Analysis of 'Do not go gentle into that good night' by Dylan Thomas

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ธ.ค. 2024
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    Analysis of 'Do not go gentle into that good night' in preparation for the Edexcel IGCSE English Literature exam, Paper 1.

ความคิดเห็น • 70

  • @flocoughlin4452
    @flocoughlin4452 3 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    In the last stanza, I took 'sad height' to mean he has the 'best view' on life as I think this could be a reoccurring theme throughout the poem: people close to death have the best vision. There are also notes of aggression throughout 'burn and rave', 'rage' which I think could represent when Thomas loses his mental combat with grief and gives in and results in aggression and violence against an abstract noun: death.
    Hope this made sense.
    Thank you so much for this video.

    • @mrsrumsey
      @mrsrumsey  3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I love this interpretation! Thank you for sharing!

  • @EIO01
    @EIO01 5 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    The green bay paragraph: I thought the dancing, combined with the idea of a bay and a wave, referred to how the light ("bright") will reflect and hit the eyes of those around the water. Much like how in life, these "good men" have their "frail deeds" make impacts on people around them, but only for a short, fleeting moment, hence the "frail." Just my interpretation.

  • @sisyphus6180
    @sisyphus6180 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    This is an incredible craft of Dylan Thomas, how he explained the universal meanings of death inside such a "controlled structure", Villanelle, is amazing! Thanks for the details!

  • @FixitProz
    @FixitProz 5 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Thank you for this explanation. It really helped to interpret the poem. My father is at edge of his life, 75 years old. But he is still raging on, I pray.

    • @stormhenshaw
      @stormhenshaw 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I hope your father did not go gentle into that good night

    • @timothy790110
      @timothy790110 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Is he still around?

  • @marioquiroz7356
    @marioquiroz7356 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I interpreted the Fixed structure of the poem as a tribute to his father, a representation of the discipline instilled in him by his father, a way to honour his upbringing. As for the line "sad Height", it brings this scene to my head, Dylan Thomas in the hospital room and his father in one of those tall beds, writing the poem from a chair, which are usually below bed height, this image comes from having thought something along those lines while watching someone dear to me die.

  • @annriya4566
    @annriya4566 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Your style of explaining multiple interpretations makes this poem irresistible .Keep up the good work !! . Keep posting videos 👏

  • @kiaravxv
    @kiaravxv ปีที่แล้ว +3

    mrs rumsey has saved more peple than you couldever imagine
    i've got my lit pp1 tomorrow, just watching a bunch of her videos make life easier! thank u Mrs. R

    • @mrsrumsey
      @mrsrumsey  ปีที่แล้ว

      Good luck for your exam!

    • @kiaravxv
      @kiaravxv ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@mrsrumsey Thank u! Did the paper and was so smooth bc of you haha!!!

  • @roryprest6779
    @roryprest6779 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Really helped me pass my GCSE!

  • @klayjacksmedia
    @klayjacksmedia 5 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I am comparing and contrasting "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" and "When I Consider How My Light is Spent." Thanks for the analysis!

    • @EnglishwithVennila
      @EnglishwithVennila 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That's a beautiful comparison!
      Especially the last line of Milton's sonnet, " They also serve who only stand and wait" is in complete contrast with the fighting spirit of this poem by Thomas! 👍👍

    • @paddydonaghy6149
      @paddydonaghy6149 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      The fisherman

  • @spartan6262
    @spartan6262 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I took the "Wild Men" paragraph as men who focused their whole life on trying to conquer or achieve something great, but onced they have achieved they realize they have ran out of time and their great achievement means nothing

    • @sheringabriella9649
      @sheringabriella9649 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Could be but I always thought of them as the impulsive men

  • @abdullahkhan-el3ts
    @abdullahkhan-el3ts 6 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    Umm we can see these "men categories" as the way they percieve life; their attitudes yoward life. For example, "Wild men" they think that life is short thus we shoulg enjoy it, whereas "Grave men" believe that one should be ready for answers during the doom. Basically its thomas way of showing how people treat death as well as informing us to fight and rage against it.

  • @user-yy2qw5un4q
    @user-yy2qw5un4q 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I also think good men is a reference to the soldiers and the last wave by is referencing the sending off of waving goodbye, many of the soldiers were young and virile and the green bay connotes this.

