Death has been a point of human curiosity since the dawn of time. Philosophers, religious figures, and everyday men have pondered what occurs to the human soul after death. Death also can create a wide range of emotions in both the person dying and those who are close to the dying, as portrayed by Dylan Thomas in his poem “Do not go gentle into that good night” and Emily Dickinson in her poem “479.” In both works, each author uses vivid imagery and a specific stanza structure to question the meaning of death and how human nature either embraces or opposes Death himself. In both “Do not go gentle into that good night” and “479,” each author aims to portray death as a part of life and use its power to convey life lessons. In “Do not go gentle into that good night,” Thomas aims to prepare the reader to fight the light of death by illustrating how death
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Death can often terminate an unfulfilled life, which is a naturally tragic occurrence. Thomas relates to this type of tragedy in lines seven, eight, and nine writing “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.” This personification of “frail deeds” relates to the lack of duties performed by the prematurely terminated, unfulfilled life. When Thomas writes how these deeds “might have danced in a green bay,” he is referring how the dying wish for the afterlife in spite of their lack of deeds. In “479,” Dickinson uses personification to portray as if an old friend that has not been seen for quite some time. She writes, “We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun –” (9,10,11,12) as if death was simply visiting. This personification continues her theme of a relaxed and at ease
Death can often terminate an unfulfilled life, which is a naturally tragic occurrence. Thomas relates to this type of tragedy in lines seven, eight, and nine writing “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.” This personification of “frail deeds” relates to the lack of duties performed by the prematurely terminated, unfulfilled life. When Thomas writes how these deeds “might have danced in a green bay,” he is referring how the dying wish for the afterlife in spite of their lack of deeds. In “479,” Dickinson uses personification to portray as if an old friend that has not been seen for quite some time. She writes, “We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun –” (9,10,11,12) as if death was simply visiting. This personification continues her theme of a relaxed and at ease