John Milton's Paradise Lost John Milton’s Paradise Lost is filled with fantastical tales from the depths of Hell, extravagant descriptions of the fallen angels, and a curious recitation of the council of demons in their new palace. How did Milton dream up such vivid depictions of such horrible demons as the ones we see in Book I? Most of his fallen angels originate in the form of Pagan gods condemned by the Bible, with actual historical backgrounds which Milton cites in his lengthy descriptions
conform to the desired sense of normality. Ginsberg states “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked/ dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix” (9). His expression of Moloch The angry fix is what all of these “best minds” look for after being stripped of their freedom to conform to the new American culture after World War II. The form of Ginsberg’s poem challenges the American culture by resistance from “best minds”
Liang Sin Go Moloch and what it means to Allen Ginsberg The poem “Howl” written by Allen Ginsberg, is one of his many piece in expressing his anger and frustration towards how the creativity and freedom of the people from his time were immensely destroyed by the establishment of 1950s America. The poet stated that the verses are written in a form that lines were broken up based on where he would need to take a breath and should be read quickly to resemble a rant or a diatribe. One significant
reveals through a multitude of sharp images and phrases that everything from drug use to homosexuality to mental illness is holy, even in a world of atom bombs and materialistic America, which Ginsberg considers not to be holy and he refers to as Moloch. As it is stated in Ginsberg's "Footnote To Howl," "The world is holy! The soul is holy! The skin is holy! The nose is/ holy! The tongue and cock and hand and *censored* holy! / Everything is Holy! Everybody's holy! Everywhere is holy!" (3-5). Sexuality
Ginsberg’s Howl is a political poem because it offers a sharp critique of American politics and culture. Throughout the poem the reader is presented with a less than favorable portrait of America. Racism, atomic fear, the military industrial complex as Moloch all serve to criticize the United States of the Forties and Fifties. The Forties were dominated by World War II and the atomic bombs, which were followed by a postwar economic and baby boom. The Fifties were a time of change, the middle class was
In Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl”, the idea of resistance is present in multiple forms. On a thematic level, Ginsberg exploits the reasons the “best minds” of his generation are being destroyed (9). On a formal level, Ginsberg uses lengthy sentences to resist traditional styles of writing. Ginsberg was successful in his rebellion and gained substantial recognition; further supported by the fact he even had to fight for his freedom of expression in the court of law. As a whole, “Howl” has been a controversial
using repetition maintained a rhythm throughout the poem, allowing him to keep that constant tone for the audience. With his illustrations, readers are capable of vividly capturing the image by using relatable and realistic examples. For instance, Moloch, being a nonrealistic object could be clearly seen as a machine that is powered by blood, money, and corruption. Considering the complexity of this piece, it gave me reason to believe that it was Ginsberg’s intention to allow us to seek our own meaning
Howling for Creative Freedom A howl is the sound of a dog or wolf’s cry and Allen Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” is a long cry for creative liberties. The poem refers to various institutions that contributed to the suppression of artistic liberties, including the government, capitalist institutions, and universities. These institutions deemed the mentally ill, alcoholics and drug addicts, homosexuals, and anyone else who did not conform to their social and political values as insane, causing the rest
Ginsberg uses religion in “Howl” to show the structures of society. He especially uses, Moloch – a false God – in the poem to show what he believed to be the conformity of people. However, he also uses small portions of the poem to show the other religious views there are. In the first section of “Howl,” Ginsberg uses an anaphoric return going with the word “who.” He also does this in second section with “Moloch.” However, in the first section with “who,” raises the question as to why the people
Moloch is traditionally a term associated with a Middle Eastern god of sacrifice. In modern language, the name is often given derisively to anything that demands a high price or sacrifice. In Ginsberg's poetry, Moloch represents the facets of modern society that demand the high sacrifice of freedom and expression. Moloch is the modern industrial state which exacts low wages for its workers so that others might have more luxury. Moloch is the model nuclear family which
