Dylan Thomas, the Welsh Poet and Prose Writer, Died on this Day in 1953

Dylan Marlais Thomas (1914 – 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself. His public readings, particularly in America, won him great acclaim; his sonorous voice with a subtle Welsh lilt became almost as famous as his works. His best-known works include the A Play for Voices, Under Milk Wood and the celebrated villanelle for his dying father, Do not go gentle into that good night. Appreciative critics have also noted the superb craftsmanship and compression of poems such as In my Craft or Sullen Art and the rhapsodic lyricism of Fern Hill. Died of an alcohol overdose.

- Wikipedia

Lesson Plan Information
Title: Death in Poetry: A.E. Housman’s To an Athlete Dying Young and Dylan Thomas’ Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night
Objectives: By the end of this lesson, students will understand:
- how do Housman and Thomas present death in their poems
- common poetic devices, such as rhyme and sound
- and recognize the poetic forms of elegy and villanelle
Grade Level: 10-12
Subject: Literature and Language Arts
Time Needed: Two 50-minute class periods
Provided by: EDSITEment
Year: 2006
Link: http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=695

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