Allen Ginsberg

Life and Death In Allen Ginsberg’s “HOWL,” there are many different institution. The main institution that was discussed was drugs, the government, religion and society. In Part I, II, III and the footnote of Allen Ginsberg’s “HOWL,” Ginsberg uses different tones to convey the main points of each part. All parts culminate to reflect the theme of the whole poem by giving it that roller coaster effect where it starts smooth, climaxes into anger then cools down towards the end. By doing this, it…

Like many of us, Ginsberg did not quite know what he wanted to do or be when he graduated from high school. After graduating from the Paterson Eastside High School in 1943 his father wanted him to be a labor lawyer. “Ginsberg quickly dropped this aspiration and settled into his niche in the university's English Department. Professor Lionel Trilling became his mentor, encouraging Ginsberg to write poetry” (Beat Bios). He went on to Columbia University, it was there that he would meet, Lucien…

Whitman Predicting Ginsberg Every piece of poetry examined thus far this semester has had one common underlying thread. Regardless of form, style, or language, every collection of works has served as a vehicle to document history and warn humanity about the future. A fine example of this is the juxtaposition of mid 19th century poet Walt Whitman, and mid 20th century poet Allen Ginsberg. In his poem, Crossing the Brooklyn Ferry, Whitman envisions a hopeful future for America, while subtly…

Obscene America: An Analyzation of Howl In 1955, beat writer Allen Ginsberg produced a free-verse poem titled Howl. Ginsberg’s Howl is a poem that embodies the conditions of America, specifically how Ginsberg viewed them to be. Being a beat writer, Ginsberg was completely aware of the unjust and superficial ideals America was projecting. Not only, but Ginsberg’s poem was completely uncensored, real, and raw while addressing these issues. For instance, his poem was so uncensored, real, and raw…

established form of art. Walt Whitman’s pioneering style and untraditional subject matter, depicted in his renowned poem “Song of Myself,” has paved the way for many future American writers. Furthermore, his poem has had an enormous influence on Allen Ginsberg, whose controversial poem “Howl” echoes many of the characteristics of Whitman's verse. However, while the form and content of “Howl” may have been influenced by “Song of Myself,” Ginsberg's poem signifies a transformation of Whitman's use…

culture where he believes that all can be interconnected and prosper. Meanwhile, other authors, such as Allen Ginsberg are skeptical of the boastings of true diversity and see America in a much more critical perspective in terms of its diversity, or lack thereof.…

Whitman’s views focused on the greatness of America, while Ginsberg provoked controversy and rebelled against the traditional views of American society. It appeared that Whitman was trying to promote expansion of America through higher levels of education and thinking with his works of poetry. Whitman seemed to focus…

There are many writers who have political undertones to their art, two poets who excel in their political statements are: Li Bo and Allen Ginsberg. From the collection of Li Bo’s poems, the poem that stands out as being related to politics is his poem “South of the Walls We Fought” in this poem he has a negative and exasperated view of his empires war. While Allen Ginsberg in his poem “America” seems frustrated about what he views as the injustices of the American government, particularly…

Allen Ginsberg’s poetry not only allows us insight into his personal unrest, but also the unrest of the American political system. By looking at both America and Howl, Ginsberg’s disgust of the political system and the socio-cultural pull it has on Americans becomes ostentatiously clear. The tension that is sensed in Ginsberg’s poetry is often a personal struggle in dealing with the unruly American way and attempts at forcing people to conform, especially during life after WWII. These poems are…

Whitman claims to write for does not resonate with the America that we live in today. Allen Ginsberg calls out Walt on thinking of himself as “The modern man”, and discusses it in his poem “A supermarket in California”. Allen Ginsberg uses the setting and tone of “A Supermarket in California” as a means of mocking the basis of Walt Whitman’s poetic ideals and style. While describing the supermarket, Allen Ginsberg thoroughly mocks Walt Whitman’s style in the most modern way possible. He…