one section to the next gives an impression of a crumbling society, brought to its knees through years of excessive lifestyle choices. Though the individual sections don't have official titles of their own, they could be assigned the titles of Life, Moloch, Rockland, and Holy respectively. The decision to include the footnote as separate from the original work is questionable, since its very existence has the potential to change the entire reading of the poem. If the reader skips the footnote, the poem
Paradise Lost, by John Milton, opens at the Council of War amongst the demons of Hell. Moloch, demon warrior, passionately advocates for open warfare. On the other hand, Belial, the sarcastic demon, uses asperity to criticize Moloch's argument. This Council, particularly the arguments that Moloch and Belial present, represent two separate schools of thought: warfare at any cost and existence at any price. Moloch, upon getting his chance to speak, wastes no time in expressing his opinion: open warfare
utter frustration, fueled by the individuality-shattering, conformity of his time. It is a heartfelt tribute to his fellow angelheaded hipsters, the “best minds” of his generation, “destroyed by madness.” It is the identification and calling out of Moloch: the source of this devastating ailment afflicted upon individuals during the 1940s and 1950s. Finally, it is a notion of sympathy and unity, addressed to Carl Solomon, the recipient of the poem’s dedication. Ginsberg’s “Howl” synthesizes and summarizes
A Howl Observed through the Eyes of Angels: A Literary Analysis of Allen Ginsberg’s Howl of Religion Darkness loomed over the poet as he strolled past a cathedral down the streets of New York. The tall shadows of buildings hid the open sky of wondrous views. Horns blared, smoke from factories polluted his every breath, and wiry images danced along the sidewalk. The shadow of a crucifix appeared at the poet’s feet. He looked up to see a Christian church. So many churches, so many religions.
Circumscribed, yet Not Alone Reality is the distillation of perception. Many of us were thrusted into various lifestyles that forged our own vision of the world. Each individual has their own adversities in life, and it feels as if one goes through this internal conflict alone. During the 1950’s, Allen Ginsberg saw various degrees of insanity that diffused across the American landscape. This type of madness associates with the trials and tribulations a man might go through in life. Within
the burnt offerings of the Assyrians and Babylonians were rooted in magic and had no spiritual value ("Sacrifice," 2015). In the land of Canaan, altars were erected in honor of Moloch ("Moloch," 2017). Hence, the honor of Moloch often included sexual rituals and sacrificial offerings of human beings and children ("Moloch," 2017). Thus, the request of God to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering became highly plausible to Abraham because of Canaan’s inhabitants. Comparing the cultural and religious
“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix, Angel-headed hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night.” The opening lines of Howl, by Allan Ginsberg, melodiously encapsulates the beat generation. The beats alluded to by the verbatim ,“The best minds”, are a group of idiosyncratic poets whom through the instrument of prose(driven
Good art never dies, but rather lingers on in the minds of the society. Allan Ginsberg’s poem “Howl” has relevance many years after it was written. “Howl” is a poem, and a story about the history of the beat generation, and the philosophies of the beat poets. At the time that Howl was written America was in the middle of the cold war, and conservatism was the norm. The shocking nature and vulgar language of “Howl” makes the poem unique during a time when having your hair long, or even having a beard
Ginsberg says that Moloch is a “sphinx of cement and aluminum”, a “heavy judger of men”, and “whose soul is electricity and banks” (line 79-85). All these can point towards higher powers such as the Government. Such things like government buildings, the law makers, and the banks that control all the money in our cities and states. This means that our government can be the Moloch in our lives just like how they were to Ginsberg. Ginsberg says that it is “Moloch who frightened me out of my
Confessional poetry brought about a new era in the contemporary arts where poets such as Elizabeth Bishop, Allen Ginsberg, Robert Lowell, and Sylvia Plath employed varying levels of this profound style to convey the deepness of personal feelings and experiences previously considered too taboo for public discussion. This style of poetry broke the barriers of standard society allowing for candidness concerning topics previously deemed too embarrassing and shameful to openly discuss such as drug abuse