Comparison of the poems Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas and Return to the headland by Tony Curtis.

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Comparison of the poems Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas and Return to the headland by Tony Curtis

Ozhan O'Sullivan

The two poems are both based on the death of the writers' fathers. Each poet's experience and view of death is very different however. In examining and comparing both poems I will state the differences and similarities that emerge.

Looking first at the titles, Dylan Thomas's is dynamic and sends a message to his father. The title could be seen as a plea. It gives the impression that Dylan is helpless in the face of his father's death and that he has resorted to pleading to him. In contrast Curtis's title tells us where the poem is set and acts as a quick preview. We can tell from the title that Curtis is returning to the headland so he has obviously been there before and has past memories.

The fact that the poets build their contents on the death of their fathers causes a similarity in their emotions. However their views of their fathers' are very different. Thomas wrote the poem when his father was facing death