The First Half of the Twentieth Century — Test

Question 21 • English Language Arts 12

Which statement best describes how the topic of death is treated differently in "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" and "Do not go gentle into that good night"?

Answer

While the speaker of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" regards death as painful and sad, the speaker of "Do not go gentle into that good night" believes death leads to a blissful afterlife.

While the speaker of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" regards death in combat as an act of bravery, the speaker of "Do not go gentle into that good night" believes that all deaths are acts of bravery.

While the speaker of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" regards death as inevitable, the speaker of "Do not go gentle into that good night" believes one should struggle to stay alive.

While the speaker of "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death" regards death as unfair, the speaker of "Do not go gentle into that good night" believes one should accept the end when it comes.

Explanation

In Yeats’s poem, the airman calmly recognizes that he will likely die and says he does not hate those he fights or love those he protects; death seems inevitable rather than unfair or tragic to him. In Thomas’s poem, the speaker urges his father to “rage” against dying and “not go gentle” into death, expressing a desire to struggle to stay alive. Therefore, C best describes the contrast.

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