Do Not Go 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."

A poem by Dylan Thomas to his dying father. The point of the poem is basically to not give up in the face of despair. It's related to a Rousing Speech, albeit more of the passionate kind than the stirring kind.

The poem is untitled, with the first line being the unofficial one.


 * Do Not Go Gentle

Film
"'''The President: "We will not go quietly into the night!""
 * Against the Dying of the Light.
 * Appears in mangled form in the Rousing Speech in Independence Day.

"Jack: "Let's rage at the dying of the light a little bit.""
 * Referenced in Glory Daze:

"Declan: [right before a van blows up during a gun fight] Rage, rage... against the dying of the light... for there shall be no mercy... for any force that stands... blocking this path of his righteousness! BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA-TA-DA!"
 * From The Rundown:

""Why did you change your mind about leaving?" "They called me their 'light' ""
 * Rodney Dangerfield's character in Back to School recites the poem leading to his moment of triumph during his examination to avoid expulsion.
 * Dangerous Minds featured this poem being recited back to the depressed teacher by her (remaining) students. She had been ready to quit, feeling broken by the loss and deaths of several students, but those who were still there reminded her that she had made a difference for them and they still needed her.

Literature

 * The title of George R. R. Martin's novel Dying Of The Light is taken from this poem. It's appropriate, taking place on a dying planet, among people of a dying culture and revolving around dying or dead relationships. It is not a cheerful novel.
 * The last stanza appears as an Epigraph for the Tennessee Williams play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, which is about a man whose father is dying.

Live Action TV

 * Quoted in the Doctor Who episode "The Shakespeare Code."
 * "Dying of the Light" is the title of an episode of Heroes.
 * Referenced in the title of Roseanne's series finale.

Music and Sound Effects

 * Anaal Nathrakh uses "Against the Dying of the Light" as the title for the last track on their album Domine Non Es Dignus, which uses the poem as lyrics.
 * Compliments of Gus put the poem to music on their album "There and Somewhere Here".
 * Quoted in the Sleepytime Gorilla Museum song "Sleep Is Wrong".

Video Games
"Sazh: "You don't seem to be someone to go gently into that silent night." Lightning: "If you are looking for a silent ride, you better get the next train.""
 * It's roughly quoted in one of the flashbacks in Final Fantasy XIII, when Lightning and Sazh meet for the first time while getting in line for the Purge train.


 * Have a Gay Old Time: in stanza five.