  • @isabeltraistaru6959
    @isabeltraistaru6959 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I think he chose the phrase "good night" because it's what you say before you go to sleep, not because he's saying the night (as a symbol for death) is good.

    • @EnglishwithVennila
      @EnglishwithVennila 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Isabel Traistaru
      Exactly! I thought of it the same way and I'm going to interpret it in the same way in the video that I will be making on the poem tonight! It will be in Tamil, though! 😁

  • @ricplay7890
    @ricplay7890 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Its a poem is "riddled" with oxymorons and paradoxes essentially rueing and simultaneously celebrating the inevitable.
    E.g. 'good' and 'night;'
    "old age," "burn and rave;"
    "Dark is right"
    "Blinding sight" etc.
    With respect to that green bay stanza, I perceive the poet is making a specific metaphorical/literal reference that perhaps his intended audience would have been privy to. There may be no way of interpreting its specific use .. and we just have to accept this as a possibility. There is a pun or double entendre in the use of "wave by." It could speak to both a literal sea wave (i.e. in the green bay) but also a wave good "bye" from someone departing. There are other similar instances in the poem I'm sure. This is my first encounter with the piece ...but very compelling.
    Cheers

  • @EnglishwithVennila
    @EnglishwithVennila 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Thank you very much for the beautiful explanation! I was here yesterday, watching your video and reading and replying to some of the comments here! Today, I made a video on the poem on my channel, in Tamil! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

  • @greenman2781
    @greenman2781 5 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    His emotions are so overwhelming and desperate for his father to fight for life that he uses a villanelle to control it.

    • @UzmaKhan-ym1xs
      @UzmaKhan-ym1xs 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @JeanClaude Clemenceau lol

    • @hiyorioh
      @hiyorioh 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @JeanClaude Clemenceau what

  • @fidha522
    @fidha522 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Thankyou for your great analysis over this poem .
    It helped me a lot ❤️🙏

  • @crystal825
    @crystal825 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I am thankful for your explanation. It is really helpful to me. May God bless you!

  • @jiahongli3611
    @jiahongli3611 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Really good explanations, thank you so very much for helping me analyze this poem

  • @joelrenu2002
    @joelrenu2002 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Height = Achievement
    Poet considers death as an achievement in an individual's life but for him it is sad height(achievement).

  • @arleneann228
    @arleneann228 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Wonderful explanation indeed!

  • @maxbeament3632
    @maxbeament3632 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    thank you Mrs R for this amazing video! It was equally imformitive and creative.

  • @robynwelti7634
    @robynwelti7634 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    the ‘green bay’ paragraph could symbolise regret? (‘crying’ , ‘might have’). they wish they had more time to do good things. also, ‘last wave’ seems quite calming (it makes me think of a little wave on a calm sea) and this juxtaposes to ‘rage, rage’ which makes me think that they are trying to put up a fight against their inevitable death. however, the use of words like ‘frail’ , ‘dying’ and ‘crying’ helps us realise that this fight is in vain. this might be a load of rubbish but it’s just the message i got.

  • @subsi9453
    @subsi9453 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    6:10 what i interpreted is the green bay being the gardens of paradise?
    since it mentions "deeds" i assumed some link to religion especially since these people are "good men".
    by using the adjective "frail" to describe their deeds, Dylan Thomas shows us what he thinks about religious men
    jus the inference that popped into my head

    • @subsi9453
      @subsi9453 ปีที่แล้ว

      and then the "rage rage" reminds me of the raging fire of hell
      and then the "good men" "rage rage"ing would ultimatly show us that they are not actually "good" men.
      since goodness comes from the inside.
      you wouldnt expect "good men" to "rage"

    • @subsi9453
      @subsi9453 ปีที่แล้ว

      this is fun

  • @user-yy2qw5un4q
    @user-yy2qw5un4q 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    sad height could also be interpreted as its a high in one sense as he is being relieved of his suffering but at a great cost, therefore, rendering the high (height) saddening.

