his sister-- Nancy who is eight years older than him-- to speak English. In his early school years, he attended a private school, which he described in "Quite Early One Morning," and then attended an all boys school until he was 16. At the age of 16 he left school, and got a job as a reporter for the local newspaper, which he ended up leaving after 18 months due to pressure. As an adult, Dylan Thomas became an English only poet, short story author, and film script author. Dylan was also very well known for being a versatile and dynamic speaker. He was known for his styles which were unity of life, continuing process of life and death, and new life that linked generations. While his father was dying, Dylan wrote "Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night," to express his feelings. On July 11, 1937 Dylan Thomas married Caitlin MacNamara; they later had three children, two sons, and one daughter. After his children were all born, Dylan Thomas became an alcoholic, he even has a quote about it. "An alcoholic is someone who you don't like, who drinks as much as you do." Sadly Dylan Thomas died in New York on November 9, 1953. There have been many speculations on the causes of death-- brain hemorrhage, bleeding in the brain, getting mugged, and overdose on drugs, and diabetes. Although he is long gone, he is still remembered by his poems.