Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Question 1

Thoughts and feelings

Answer 1

The poet urges his dying father—and by extension, all readers—to resist death with passion and fight for every moment of life. The poem reflects a mix of grief, admiration, and a deep yearning for vitality.

Question 2

Purpose

Answer 2

To inspire defiance against the inevitability of death and to celebrate the value of living fully, even at the end.

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

A villanelle, with its strict repetition of lines (“Do not go gentle into that good night” and “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”).

The cyclical nature reinforces the persistence of the poet’s plea.

Question 4

Language

Answer 4

Dynamic verbs (“rage,” “burn,” “blaze”) evoke intense energy and passion.

Vivid imagery describes different types of men who all resist death in their own way: wise, good, wild, and grave men.

Emotional appeal in the final stanza makes the plea deeply personal.

Question 5

Tone and mood

Answer 5

Urgent, passionate, and intense, balanced by an undercurrent of sorrow and tenderness.