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Submit to fulfill one of an assignment of Survey of Modern British Literary
that guided by Mr. Danny Purwanto

Analyzed by:
Santi Ramdhani






 

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aheme is the main thing that we should know first when we want to analyze a

poet. One of the aims of the author will flash into the theme. aheme always

becomes a major question from literary works. ahe major advantage if we

analyze a theme is we will know whole the content of the works. ahough, to

analyze it is not easy. We need great understanding in poet as an intrinsic and

extrinsic side. aheme included in intrinsic side in description about poet.

Finding the main theme, we must have clearly meaning about theme itself.

aheme is general main idea that sustains a literary work in the text as a

semantic structure and related the equation and the difference (Hartoko &

Rahmanto, 1986: 142). aheme must be concluding on whole story, not only a

part of the story but also all of it. ahough it is difficult to reveal, theme is not a

¶hidden· meaning, even though it is not necessarily explicitly describe

(Nurgiyantoro, 2010: 63).

aheme as a main meaning literary work is not ¶intentionally· hidden; actually

this is the one which is offered to reader. But, theme is a whole that is

supported by a story; by itself it will be hidden behind the story which

supports it. aheme is divided into two part, those are main theme and adding
theme. Main theme is a main idea of whole story. While adding theme just

found in particular parts (Nurgiyantoro, 2010: 83)

One of ways to analyze theme in a poet easily is we have to know or we have

to find the key words. Key word sometime became a gate to open the secret

meaning of what truly the poet tells about. araditionally theme means a

recurrent element of subject matter, but the modern insistence on

simultaneous reference to form and content emphasizes the formal dimension

of the term. A theme is always subject, but a subject is not always a theme: a

theme is not usually thought of as the occasion of a work of art, but rather a

branch of the subject which is indirectly expressed through the recurrence of

certain events, images or symbols (Peter Childs & Roger Fawler, 1973: 239).

From this statement we know that theme also have to reveal by symbols. As I

said before that if we want to know theme of story we have to get a key word

of it. Key word and symbols could be correlated each others.

According to Abrams, symbol is anything which signifies something; in this

sense all words are symbols. In discussing literature, however, the term

"symbol" is applied only to a word or phrase that signifies an object or

event which in its turn signifies something, or has a range of reference,

beyond it. Some symbols are "conventional" or "public": thus "the Cross,"

"the Red, White, and Blue," and "the Good Shepherd" are terms that refer

to symbolic objects of which the further significance is determinate within a

particular culture. Poets, like all of us, use such conventional symbols; many
 poets, however, also use "private" or "personal symbols." (M.H. Abrams,

1999: 311)

Abrams reflects the use of symbols in literature, one of which is poetry. He

said that most of author use private or personal symbol to share their feeling.

Some poets, however, repeatedly use symbols whose significance they largely

generate themselves, and these pose a more difficult problem in interpretation.

As well as in Dylan ahomas·s poet ¶Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night·,

we can analyze theme from its symbols and figurative language. ahe first we

can start with analysis of symbols to know the meaning. What this poet is

talking about? From viewpoint of the symbol, the words ¶gentle·, ¶good night·,

¶close of day·, ¶rage·, ¶light·, ¶wise man·, ¶dying·, ¶good man·, ¶frail·, ¶green bay·, ¶wild man·,

¶grave man·, ¶blinding sight·, ¶meteors·, ¶curse·, and ¶pray· could categorize as key

words to understanding Dylan·s poet.

After read the title and the first stanza of the poet, we can see the words ¶gentle·

and ¶good night· in ¶Do not go gentle into that good night·. What does it means?

What the meaning of those words? ahat sentence is repeated four times. It

means that the author want to emphasize something from that sentence. He

emphasizes to fight death as much as possible and keep live. ahe word ¶gentle·

in ¶Do not go gentle· means that do not accept such resignedly by. ahis is what

Dylan wants to his father that people must be struggle in every side of life

included of death. And a word which becomes a key word of all is ¶good night·.

Good night in this sentence is not real meaning. It is not mean happiness or
joyful but it is mean ¶death· itself. Dylan describes the death with euphemism

style. As if, he describes that death must be something which is so beautiful.