  • @rauls.loureiro9812
    @rauls.loureiro9812 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you for this analysis, this was very helpful since I was able to complete my English class

  • @zeynepozturkakazayna9735
    @zeynepozturkakazayna9735 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i think the last 2 lines, the refrains meet, because they run paralell to each other throughout, but then they finally meet, this could indicate that he has now either possibly come to terms with it or it could show his death has arrived?

  • @themoonm7md740
    @themoonm7md740 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    what a great explanation !thank you very mush

  • @laavanya5206
    @laavanya5206 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    In the “good men” stanza i took “last wave” as in the last wave of goodbye to his loved ones and i took “green bay” as the norse mythological bridge to hell so it could also means he’s going on the pathway blinded by his memories

  • @omarmohanad9342
    @omarmohanad9342 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Very good analysis, thank you

  • @mohammadtariqsaharanpur2936
    @mohammadtariqsaharanpur2936 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thank you ma'am
    It's really a good explanation.

  • @annamorady3366
    @annamorady3366 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This was really helpful. Thank you ♥️

  • @Bkosky
    @Bkosky 5 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    fixed structure= only fixed part of life is death

    • @EnglishwithVennila
      @EnglishwithVennila 5 ปีที่แล้ว

      That's great! Death arrives unannounced at the fixed time in the fixed manner, as neat as a villanelle! There's no clumsiness about death.

  • @13JAM7MER31
    @13JAM7MER31 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
    Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
    Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
    Pretty sure he is referring to all martyrs.

  • @elle-mz2eg
    @elle-mz2eg ปีที่แล้ว

    my gcse is in an hour, thanks Mrs Rumsey😁

  • @CraigDSouza-xo4te
    @CraigDSouza-xo4te 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I wonder if sad height represents his death bed? The bed on which he lies

  • @WarrenByrdSpeak
    @WarrenByrdSpeak 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It’s him facing his own fear of death...ungracefully, with all his poetic might.

  • @bentaylorr
    @bentaylorr 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hi, could you make a video on 'Poem at Thirty Nine'? these videos are really good and helping me with my work building upto my gcse's next year

    • @mrsrumsey
      @mrsrumsey  5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      GingaHenn there is one on that poem. Have a look at my playlist for poetry and it’s in there.

  • @jaketabor3902
    @jaketabor3902 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Your the greatest!

  • @aimescape1818
    @aimescape1818 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    7:34
    maybe nature- peace

  • @banabatrawi1214
    @banabatrawi1214 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    In the 3rd stanza, I also interpreted it as soldiers but there may be a link to heaven and religion. The "Good men" may be obedient but meekly. The "green bay" can be heaven, and they may be the last good people to enter heaven. These men may have been fighting to see their good deeds flourish so their good deeds "might have danced in a green bay". Additionally, they could be regretful as they may have not done many deeds as he uses the word "frail". Just another interpretation :)

    • @mrsrumsey
      @mrsrumsey  7 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Thank you for your contribution!

  • @Dovestonedipper
    @Dovestonedipper 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Could “do not go gentle into that good night” be differentiating between all previous wishing’s of good night, when his father would have been expected to arise in the morning, as opposed to being on his death bed, so imploring his father to fight against death.

  • @mrtoxin1255
    @mrtoxin1255 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    English Lit tomorrow!!

  • @chuckd.7048
    @chuckd.7048 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay to me seems a generation ago people were stronger, wiser, and would've listened.

  • @gautamkamble9746
    @gautamkamble9746 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Is anyone here after 'Interstellar'....?

  • @aimescape1818
    @aimescape1818 ปีที่แล้ว

    THEMES?

  • @watermelonfrog00
    @watermelonfrog00 5 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    love ya rumsey

  • @stujones71
    @stujones71 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    fire video🔥

  • @xfluffysoftsatanx5963
    @xfluffysoftsatanx5963 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Me who has a test on this tomorrow:📝

  • @stanleybowman-hood6194
    @stanleybowman-hood6194 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Doing it at school: I sleep
    When it’s in interstellar: real shit
    I really hope I don’t have to do it at school when I do GCSEs and get it ruined

  • @rehanahmed9639
    @rehanahmed9639 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Anyone from 9th grade Ibn seena

  • @yusuf6408
    @yusuf6408 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    ok

  • @whoisthemanwhowon
    @whoisthemanwhowon 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    FUck, only reason why im here is cuz of a stupid assignment