Howl - Allen Ginsberg

Howl

By Allen Ginsberg

1955-1956

For Carl Soloman

"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness"

Mad is certainly one way to describe this reading. With themes of free love, drugs and creative freedom the poem was extremely controversial for its time. The poem was branded as obscene upon release and the distribution of the poem was even prohibited! that was, until the decision was later overturned in court and the poem was declared to be of "redeeming social importance".

The poem is written in three distinct chapters that can be better interpreted upon multiple readings.

I

The first chapter describes his friends, the "angelheaded hipsters" and outcasts of society. Ginsburg expresses throughout this first section how these people have been damaged by their inability to conform to the conventional society of Post-War America.

II

The second chapter of the poem talks of a figure who is continually referred to as “Moloch"

“Moloch whose love is oil and stone! Moloch whose soul is electricity and banks! Moloch whose poverty is the spectre of genius! Moloch whose fate is a cloud of sexless hydrogen! Moloch whose name is the mind! Moloch in whom I sit lonely! Moloch in whom I dream Angels! Crazy in Moloch. Cocksucker in Moloch! Lacklove and manless in Moloch!”

Moloch is portrayed as a force of evil and can be interpreted as Capitalism or the indeed the Establishment. Moloch is referenced as Banks, Oil, Electricity and Stone, all prominent items within our society and of Capitalism.

III

The third and last chapter is a much more personal addition to the poem, speaking to Carl Soloman (of whom the poem is dedicated to). Ginsberg met Soloman when he was admitted to the Columbia Psychological Institution in 1949, although he refers to the institution as Rockland in the poem.

The poem is now frantically  building up to a crescendo, in which each line  builds upon the previous line, the poem can be interpreted as taking the reader on a journey in to Carl Soloman's madness, perhaps a metaphor of Ginsburg and Soloman's relationship.  

Ginsburg gives a deep and meaningful social commentary through Howl, and more specifically expresses his views against it. Today Ginsberg is widely recognised as a prominent figure for the Beat Generation and one of America's most highly regarded poets.