Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

  柴田元幸選・訳、きたむらさとし絵『アイスクリームの皇帝』から、今日も一篇詩を読んでみましょう。

 今日は最後に、Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)の“Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night”を読みます。

　ちょっと長いが、全文を引用する。

　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 grieve 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.

　すべてやさしい単語で使われているが、Do not go gentle into that good nightとRage, rage against the dying of the lightという表現が何度も出てくることに注目。詩はこのように、同じフレーズを繰り返すことで、読者にイメージを強く植え付ける。

　では、ここに出てくるrage（怒る）の用例を紹介する。

○Practical Example

　"Reiko raged at me for spilling my drink on her new dress."

　「玲子は、ぼくが彼女の新しいドレスに飲み物をこぼしたことで、かんかんに怒った」

 ●Extra Point

  rageは名詞としても使われる。

◎Extra Example

　"In his rage, he lost control of himself and punched his wife."

  「彼は逆上のあまり、我を忘れて妻を殴ってしまった」

　　『アイスクリームの皇帝』、英語の味わいだけでなく、柴田先生の訳ときたむらさんの絵も存分に楽しめる。ぜひお試しあれ！

　　http://www.kawade.co.jp/np/isbn/9784309206615/