Analysis Of Dylan Thomas 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night'
When his father lay dying, the Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas, wrote one of the immortal poems of our time, “Do not go gentle into that good night.” In it he urges his father:
“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.”
In the last question to Yudhishtra at the lakeside, the Yaksha asks: “What is the greatest wonder?” Yudhishtra replies: “Day after day countless people die. Yet the living wish to live forever. O Lord, what can be a greater wonder?” This wisdom seems to elude leaders. The waning days of a leader’s life are always plagued with questions of the individual’s health and by implication longevity. The nearness of the end of life, in effect makes the leader, however powerful he or she might seem, a lame duck leader. The term lame duck is an Americanism that refers to an elected official who is approaching the end of his or her tenure, and especially an official whose successor has already been elected. A lame duck status invariably entails a swift loss of political legitimacy and authority, making official power a weak instrument. Leaders fear this more than death itself. …show more content…
In the early 1960’s, after the Chairman’s disastrous “Great Leap Forward”, China faced economic catastrophe and a famine that was taking millions of lives. Mao had to contend with mounting criticism from within the party and Beijing swirled with rumours about his health. The Great Helmsman then retreated to Hangzhou to plot his regain political legitimacy and full authority. He came up with the “Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution” to deal with his rivals and once again seize full control of the Communist Party. But first he had to show he was well and
“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.”
In the last question to Yudhishtra at the lakeside, the Yaksha asks: “What is the greatest wonder?” Yudhishtra replies: “Day after day countless people die. Yet the living wish to live forever. O Lord, what can be a greater wonder?” This wisdom seems to elude leaders. The waning days of a leader’s life are always plagued with questions of the individual’s health and by implication longevity. The nearness of the end of life, in effect makes the leader, however powerful he or she might seem, a lame duck leader. The term lame duck is an Americanism that refers to an elected official who is approaching the end of his or her tenure, and especially an official whose successor has already been elected. A lame duck status invariably entails a swift loss of political legitimacy and authority, making official power a weak instrument. Leaders fear this more than death itself. …show more content…
In the early 1960’s, after the Chairman’s disastrous “Great Leap Forward”, China faced economic catastrophe and a famine that was taking millions of lives. Mao had to contend with mounting criticism from within the party and Beijing swirled with rumours about his health. The Great Helmsman then retreated to Hangzhou to plot his regain political legitimacy and full authority. He came up with the “Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution” to deal with his rivals and once again seize full control of the Communist Party. But first he had to show he was well and