When Allen Ginsberg’s Howl was made into a movie and produced in 2010 they chose James Franco to play Ginsberg. Although they bare no overwhelming physical similarities, Franco graduated from UCLA with an English major and is currently at Yale getting his masters, so they both share a different passion for English. To my surprise, the movie adaptation of Howl did not go into the details of Ginsberg’s personal life, nor did it show him recite the entire poem. The movie focused on the obscenity trial and whether or not Howl was of any literary value and whether it was too perverse. Ginsberg himself was not involved with the trial because it was the publisher of City Light Books who was the one actually put on trial, even though he didn’t write "Howl," he simply supported it.
The movie jumped around from scenes of the trial, to an interview with Ginsberg, to shots of him typing out Howl on the typewriter, and then scenes of him reciting the poem at clubs. The court deemed that Howl did indeed have literary value, and that just because that some of the language was perverse and not accepted in society, it still was a valuable piece of work. Luckily for us, Howl continued to be published after the trial and continued to be one of the most notable poems written.
I also thought it was very exciting that we go to school in Berkeley, a place where Allen Ginsberg wrote parts of his poetry. I saw the movie at an old movie theater in college and that too gave the movie a more authentic feeling. All in all, the movie artistically provided an accurate portrayal of Howl and I personally believe James Franco did a good job acting as Ginsberg because he tapped into this literary person and the producers did not cast him as a sex symbol.
~C.M.
Showing posts with label Howl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Howl. Show all posts
Monday, October 11, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
HOWL at the Rialto Elmwood Theater 9/25!
Hi All:
Just a note to let you know that the directors of HOWL, the recent James Franco film about Ginsberg's obscenity trial, will do a Q & A with the audience after the 4:15 showing the film. For more info click on the link below!
Also, if you go, and you're interested in extra credit, then write up a short reflection/review of the movie that I'll post of the blog.
Enjoy!
http://www.oscilloscope.net/
Just a note to let you know that the directors of HOWL, the recent James Franco film about Ginsberg's obscenity trial, will do a Q & A with the audience after the 4:15 showing the film. For more info click on the link below!
Also, if you go, and you're interested in extra credit, then write up a short reflection/review of the movie that I'll post of the blog.
Enjoy!
http://www.oscilloscope.net/
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The "Structure" of Ginsberg's Howl
I have analyzed the plays by Shakespeare. I have analyzed the poems by William Blake. But these were no comparison to the feelings I had after reading Ginsberg's "Howl". Indeed I was very puzzled. After looking up the many unfamiliar words in dictionary, I still could not translate the poem into my own language. Maybe it was a fruitless attempt after all. Who else could understand every word in every breadth other than Ginsberg himself? That being said, "Howl" is not an irrational poem. There is a logical structure behind the seemingly random sentences and words.
The poem is divided into three parts and a footnote, each holds a distinctive position in it. In the first part of the poem, every breath paints a desperate or even disturbing picture to the readers. While I was reading the poem, the images of the chaotic world in "Howl" vividly flashed through my mind like a slideshow. Drugs, alcohol, sex, suicides - Ginsberg almost touched every sensitive subjects in the society back in the 50's, some of which are still very sensitive now. Ginsberg depicted these lost souls as the innocent "Lambs" of the society. As he wrote, they are "the best minds" of his generation.
The second part of the poem introduces "Moloch" - a Biblical idol whom worshipers sacrificed children to. If part one depicts the people living in the society, part two depicts the society itself, which he named Moloch. Moloch is ""incomprehensible prison". Moloch is "pure machinery". Moloch is every unnatural and evil objects in Ginsberg's world.
The third part focuses on one of the "Lambs" he described in the first part - Carl Solomon. Ginsberg might have looked at the people he wrote about in part one with angry cold eyes. But there is definitely more sorrow and sympathy shown in the third part when he writes about his lover. In this part, words such as "hug", "kiss" and "tears" appear, casting a softer tone to the poem. Ginsberg repeats the phrase "I'm with you in Rockland" over and over again. Rockland is a psychiatric hospital where Ginsberg and Solomon met and formed an intimate bond. By repeating this phrase pushes the emotion to its peak.
