Howl (1955)

Ti­tle of the album: Howl and other poems
Ti­tle: Howl (Track 01)
Publisher: Fantasy, USA
Da­te: 1955 (publ. 1959)
Me­di­um: re­cord 30 cm

Allen Ginsberg is considered one of the important representatives of the Beat Generation of the 1950s. His best-known work and, at the same time, one of the key works of the Beat Generation is the poem Howl. It made Ginsberg internationally famous, especially because it caused a scandal due to its obscene language. The poem was banned in the meantime, and the publisher Lawrence Ferlinghetti was arrested. This was the cause of important social discussions on artistic freedom. After consulting several literary scholars, the court dropped the ban and the charges against Ferlinghetti. The coverage and the discussions contributed decisively to Ginsberg's notoriety.

The text seems spontaneous and emotional, like a snapshot of Ginsberg's emotional state. In fact, Ginsberg had worked on the work over a long period of time. It contains many references to fellow poets of the Beat Generation but also political events such as the Holocaust.

PS