But he emphasize that all of it has to live with struggle. Sometimes we must

fight the death as a way to survive. ahen ¶close of day· has meaning as day of

death is getting closer. Supported in sentence ¶Old age should burn and rage at close

of day· that Dylan was mad to his father because of he is too submissive facing

death. It is also described clearly with word ¶rage· that means anger. In this

case, Dylan wants us have same feeling and same action with him. ¶Rage, Rage

against the dying of the light·. Rage shows us how Dylan so mad of the condition

at that time. ahen ¶light· in that sentence means as if ahomas·s father is in

verge of dying. ahen, Dylan·s father describes as ¶wise men·. ahe word ¶wise men·

in ¶though wise men at their end know dark are right· show the character of his

father in which any wise man would undergo the death. Whatever it shape,

style, and character, all of it will burn in one word that is ¶the death·. ahen,

word ¶dying· is a representation of his father who was death. From that word

we know that the process of death is not easy. In which we know the word

¶dying· in truly meaning is a reflection of ¶pain·. May be that is which Dylan·s

father felt, so he gave up to the death. And it makes Dylan so mad. ahe next is

¶Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright·. ahere is word ¶good man·. What

is the meaning of it? After before we had explained ¶wise man· and now, Dylan

make us thinking to guess what the purpose is. Actually in this poetry, Dylan

used four words that can be compared each other in the meaning. ahose are

¶wise man·, ¶good man·, ¶wild man· and ¶grave man·. From those words, Dylan seems
to want to ask us to look the death from different point of view. And he asked

us to compare between wise man, good man, wild man, and grave man. Actually this

comparison is not important. It is because if look it from general perspective

that all of them will die though they fight the death as strong as they can. And

¶good man· is one of the comparisons. It is also the depiction of Dylan·s father

character. In addition ¶aheir frail deeds might have danced in a green bay· means

that if someone trapped in this condition ¶the death· they deed is frail same

with nothing flash anything. We can not change it because we did not have a

power. And from this meaning also I conclude that in other side, Dylan

ahomas believe in God. And the place ¶green bay· may be it representative of

the place where somebody will undergo after the death. Next is word ¶wild man·

that also can be categorized as key symbol. Why? ahe word, ¶wild man·

representative of strong man or strong people but they also do not have power

to destroy the death attack. It is proven with they just could sing a song

underneath the sun. And for the forth word ¶grave man· that means as a man

who really close with the death or may be can call it the dead. ahe word ¶grave

man· becomes a proof that Dylan·s father was already dead. Or it is the final

fight of a man. Anybody in the world will be a grave man. Furthermore it is

complete with ¶grave man, near death, who sees with blinding sight·. ¶Blinding sight·

means that he was no longer concerned portrayed with word ¶blinding sight·. He

could not see anything without the death. While the word ¶ meteors· is a symbol

of power. It is emphasizing of previous word, ¶blind eyes· which means as

powerlessness of something which is finally surrender to the fate. And here

clearly illustrated that Dylan wants make his father to have a spirit to face the

death like a meteors which is hurtling full of strength. And the word ¶curse· in

¶Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray· means that once again

Dylan show his unhappiness of father·s death. For the last is symbol of word

¶pray·. What the meaning of it? If we consider the sentence, we look on the

previous word ¶curse· opposite meaning or opposite interpretation with ¶pray·.

ahis word ¶pray· here means as a symbol of religiosity.

After we analyze the symbols in this poet, at least we have known what this

poet is talking about. We can guess the theme and we know the purpose of

making this poetry. We can not conclude it now because there is still one point

that we should have to analyze. From the second point, ¶figurative language·,

our understanding supposed to be more increases about this case in this poet.

We will classify the forms of figurative language that is available in this poet.

According to Abrams, figurative language is a conspicuous departure

from what users of a language apprehend as the standard meaning of

words, or else the standard order of words, in order to achieve some

special meaning or effect. Figures are sometimes described as

primarily poetic, but they are integral to the functioning of language

and indispensable to all modes of discourse (M.H. Abrams, 1999: 96).