The footnote can be seen as a prayer. The word "holy" makes up the refrain of this part. Suddenly everything is holy. It might be Ginsberg's wish that all the outcasts and lost lambs would be understood and accepted by the society, while all the evilness would be purified and forgave.
The four parts of the poem seem to be disconnected from each other. However, they are actually brilliantly tied together to the same theme. Being one of the most influential and controversial poems of America from the twentieth century, Ginsberg's bright howl successfully woke up everyone in the society at his time.
~T.Q.
The poem is divided into three parts and a footnote, each holds a distinctive position in it. In the first part of the poem, every breath paints a desperate or even disturbing picture to the readers. While I was reading the poem, the images of the chaotic world in "Howl" vividly flashed through my mind like a slideshow. Drugs, alcohol, sex, suicides - Ginsberg almost touched every sensitive subjects in the society back in the 50's, some of which are still very sensitive now. Ginsberg depicted these lost souls as the innocent "Lambs" of the society. As he wrote, they are "the best minds" of his generation.
The second part of the poem introduces "Moloch" - a Biblical idol whom worshipers sacrificed children to. If part one depicts the people living in the society, part two depicts the society itself, which he named Moloch. Moloch is ""incomprehensible prison". Moloch is "pure machinery". Moloch is every unnatural and evil objects in Ginsberg's world.
The third part focuses on one of the "Lambs" he described in the first part - Carl Solomon. Ginsberg might have looked at the people he wrote about in part one with angry cold eyes. But there is definitely more sorrow and sympathy shown in the third part when he writes about his lover. In this part, words such as "hug", "kiss" and "tears" appear, casting a softer tone to the poem. Ginsberg repeats the phrase "I'm with you in Rockland" over and over again. Rockland is a psychiatric hospital where Ginsberg and Solomon met and formed an intimate bond. By repeating this phrase pushes the emotion to its peak.
The footnote can be seen as a prayer. The word "holy" makes up the refrain of this part. Suddenly everything is holy. It might be Ginsberg's wish that all the outcasts and lost lambs would be understood and accepted by the society, while all the evilness would be purified and forgave.
The four parts of the poem seem to be disconnected from each other. However, they are actually brilliantly tied together to the same theme. Being one of the most influential and controversial poems of America from the twentieth century, Ginsberg's bright howl successfully woke up everyone in the society at his time.
~T.Q.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Diction of Moloch
Moloch depicts both the demon and the lover in Allen Ginsberg’s Howl. To be honest, the diction surrounding this section of Moloch originally confused me to no end. After completing some research, I decided to leave Moloch as an accent of art in the poem. Moloch depicts the best and the worst, and the unset definition of it changes from person to person or situation to situation.
Moloch may be thought of as a demon in one religious but as a divinity in others, but where to the draw the line is something Ginsberg draws our attention to. Ginsberg groups stanzas of Moloch in contrasts of emotions, such as: endless love contrasted against having an electric soul. I think endless love sounds beautiful and an electric soul sounds wonderful, but at the same time the diction of different words provide a more inappropriate explanation for the time.
Ginsberg addresses his homosexuality as he writes “cocksucker in Moloch! Lacklove and manless in Moloch” (Ginsberg II). Howl was originally published by Ginsberg in 1956 during an era in which homosexuality was not commonly accepted. The language he uses was completely shocking to the public at this time, and might still shock people today. Literary critics and the population alike frowned upon homosexuality, but still Ginsberg decided to ring attention to his writing through the concept of Moloch. Moloch strung across the concepts of demons and Ginsberg even goes as far as to pair this with homosexuality during a period of lost generations.
Moloch astounds readers even towards the end of the second section, “Visions! omens! hallucinations! miracles! estacies! gone down the American River!” (Ginsberg II). I detect a sense of irony in the diction of this stanza. The visions, omens, hallucinations, miracles, and ecstacies all went down the American river due to the general census of the American population. Many were overly conservative just as the hippie movement was about to take place, yet there were people such as Ginsberg who had visions of free love and eternity. Ginsberg was the first to write with this diction, and although it caused a large amount of turmoil, it is one of the most highly regarded poems of all time.
