Allen Ginsbergs Poetry Essay Example For Students

Allen Ginsbergs Poetry Essay As Expressed in Allen Ginsbergs Poetry Perhaps one of the most well known authors of the Beat Generation is a man we call Allen Ginsberg, who expresses the themes and values in his poetry. He was, in fact, the first Beat Writer to gain popular notice when he delivered a performance of his now famous poem, ï  Howlï â‚¬, in October of 1955. The Beat Generation is typically described as a vision, not an idea and being hard to define. It is characterized as ï  a cultural revolution in process, made by a post-World War II generation of disaffiliated young peoplewithout spiritual values they could honorï â‚¬ Charters XX. Although first condemned and criticized, it became a national phenomenon. Allen Ginsberg expressed the intangible beliefs of this generation in his poems about his childhood, curiosity, war, freedom of thought, and other people. Through Allen Ginsbergï€ ½s ideal individualism, he has been able to express the themes and values of the Beat Generation. Because of Allen Ginsbergï€ ½s tormented childhood, many of his poems were about his relationship with his mother and his own mental problems. Allen Ginsberg was born in Patterson, New Jersey to Louis and Naomi Ginsberg on June 3, 1926. His mother became insane during Ginsbergï€ ½s formative years. She was described as a paranoid schizophrenic, believing she was in danger from assassins and was spied on by everyone, including her own family members. For example, in the poem, ï  Howlï â‚¬, Ginsberg writes ï   I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical nakedï â‚¬ Charters 62 of his mother, Naomi. This statement employs him as a witness to the destruction. Her struggle for sanity eventually led to the deterioration of her sons sound mind. Kaddish is a poem written by Ginsberg for his mother. It is 2. a relatively confessional poem and indirectly addresses the reader, or in this case, his mother. It is also seen as an autobiographical elegy that reveals many private experiences which shaped Ginsbergï€ ½s life and a confession of personal necessity. Kaddish, the term, comes from a Judaic prayer and suggests the poem is in memory of his mother. Kaddish becomes a song for the dead indicated by the first six words: ï  Strange now to think of you.ï â‚¬ This indicates one of the poemï€ ½sï€ ½s themes, his mother. For instance, it is written, ï  Death is that remedy all singers dream ofï â‚¬ Litz 319. The singer represents the poet and his own turmoil. The fourth section, ï  Lamentï â‚¬, is a list of regrets for his mother, illustrating his obsession with her. The fifth, called ï  Litanyï â‚¬, reiterates major episodes of Naomiï€ ½s sickness. Finally, the fifth section of ï  Kaddishï â‚¬, ï  Fugueï â‚¬, represents his own turmoil of emotion and problems which render the poet incapable of articulating anything other than the poems ending, ï  Lord Lord Lord caw caw caw Lord Lord Lord caw caw cawï â‚¬ Charters 98. ï  Howlï â‚¬ also describes Ginsbergï€ ½s own mental problems shown when he locates the core of corruption as a ï  monster of mental consciousnessï â‚¬Ã‚  Ginsberg 48, or Moloch, a Fire God. This part of the poem is written in chaotic chants. Ginsbergï€ ½s poems about his childhood express the value that Beat writers are ï  very tired people-tired of living before one has started livingï â‚¬ Charters XXIV forced upon Ginsberg by his mother and his own mental problems. In the same way Ginsbergï€ ½s poems were stemmed from his childhood, many were stemmed from his undying curiosity. In 1943, he entered Columbia University intending to become a labor lawyer. Though, he soon fell in love with a group of wild students and non students including Lucien Carr, Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs, and Neal Cassady. Robert Frost Poetry - Emotional Barriers EssayAfter his time in depression, Ginsberg met Peter Orlovsky, who became his lifetime companion. The greatest poem about love written by Allen Ginsberg was ï  Songï â‚¬. It was his definition and belief of what love was. Indeed, he wrote: ï  The weight of the world is love. Under the burden of solitude, under the burden of dissatisfaction the weight, the weight we carry is love.ï â‚¬ Charters 99 Altogether, Ginsbergï€ ½s poems about love and other people illustrate the Beat Writers belief in personal attitude. Finally, Ginsbergï€ ½s never-ending freedom of thought expressed the Beatnikï€ ½s beliefs in non-conformity and instinctive individuality. These, perhaps, are the most important of the beliefs and values of the Beat Writers. They all believed in shocking people and stirring things up, even if it did get them into a bit of trouble, such as Ginsbergï€ ½s suspension from school, a brief time in a psychiatric hospital, and a short time in jail. Ginsberg also spoke out against America and against government in general. He believed that America has reneged on its promise of opportunity, freedom, and liberty Barr 3. In 1965, Ginsberg was invited to both Cuba and Czechoslovakia. He was expelled from both countries for his condemnation of their policies and governments. He had been invited because of his ability to speak out against his own country. These two countries believed Ginsberg would accept their policies because of this. He was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in. In  the poem, ï  Americaï â‚¬, Ginsberg attacks Americaï€ ½s faults by mimicking the foolishness of the public and the government. He believed anyone who can attack evil to him, the government is no longer so helplessly its victim. For example, Ginsberg writes in his poem, ï  Americaï â‚¬, ï  My mind is made up thereï€ ½s going to be trouble. / You should have seen me reading 6. Marx.ï â‚¬ Charters 75 Thus addressing his and the Beats non-conformist beliefs. His public announcement of his own sexuality was also a stand against conformity. Although the Beats have many beliefs in common, they are known for their instinctive individualism. No two are the same, or even close for that matter. They each expressed their individualism differently. They all wanted some breakthroughs of consciousness or a new consciousness. They all reached for it differently. Allen Ginsberg did so by speaking his mind at any time, appropriate or not. In writing ï  Howlï â‚¬, Ginsberg accomplished the creation of a territory for writing that was radically different from the narrow, nearly exhausted modes of expression approved by the literary establishment Lewis 3. His writing expressed the beliefs of Beats in non-conformity and individualism.