Do not go gentle into that good night Flashcards
What is the poem written in…
Iambic pentameter to mimic the heartbeat.
‘Do not’
This imperative shows how much he wants his father to try and stay alive showing the strong relationship they have with each other.
‘good night’
This is a euphemism for death however it could also show that maybe death will free the father from his suffering. It also shows his inabilities to accept death.
‘old age should burn’
Metaphor shows that even when people get old they should fight to survive and stay alive.
‘burn and rave’
Violent imagery to show the conflict of death.
‘Rage, rage against the dying of the light’
This metaphor forms a refrain emphasising how he really wants his father to beat death.
‘know dark is right’
Shows that death is inevitable but can be resisted with rage.
‘their words had forked no lighting’
Metaphor emphasises that the men haven’t finished their words showing their lack of power.
‘Do not go gentle into that good night’ (2nd stanza)
Changes from being an imperative to being advice from the men that people should resist death.
‘frail deed’
Shows how they don’t want to die as they want to change their bad deeds
‘last wave’
Shows there coming to an end’
‘caught and sung in flight’
This imagery shows how limitless they lived showing that people should live life to the fullest.
‘blind eyes could blaze like meteors’
This alliteration and simile show how even people with disabilities can be ‘gay’ (happy).
‘And you, my father’
Personal pronoun shows how personal it is as he wants his father to survive.
‘Curse, Bless’
Oxymoron shows how he wants acknowledgement from his father to thrive and try to stay alive.
‘I pray’
The short sentence shows how desperate he is to want anything but to lose his father.
