Introduction
The poem “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg is a landmark work of the Beat Generation, significantly influencing art and social processes in the 20th century. Published in 1956, it marked the birth of new American poetry. Ginsberg expresses the themes of religion, sexuality, madness, and the rules of contemporary society. He freely and vehemently criticizes consumer culture and the stereotypes that prevent love and creativity.
Themes in “Howl”
“Howl” has a complex compositional structure that includes semantic references, unconventional associations, and parallels. The poem consists of three sections and a footnote, initially the fourth part, but later, the author separates it from the poem based on the editor’s advice (Collins & Skover, 2019). The author dedicates a poem to Carl Solomon, with whom he is acquainted in a psychiatric hospital (Aisyah et al., 2021). This, along with other circumstances from Ginsberg’s biography, made insanity a central theme in his poem.
Part I of the Poem
The first part is a rageful tirade in which Ginsberg accuses society of destroying a generation. The poet claims that society is a repressive system that severely punishes those who do not conform to imposed patterns (Aisyah et al., 2021). Ginsberg (1959) begins the poem with a powerful statement that he saw “the best minds of [my] generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked” (l. 1). This shocking phrase immediately captures the reader and draws him into a world where Ginsberg’s friends, as “angelheaded hipsters,” suffer from isolation (Ginsberg, 1959, l. 3). They use drugs, live in poor neighborhoods, lack sleep, smoke cigarettes, and spend the night contemplating jazz.
Part II of the Poem
In the second part, Ginsberg continues to explore the themes he introduced in the first part. He compares American society with Moloch, the ancient deity who requires worship and human sacrifices. Ginsberg (1959) describes Moloch as a “sphinx of cement and aluminum” and suggests that this sphinx is responsible for the madness of his friends because it has consumed their brains and imagination (l. 79).
Moloch repeatedly appears in the poem, as if the author is desperately conveying his message to society. Ginsberg finished Part II with an allusion to his friends’ suicides (Ginsberg, 1959, l. 92). They bade farewell and jumped over the waterfall.
Part III of the Poem
Part III entirely differs from the two preceding sections. Ginsberg uses techniques such as anaphora and Repetition. This manner creates a rhythmic and jazz-like pattern of language. The line “I’m with you in Rockland” sounds like a song tune that can be repeated repeatedly (Ginsberg, 1959, l. 94).
The third part speaks directly to Carl Solomon. He is portrayed as a courageous and steadfast man who suffers innocently from the mechanical attitude accepted in American society. The poet again denounces culture, this time focusing on the excessive consumption of material goods.
Structure and Literary Devices
“Howl” by Allen Ginsberg is a free verse poem. Each line is written to be read in a single breath before moving on to the next line. The poem has no rhythmic pattern, and the author intentionally avoids using a specific form of rhyme (Aisyah et al., 2021). The poem employs several literary techniques, including anaphora, where the author repeats a line; repetition, which returns to literary imagery and an angry tone; enjambment; and alliteration.
Conclusion
Ginsberg expressed the rage and doom of his generation in “Howl.” It is essential to understand the historical context to fully comprehend these emotions. It was a time of economic boom following the Second World War; simultaneously, rigid moral principles prevailed in society. People who did not conform to religious, ethnic, or sexual norms were excluded from the public space, condemned, and punished. Homosexuality was declared insane, and people were forcibly treated in psychiatric hospitals. “Howl” was one of the first literary works to challenge these inhuman rules and start the fight for human rights and personal freedom.
References
Aisyah, A., Moelier, D. D., & Asyrafunnisa, A. (2021). Rebellion in the poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg. Humaniora: Journal of Linguistics, Literature & Education, 1(2), 134-139. Web.
Collins, R. K., & Skover, D. M. (2019). The people v. Ferlinghetti: The fight to publish Allen Ginsberg’s Howl. Rowman & Littlefield.
Ginsberg, A. (1959). Howl. City Lights Publishers.