Figurative language is used to use in writing a poem. ahe goal is to make it

more interesting and it is not easy to guess the contents. In addition using

figurative language is intended to make it more attractive. It is also often used

to hide the meaning inside. An author is impossible if he or she write their

purpose directly. What is the aim of writing that poet? ahe author did not

explain it directly in body poem. ahat·s why analysis of figurative language is

also considered as one of the way to reveal the theme or the meaning

generally.

In Dylan·s ¶Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night·, there are some

figurative languages that could we analyze. We started from the first stanza,

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In the first line ¶good night· is a symbol of metaphor. Metaphor is a word or a

phrase which establishes a comparison or analogy between one object or idea

and another (Adrian Bread, 2003: 88). It is clear that the word ¶good night··

called as metaphor because it is a comparison or analogy of ¶the death· as I said

before in symbol·s analysis. If we examine deeply, we will get the connection

between symbols and metaphor. Both of it have a connection to support each

other. Metaphor has known as style of comparison indirectly. ao explain

indirectness of it, metaphor needs symbols. Not like simile which is direct to

compare something to object, just put words ¶like, as same as, such as, etc·.

Dylan compares ¶good night· with ¶the death·. It is aimed to show how the death is

so special with the word ¶good night·. It is also aimed to hide the real meaning.

ahe author did not want their poet is classified easily. ´Old age should burn and
rage' in line two is a combination of metonymy and personification. Metonymy

involves replacing the name of something with something that is connected to

it, without being the whole thing. For example the President of the United

States, his government and advisors are sometimes replaced by the much

simpler term ¶ahe White House·, which is the presidential residence and

administrative centre (Adrian Bread, 2003: 88). So it is with the word ¶Old age·

is a metonymy from the old man or Dylan·s father. Personification contained

in ¶Old age should burn and rage·. ¶Old age· is a real meaning as a noun. But in that

sentence it as if alive like human, they burn and rage. ahat is the point of

personification. ´Close of day' is a metaphor also. Same with ¶good night·, ¶close of

day· also means as ¶the death´. So, the meaning of second line becomes ¶He

(Dylan·s expect to his father) must be fought to against the death. ¶Burn· in that

same line is used metaphorically, as is ´dark' in line four. Metaphorically means

as a way to compare something or a way to reflect a metaphor. And also ¶Rage,

rage against the dying of the light·
is a metaphor. ahe comparison is situated in

¶dying of the light·. ahis metaphor means as ¶the moments of death·. And Dylan

asked to against it with rage. ahe death should not be waited but it must be

fought.

In the second stanza,

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ahe words ¶their words had forked no lightning· means as metaphorically. ahe sign of

it contained in word ¶had forked·. ahat sentence signifies as the people who face

the death can not speak anything. aheir words become nothing. And in the

next line, sentence ¶„
 



 



always repeated

almost stanza ahis is the emphasizing of rejection to the death.

In third stanza,

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In line three, ¶aheir frail deeds might have danced in a green bay· is the combination

of personification and metaphor. Personification is an ontological metaphor in which

a thing or abstraction is represented as a person (Wikipedia). ahis is marked by

the word ¶danced·. Dancing is an attractive activity that can not do by frail

deeds. So, it is so impossible and that·s why it involved as personification. And

in metaphor is signed by ¶a green bay·. ¶A green bay· means as a place where

somebody will undergo after the death. It has been explained in symbols in

which ¶a green bay· describes as beautiful and peaceful place. May be this

sentence means powerlessness of person in facing a death and in his mind he

was just expecting a beautiful ending.

ahe next stanza,

 ±ild 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

In the first line, ¶wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight· there are exaggeration

and metaphor. ¶Sang the sun in flight· is a sign of exaggeration figurative language.

ahis means that Dylan really has concern of this case. One of the reasons why

he put this figurative language is may be he want to show us (the reader) that

what the people feel if they are in that condition (moments of death). And

that·s also felt by his father. Surrender, powerless, and only could waiting.

ahat·s something which wants Dylan·s show to us. And actually he is so hate

to that condition. And ¶wild men· in that sentence is a metaphor. As I said

before that ¶wild men· also becomes a symbol of strong people. Symbols and

metaphor have a mutuality relationship. So, they can not dispread each other.

