Irwin Allen Ginsberg: The Poet Of The People

Kaytlin Millikin

Dr. David Merrell

English 263.02

10 October 2017

The Poet of the People

Born June 3, 1926, Allen Ginsberg is known as one of the most influential poets of the Beats Generation. With his forward political views and content that pushed limits, he was always working toward equality for the all. Ginsberg is considered to have “[grown] up in a conventional and uneventful fashion,” with politically active parents as an influence (Lewis, Critical Survey of Poetry). It is no mere coincidence that as he continued to grow, he also became involved with politics. Many of his poems tend to address issues that Ginsberg did not agree with. It is said that many of Ginsberg’s poems have something to do with what has influenced his life. They are considered to have some autobiographical elements.

Irwin Allen Ginsberg was born to Louis and Naomi Ginsberg in Newark, New Jersey. The Ginsbergs were as small Jewish family. Ginsberg had one brother, Eugene, who was five years older. Ginsberg was a very involved student, participating in things like debate club among others things. He started his studies at Columbia University in 1943. At this time, Ginsberg was experimenting with

People became more will to come forward and speak their opinions, no matter what may be considered of them by the views of people in the world around them. He fought for his right to free speech and in doing so also fought for those who were afraid to fight for themselves. Even today, it feels as if there are people in the society that do not have a voice, but the more writers and artists that are willing to stand up to unfair social norms, the more the people will have a voice. We can draw inspiration from Ginsberg because he not only had the courage to write about matters that may seem taboo, he was willing to stick by what he said and defend it. As a society, we should also be willing to stand by our opinions and defend them in honorable