DO NOT GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT

 

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,

Because their words had forked no lightning they

Do not go gentle into that good night.

 

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.

 

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,

Do not go gentle into that good night.

 

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

And you, my father, there on the sad height,

Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

 

TRADUZIONE:

 

Non andartene docile in quella buona notte,

i vecchi dovrebbero bruciare e delirare al serrarsi del giorno;

infuria, infuria, contro il morire della luce.

 

Benché i saggi conoscano alla fine che la tenebra è giusta

perché dalle loro parole non diramarono fulmini

non se ne vanno docili in quella buona notte.

 

I probi, con l'ultima onda, gridando quanto splendide

le loro deboli gesta danzerebbero in una verde baia,

s'infuriano, s'infuriano contro il morire della luce.

 

Gli impulsivi che il sole presero al volo e cantarono,

troppo tardi imparando d'averne afflitto il cammino,

non se ne vanno docili in quella buona notte.

 

Gli austeri, prossimi alla morte, con cieca vista accorgendosi

che occhi spenti potevano brillare come meteore e gioire,

s'infuriano, s'infuriano contro il morire della luce.

 

E tu, padre mio, là sulla triste altura maledicimi,

benedicimi, ora, con le tue lacrime furiose, te ne prego.

Non andartene docile in quella buona notte.

Infuriati, infuriati contro il morire della luce.

 

ANALYSIS:

 

The poem might be about a man/ a woman that he or she is bad because he or she leave a dear person.

Considering the title the stress is in the words “Gentle” and “Good”. In fact, there is a assonance between this two words with the letter “g”.

The poem is organized into five tersest and one quatrain. Perhaps the poet uses this pattern and uses a only quatrain in the last stanzas because he wants to underline this stanza.

In the poem the speaking voice urges his or her father to fight with death. He or she thinks that who crying in his life, he believes that those who cry have not shown much brilliance in life. Hence, if they can survive longer, they would be able to achieve more success.

 

It means those who actually live out their lives will better see how life has been bright (luminosa) for them, before going towards (verso) the sleep of death. The speaker underlines that older men should fight fiercely (ferocemtne)  and strongly against death. The purpose of fighting against (contro) death is to realize the importance of being alive (di essere vivi). The poet believes that goodness (bontà) comes from fighting against death with full force (forza) and might (potenza).

 

The phrase conveys a powerful message that, when death approaches (si avvicina), one needs to know what made his life meaningful (significativa), and he should never fear (temere) death. Thus (pertanto), in everyday life people can use it for encouragement (incoraggiamento), like when a father, or mother, or grandmother is seriously ill (malati), and is about to die, then their children can give them strength by using this phrase.

 

The speaker urges his father to fight death, repeating the phrase “Do not go gentle into that good night” four times in the poem in the lines 1, 6, 12, and 18.

 

The theme of this poem is morality. This poem laments the inevitability and necessity of death, encouraging old people to rise up (robellarsi) against their death and fate (destino). The speaking voice is arguing (sostiene) that old people should not consent to die immediately. He has linked (collegato) being alive with passion and deep (profonde) emotions. Through the examples of different types of men, the poet affirms the importance of being alive. He believes that they should resist dying (alla morte), if they have not truly lived their lives.

 

There are some metaphor for example “Good night” is a metaphorical expression of death. Also, there are some alliteration. The alliteration occurs (si verifica) in sound “g” in “Go Gentle and Good” and in the sound “not and night.” finally, the setting of the poem is night and darkness.