Welcome to our “Oldie but Goodie” month at The Perusalist Society where we are discussing “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg.
Allen Ginsberg
As there are numerous editions, we won’t be linking to where you can purchase a copy. We will also be keeping our introduction brief as Ginsberg is so well-known, but here are some key facts:
*Allen Ginsberg worked on drafts of “Howl” mid-1954 to 1955, including many references and allusions to other poets, friends, and real life events.
*Howl and Other Poems was published in 1956 in London. Shortly thereafter, it was seized by customs and subjected to a court trial based on charges of obscenity. Defended by nine literary experts made up of fellow poets and professors, the charges were dropped when California State Superior Court Judge Clayton Horn ruled that the poem had “redeeming social importance.”
*For all things Ginsberg, visit allenginsberg.org. They have an extensive biography.
You may listen to Allen Ginsberg reading “Howl” below:
Discussion Questions:
*What do you most like about “Howl”; what do you least like about it? Do you have a favorite section?
*”Howl” was greatly influenced by William Carlos William’s use of rhythm based on actual speech. Ginsberg said, “I took out little four-or-five line fragments that were absolutely accurate to somebody’s speak-talk-thinking and rearranged them in lines, according to the breath, according to how you’d break it up if you were actually to talk it out…” How do you feel about Ginsberg’s breathy metering?
*For those familiar with Ginsberg, how does “Howl” compare to Ginsberg’s later work? Which do you prefer?
*What does “Howl” mean to you as a reader/poet/citizen/etc?
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