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 that in 1957, Ginsberg’s poem encountered an obscenity trial. Additionally, Ginsberg’s Howl is a poem of rage in which compares and contrasts American standards with ideals that at the time, were considered to be dishonorable. However, in comparison with the “absolute …show more content…
Shortly after, poet and publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti got in contact with Ginsberg, and published Howl in 1956 (The Howl Obscenity Trial). However, quickly following the release, Howl was thought to be too obscene and lacking social value for it to be considered as a poem with redeeming aspects. As a result, Ferlinghetti and his partner Shigeyosi Murao were arrested and facing obscenity charges (The Howl Obscenity Trial). Therefore, Howl, Ginsberg, and the entire Beat Movement gained countrywide attention. Additionally, Lawrence Ferlinghetti recounts the events of the trial in the work Horn On Howl. This work contains the statements of many writers and critics either supporting or opposing Ginsberg’s work. For instance, James Laughlin stated:
I have read the book carefully and do not myself consider it offensive to good taste, likely to lead youth astray, or be injurious to public morals. I feel, furthermore, the the book has considerable distinction as literature, being a powerful and artistic expression of a meaningful philosophical attitude (“Horn On
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 that in 1957, Ginsberg’s poem encountered an obscenity trial. Additionally, Ginsberg’s Howl is a poem of rage in which compares and contrasts American standards with ideals that at the time, were considered to be dishonorable. However, in comparison with the “absolute …show more content…
Shortly after, poet and publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti got in contact with Ginsberg, and published Howl in 1956 (The Howl Obscenity Trial). However, quickly following the release, Howl was thought to be too obscene and lacking social value for it to be considered as a poem with redeeming aspects. As a result, Ferlinghetti and his partner Shigeyosi Murao were arrested and facing obscenity charges (The Howl Obscenity Trial). Therefore, Howl, Ginsberg, and the entire Beat Movement gained countrywide attention. Additionally, Lawrence Ferlinghetti recounts the events of the trial in the work Horn On Howl. This work contains the statements of many writers and critics either supporting or opposing Ginsberg’s work. For instance, James Laughlin stated:
I have read the book carefully and do not myself consider it offensive to good taste, likely to lead youth astray, or be injurious to public morals. I feel, furthermore, the the book has considerable distinction as literature, being a powerful and artistic expression of a meaningful philosophical attitude (“Horn On