A classic poem by all definitions of the term, “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” is written from the perspective of a son pleading to his bed-ridden, dying father that he must fight. The son describes that everyone faces the same end, but that, regardless, they still fight for life. “Rage, rage, against the dying of the light” he says to his dad, almost begging him to not give up on this world. The stanzas following are the son, who is actually Thomas himself, listing off reasons as to why his father should go out wildly, and with a bang, rather than waste away quietly. The poem is not only about a son trying to persuade his father to stay with him, but about a son trying desperately to delay the loss and grief he may soon have to face. …show more content…
Those men are different: life, to them, is almost a burden- they “see with blinding sight”, jaded by the reality of things. The grave men are aware of their physical decay, but yet do not choose to limply accept it. Less energetic than the wild men, less obsessed with titles and accomplishments than the wise and good men, he accepts that death is inevitable to all humans, but refuses to take it easily. Despite their physical blindness and frail state, still they have passion and vigor for existence. He wants his dad to understand that; in his own frail state, he can still, should still, even, not give up, and that there is happiness to be found in that.
In the last stanza, the son addresses his father directly once more. Thomas just explained that men of all types and life experiences fight and beg for more time in their lives, and his father should do the same. “Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.” implies that he is doing the same thing for his father that the other men do for themselves, if not more so. Watching his father fade away, he pleads for him to have more time, yet he also pleads for his father to pray for himself,