A Critque of the Poem Howel

607 Words3 Pages
The poem “Howl” was written by Allen Ginsberg in 1955. The poem at time was written as a performance piece. Due to the poem‘s crude content, it was considered obscene literature. However, on October 3, 1957, Judge Clayton W. Horn ruled that the poem was not obscene, and "Howl" went on to become the most popular poem of the Beat Generation. The title of Ginsberg's poem prepares the reader for what to expect. This will not be a mellow and quite poem, but one which will make sound, creating unsettling images and themes. Ginsberg wanted “Howl” to express the frustration, artistic energy, and self-destruction of his generation, a generation that he felt was being suppressed by a dominant American culture that valued conformity over artistic expression and opportunity. Ginsberg’s message seemed outlandish and vulgar at the time, but there was a deeper meaning hidden behind the ill-mannered words. For a poet or the individual to howl, meant that person was breaking from the habit of conformity to the virtues and ideals of American civilization while expressing a counter-cultural vision of free expression. In the first part of the poem “Howl”, Ginsberg addresses the people and situations drawn from his own experiences and others. These experiences were of people who did not seem to fit into society’s social norms and those who condemned the backlashing of their human rights. Ginsberg says, "a lament for the Lamb in America with instances of remarkable lamb-like youths," in reference to those society outcasts whom he encountered in the late 1940s and early 50's. These people represent what he considers "the best minds of my generation”. In the eyes of the Beat Generation the “best minds’ were conformist and materialistic people of the 1950’s, however, for Ginsberg the "best minds" were unrepresented outcasts. People who were part of Ginsberg, “best minds”, included
Open Document