A Comparison of Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight, Stone Angel and Ancient Mariner

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"Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight" is a poem by Dylan Thomas. This poem is about fighting against death. Many people die everyday with a sense of defeat. They reach a point in their lives were they feel it is useless to fight against a force that is destined to claim them. The strength of their youth disappears leaving them weak. Those who accept death too early die spiritually before they die physically. They grieve a loss that is yet to come. "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" demonstrates perfectly the attitude Dylan Thomas felt his father should have had against his death. "D.J. Thomas had never recovered since having tongue cancer in 1932. Losing his eyesight Mr. Thomas' pride and fire had almost all drained out of him; he was becoming the husk of his former self. He did the crossword puzzles of which both he and Dylan were so fond of and awaited the end. The spectacle of his decline distressed Dylan greatly and inspired this poem." (FitzGibbons 295). Dylan Thomas did not wish to see his dad surrender to his death. In writing this poem, Dylan set out to encourage others to fight against death and to live their lives to the fullest.

In the novel "The Stone Angel", Hagar Shipley is a woman fighting against her own death. Her son Marvin and his wife Doris wish to put Hagar in a nursing home because they feel she is too old to take care of herself. Hagar, feeling differently, takes matters into her own hands and flees to a house in Shadow Point. Hagar is fighting against the death she feels will claim her if she is placed in a nursing home. By running away, Hagar is standing up for her right to be able to live her own life the way she feels. Marvin is a representation of the death attempting to take hold o...

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The main theme of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem is to learn from your mistakes. After telling his tale to the Wedding Guest, the Ancient Mariner realized that the murder of the Albatross was a mistake and lived a life of penance. The act of murder was an impulsive act because the Mariner felt threatened by the Albatross their actions. The deaths of both birds brought about memories from both the Ancient Mariner and Hagar which they shared with other people, the Wedding Guest and Murray F. Lees. These memories help them to realize the mistakes they made. Through their own personal recollections, the Ancient Mariner and Hagar both achieved a better understanding of their lives and in turn were able to die with a sense of contentment and relief.

Works Cited

FitzGibbons, Constantine. The Life of Dylan Thomas. Boston: Little Brown & Co., 1965

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