Howl William Ginsberg Analysis

Howl by Allen Ginsberg, as I have researched it, is said to be one of the greatest poetic works in America. Upon reading the poem, however, I have felt the need to ask- why? Why is it that of all the poetry flying about, this one seemed to strike a chord with members of American society? Was it the controversy of the crude language used in this conservative 1950s era? Or perhaps the cold imagery of a dystopian wasteland? Was there something in the characters- the “who’s”- that the common person could identify with? After taking the time to reflect upon this question, I feel that there is no single or right answer. This is a work of art and as such, can be interpreted in a number of ways. While Allen Ginsberg may have had a defined purpose in …show more content…
I would argue that Allen Ginsberg was not only addressing Carl Solomon, or else why would he publish it to the public, but rather he was in a way addressing all of the “Carl Solomons” of America. The cast aside, the downtrodden, those who feel that the world has nothing left to offer except trivial pass-times. It truly felt to me as though Ginsberg was attempting to reach his hand out to his audience in solidarity. He is showing, through his own emotional outpouring of his experiences, that we have all been in a place of suffering as a result of those who cast us aside and oppress us. The societal constructs in which we are placed into from the moment of our birth constrain us to the point of insanity; however, we are not alone in this experience. Therefore, I would dare to say that the reason for this poem’s huge success in American society is that Ginsberg somehow managed to create the perfect declaration of empathy. We have all felt at some point in our lives that we are living in a society that often breeds suffering and instability, however in reading such a work of art, in observing the deepest inner workings of a poet, we can come to find solace in the idea that we are not alone in our