Symbols always in metaphor, and metaphor always use a symbols. ahen the

second line, ¶...they grieved it on its way· is also exaggerating and metaphor style.

Dylan use the word to show mourning with the word ¶grieved· which is so

exaggerating. May be it is really his true exaggerating feeling. And the word

¶grieved· itself is a metaphor from ¶mourning·.

In the next stanza, there are also exaggerating and metaphor.

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

In the first line, there is words ¶grave· and ¶blinding sight·. First, ¶grave· is a pun.

Refer to Oxford Concise Dictionary; pun is a joke exploiting the different

meanings of a word or the fact that there are words of the same sound and

different meanings. In this part, the word ¶grave· has different meaning from

the truth. ¶Grave·, we can called is as a joke, or may be can classified as satire.

Satirecan be described as the literary art of diminishing or derogating a subject

by making it ridiculous and evoking toward it attitudes of amusement,

contempt, scorn, or indignation (Abrams, 1999: 275). ahe word ¶ grave· in ¶grave

men· also has a meaning of person who really wants to die. Dylan may be

wanted to mock that person as an expression of displeasure. Second, the word

¶blinding sight· is an oxymoron. Based on Oxford Concise Dictionary, oxymoron is a

figure of speech or expressed idea in which apparently contradictory terms

appear in conjunction. It means that ¶blinding sight· is not a truth meaning that

somebody can not see with their eyes or someone who just can see with one

eye. It is not. ¶Blinding sight· means a sign that the people already have not a

spirit to face the problems. In this case, it is a death. And second line, ¶Blind

eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay· there is a simile style. While metaphor is a

dramatic, absolute and intuited identification of two phenomena, simile is a

comparison, discursive, tentative, in which the ¶like· or ¶as . . . as· suggests,

from the viewpoint of reason, separateness of the compared items (Peter

Child and Roger Fowler, 1973: 218). It is clearly seen from that sentence. ahe

characteristic of simile is always using words ¶like, such as, as same as, etc·.

And here you can see that Dylan put the words ¶blind eyes could blaze like meteors·.
And the meaning is Dylan want to tell us that how weak us, we must keep

struggling and trying as a power of meteor.

Finally in the last stanza,

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.

For the last figurative language, in the last stanza line two, there is a paradox

style which is used by Dylan. ¶Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray· is real

paradox. According to Abrams, paradox is a statement which seems on its face

to be logically contradictory or absurd, yet turns out to be interpretable in a

way that makes good sense (Abrams, 1999: 201). We can see it clearly that

there are two words that contradict each other. ahose are ¶curse· and ¶pray·.

ahose words have contradictory meaning. As explained by Peter and Fowler,

paradox is an apparently self-contradictory statement, though one which is

essentially true. awo examples of paradox may help to demonstrate its special

significance in modern thought (Peter Child and Roger Fowler, 1973: 166). As

a simple, an author reflects the contradictory feeling. In one side, he felt so

upset with all the condition that happen to his father. And the other side, he

also give a pray to his father. Because whatever Dylan wants and he does, he

can not change the destiny. It was truly happen.

After all explanation about symbols and figurative language that contained in

¶Do not Go Gentle into that Good Night·, we can guess what the truly theme

of it. ahe general theme is about ¶the death·. But the adding theme is ¶a fighting to

the death·. It is clear enough from the symbols and metaphor style explanation.

And also the others that support this message of the poem. Finally, we can say

that this poetry is a form of resistance of the death. In this case is his father

¶Dylan·s father·.

&'(

M.H. Abrams. 1999. A Glossary of Literary aerm. United States of America:

Heinle & Heinle

Child, Peter & Roger Fawler. 1973. ahe Routledge Dictionary of Literary aerms.

United States of America: Routldge

Bread, Andrian. 2003. ahe Language of Literature. United States of America:

Routledge

Nurgiyantoro, Burhan. 2010. aeori Pengkajian Fiksi. Yogyakarta: Gadjah Mada

University Press

%"")**+,#"-(.$uLinda Sue Grimes. Published in November 20, 2006

%"")** "%.$+/#-%"$uAdam Alonzi in November 30, 2009

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