ENGL 212 Week 8 Discussion

ENGL 212 Week 8 Discussion | regent-university

When someone mentions the word romance or romanticism in literature or music, it conjures a direct association with a love image, or more an idol of affection, that feeling that comes from the nearness, the intoxication of beauty and desire. The chosen examples, “Do not go gently into that good night” and “Fern Hill” do not evoke the connection of romantic love directly, but in their substance and craft show the hallmarks of a Romantic poet.

The poem “Do not go gentle into that good night” is a lament, a tribute, and a rebellion against his father’s impending death. It uses images of darkness and light in a succinct song of mourning and hope. Such emotions are the stuff romance is made of. The longer poem, “Fern Hill” captures a child’s wonder, innocence, and joy of life. The poem uses multiple natural images and analogies, “The night above the dingle starry (3)/ prince of the apple towns (6) /Trail with daisies and barley/Down the rivers of the windfall light (8-9).” There is a similar picture in the following stanza as the memories progress. Those memories of happy times and carefree existence are part of a romance that feeds the soul and nourishes the mind that fall into romance with loving things that surround the environment.

Works Cited

Thomas, Dylan. “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas - Poems | Academy of American Poets.” Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, poets.org/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night. Accessed 01 July 2021.

Thomas, Dylan. “Fern Hill by Dylan Thomas - Poems | Academy of American Poets.” Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, poets.org/poem/fern-hill. Accessed 01 July 2021.