WAEC Literature in English 2021 Theory — Question 22

Model answer

Points to develop: relation to theme; the fact of death; approaches to dying; the admonition; the poet's attitude to death. The poem deals with the human condition of the fear of death. It sees death as inevitable and natural, but unwelcome — there is no need to call it by name, so euphemisms such as 'goodnight', 'close of day', and 'dying of the light' are used. The poet advises that death should be resisted, even at old age: 'Old age should burn and rave at close of day'; he provides examples of important people who do not give in readily to death — wise men who 'do not go gentle into that goodnight'; good men who 'Rage, rage against the dying of the light'; carefree people (wild men) with missed opportunities; and 'brave men' — visionary people 'who see with blinding light, but do not go gentle into that good night'. Since the poem is directed at his dying father (and, by extension, people in general), the poet admonishes revulsion towards death — 'curse, bless me now with your fierce tears', 'rage, rage against the dying of the light'. The words 'burn' and 'rage' suggest resentment; however, his fear of death also makes him address it euphemistically, as though he wishes for it — showing ambivalence in the poet's tone/attitude towards death.