Date: 8/15/07 Start: 1: 05 amEnd: 1:35 am “Do not go gentle into that good night” Stanza 1 In the literal level, the first stanza tells us that one, even with old age should “not go gentle into that good night.” As what that speaker was trying to point out, “old age” or those individuals who’s nearing death because of their age, should not be weak, soft or “gentle” in facing the ironic “good night.” On the third line of the first stanza, the speaker was telling that old and dying men should. “Rage against the…” fading of their life. The “Light” in this part served as a symbol for human’s life. When it turns night and light will fade, it means that an individual’s life has already ended. “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” – simply means wrestle, fight, and move violently against the coming death. Stanza 2 Stanza 2 served as an example that supports the speaker’s command to “not go gentle into that good night”. Here, the speaker gave us the presence of the “wise men.” The speaker told us that, even though “wise men” know that “darkness” will eventually come along their way, still “they do not go gentle into that good night.” Also, the “wise men” believed that sooner or later they will all die. They also believed that their “words” that made them wise can’t save them from dying, but still they don’t “go gentle into that good night”. Stanza 3 Like stanza 2, the speaker supports his command by making good men as an example. Even though good men did “frail deeds”, that they thought might have been seen through a “green bay”, still they fight against the dying of the light. The “green bay” served as a symbol for a deep death. Good man, though they knew that their “frail deeds” were found floating along the waves of a dead bay, still they tried to fight against the dying of the light. Stanza 4 Another stanza that supported the command of the speaker. In here, the speaker mentioned “wild men” as an example to support his point that one must not conceit to death. Wild men, even though they lived a “happy-go-lucky” kind of life and found themselves stuck in regret and “grieve” at the end of their way, still they don’t “go gentle into that good night. Stanza 5 - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - Stanza 6 Here, we all knew that the speaker was addressing the command to his/her old father. Because of the mention of the “sad height”, we were given the idea, that the speaker’s father was dying. All in all, I perceived the poem, “do not go gentle into that good night” as a poem of address. The speaker as the message carrier, while the father as the receiver of the message. They all (wise men, good men, wild men, grave men)considered “night” as “good”, even though they will all face death.
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