Do not go gentle into that good night
Though quite self-explanatory the poem made famous by Dylan Thomas and several useful applications through media that showcases the line “rage, rage against the dying of the light.” (Thomas, 1952). Powerful in its wording and the feelings it invokes, the poem is exceedingly simple when broken down. Many individuals from songwriters to filmmakers have utilized the lines within the famous poem to drive the engine of their works, quoting Thomas either directly or paraphrasing so as to make good on the powerfully crafted lines that have inspired so many in the modern age. Through imagery and carefully crafted phrases Thomas created an iconic piece of literature that is still implemented today.
As the poem goes on it speaks of the lack of mankind and how their actions seem to make
no difference in the greater scheme of the world. Yet it still insists that those same people upon meeting their end deny the senselessness that life seems to offer at time and rage at the end, offering up a fitting tribute to a life that, for good or ill, was spent striving for something that was not found.
The poem goes on to speak of those from many different walks of life who feel the same, defying the frailties and failings of mankind in order to tell of the struggles that mankind faces throughout many different venues. From those who lived life to the fullest to those who squandered the gift that was given, Thomas goes so far as to explain how these figures experience life and how each of them seek the same goal by traveling the different roads that are the results of choice and circumstance. It speaks to the need that all humans have to follow their own path, and how they wish to give meaning to each and every step that they took along the way.
This is the plight of humanity that each and every person would seek to find reason to rage when the end finally comes. There are many ways to reach that end, and many choices once the end of the path is finally reached, but those who seek to find the meaning are those who tend to rage the loudest, and those who fit this poem quite well. If nothing else, the need to vent and rage against the human condition is a constant that has existed throughout generations. Thomas has managed to capture the essence of what it means to be human in his words.
Throughout the years since writing this poem, Dylan Thomas’ words have shed light upon many a situation that’s proved deserving of their clarity. Through the use of powerful and meaningful speech he managed to find the means with which to inspire future generations. To rage against the end is human, and thus Thomas’ words are meant to inspire through the denial of the seeming hopelessness of the human condition.
Works Cited
Thomas, Dylan. In Country Sleep. New York, NY: New Directions Publishers, 1952. Print.