Moloch may be thought of as a demon in one religious but as a divinity in others, but where to the draw the line is something Ginsberg draws our attention to. Ginsberg groups stanzas of Moloch in contrasts of emotions, such as: endless love contrasted against having an electric soul. I think endless love sounds beautiful and an electric soul sounds wonderful, but at the same time the diction of different words provide a more inappropriate explanation for the time.
Ginsberg addresses his homosexuality as he writes “cocksucker in Moloch! Lacklove and manless in Moloch” (Ginsberg II). Howl was originally published by Ginsberg in 1956 during an era in which homosexuality was not commonly accepted. The language he uses was completely shocking to the public at this time, and might still shock people today. Literary critics and the population alike frowned upon homosexuality, but still Ginsberg decided to ring attention to his writing through the concept of Moloch. Moloch strung across the concepts of demons and Ginsberg even goes as far as to pair this with homosexuality during a period of lost generations.
Moloch astounds readers even towards the end of the second section, “Visions! omens! hallucinations! miracles! estacies! gone down the American River!” (Ginsberg II). I detect a sense of irony in the diction of this stanza. The visions, omens, hallucinations, miracles, and ecstacies all went down the American river due to the general census of the American population. Many were overly conservative just as the hippie movement was about to take place, yet there were people such as Ginsberg who had visions of free love and eternity. Ginsberg was the first to write with this diction, and although it caused a large amount of turmoil, it is one of the most highly regarded poems of all time.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
A Note on William Carlos William's Introduction to "Howl"
The introduction to the “Howl” poem by William Carlos Williams sets the overall mood of what is to come. At first, Williams introduces Allen Ginsberg by giving the reader a brief overview of his past. The background that is provided is more personal since it was written by someone who knew Ginsberg. The description is somewhat shocking since the writer himself claims to be surprised by the achievements of Ginsberg. It is said that he was mentally disturbed, with a difficult life and had basically been through hell. Now, with all of these setbacks, it is astonishing for Williams and the audience alike that such a troubled man could have overcome life’s difficulties and succeeded in poetry.
In his roughest years Allen Ginsberg met Carl Solomon, a man with whom he developed a strong bond and came to love. Williams stresses the importance of Solomon in Ginsberg’s life through passionate and emotionally loaded words. He says that it is amazing that even though he has lived through some of the most devastating experiences that life can offer, Ginsberg has used love to persevere. Furthermore, this love is the topic of his poems.
Once again referring to Ginsberg’s life, Williams mentions that Ginsberg described it as a “howl of defeat”(7), but that in reality it was not defeat because he went through it as if it were any other common thing. A very penetrating statement from the introduction is “Everyone in this life is defeated but a man, if he be a man, is not defeated.“(7). I interpret this as saying that everyone in life has difficulties; however, if they use their strengths and everything at their disposal to overcome these challenges, then they are free and will not break under life’s hardships.
In the final paragraph there is a focus on poetry and what it means to write and be a poet. Williams says that poetry has accompanied Ginsberg in his Golgotha (a reference to the biblical place where Jesus was crucified); again emphasizing that this poet has been through the worse. He has been miserable in a place that the readers call home(the US). According to Williams people are blind, but poets are cursed because they see it all. In this paragraph Williams portrays the poet as somewhat of a modern prophet informing the people of the horrible truths of life.
Overall, the introduction gives the readers some background on Ginsberg to better understand the content of the poems. In addition, words such as “disturbed,” “hell,” “horrifying,” and “blindness” set the mood of the poem as perturbing and gruesome.
~M.G.
In his roughest years Allen Ginsberg met Carl Solomon, a man with whom he developed a strong bond and came to love. Williams stresses the importance of Solomon in Ginsberg’s life through passionate and emotionally loaded words. He says that it is amazing that even though he has lived through some of the most devastating experiences that life can offer, Ginsberg has used love to persevere. Furthermore, this love is the topic of his poems.
Once again referring to Ginsberg’s life, Williams mentions that Ginsberg described it as a “howl of defeat”(7), but that in reality it was not defeat because he went through it as if it were any other common thing. A very penetrating statement from the introduction is “Everyone in this life is defeated but a man, if he be a man, is not defeated.“(7). I interpret this as saying that everyone in life has difficulties; however, if they use their strengths and everything at their disposal to overcome these challenges, then they are free and will not break under life’s hardships.
In the final paragraph there is a focus on poetry and what it means to write and be a poet. Williams says that poetry has accompanied Ginsberg in his Golgotha (a reference to the biblical place where Jesus was crucified); again emphasizing that this poet has been through the worse. He has been miserable in a place that the readers call home(the US). According to Williams people are blind, but poets are cursed because they see it all. In this paragraph Williams portrays the poet as somewhat of a modern prophet informing the people of the horrible truths of life.
Overall, the introduction gives the readers some background on Ginsberg to better understand the content of the poems. In addition, words such as “disturbed,” “hell,” “horrifying,” and “blindness” set the mood of the poem as perturbing and gruesome.
~M.G.
Reflections on Howl
My initial reaction to this poem, “Howl,” was confusion. This seemed like another impossible poem to understand, much like “The Wasteland” by Eliot. I thought to myself, “This guy is drunk, high, or just plain crazy.” I must not have been very far off, since the preface by William Carlos Williams describes Ginsberg as “mentally much disturbed.” However, somehow in this seemingly rambling and confusing poem (at least it appeared that way to me), there were style and eloquence. I could sort of understand the pain and despair, confusion and chaos he must have seen and felt through the poem. I could almost hear the desperate, tortured voice of the poet himself. The world that he knows is “destroyed” and the only escape from the reality seems to be the mindless pursuit of pleasure and destruction.
The first part of “Howl” is essentially only one very, very long sentence. The lack of period and the excessively long sentence creates a sense of panic and madness. He describes the “best minds of [his] generation” roaming around the street in hopelessness or otherwise engaging in useless or Hedonistic activities. The image that Ginsberg creates is a world of madness. It is a hopeless, brutal, and chaotic world, where no single event stands out or connects to another, but everything is a fragmented piece of individual misery. You get lost in Ginsberg’s sentence, wondering where this poem is heading to, and realize that it’s not heading anywhere. The parts 2, 3, and the footnote of “Howl” is strikingly different in syntax from the part 1 of the poem. They all repeat a single word or a phrase over and over again, as if saying a prayer or incantation. In part 2, Ginsberg repeats “Moloch” over and over, Moloch being the god of all things ugly in his life and his generation, such as materialism, filth, poverty, war, destruction, etc. In the footnote, he repeats “Holy” over and over; “everything is Holy” according to him. This reveals his disillusionment and deep disappointment with the world. Everything is “Holy” because everything around him is connected to Moloch, the god of all things ugly in life.
~J.K.
The first part of “Howl” is essentially only one very, very long sentence. The lack of period and the excessively long sentence creates a sense of panic and madness. He describes the “best minds of [his] generation” roaming around the street in hopelessness or otherwise engaging in useless or Hedonistic activities. The image that Ginsberg creates is a world of madness. It is a hopeless, brutal, and chaotic world, where no single event stands out or connects to another, but everything is a fragmented piece of individual misery. You get lost in Ginsberg’s sentence, wondering where this poem is heading to, and realize that it’s not heading anywhere. The parts 2, 3, and the footnote of “Howl” is strikingly different in syntax from the part 1 of the poem. They all repeat a single word or a phrase over and over again, as if saying a prayer or incantation. In part 2, Ginsberg repeats “Moloch” over and over, Moloch being the god of all things ugly in his life and his generation, such as materialism, filth, poverty, war, destruction, etc. In the footnote, he repeats “Holy” over and over; “everything is Holy” according to him. This reveals his disillusionment and deep disappointment with the world. Everything is “Holy” because everything around him is connected to Moloch, the god of all things ugly in life.
~J.K.
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