American Lit

Culture and History in Poetry

A Comparative Analysis of the Poems of Allen Ginsberg and Joy Harjo

I . Introduction

Modernism in American poetry can be best characterized as eclectic and disparate , owing to a wide variety of influences made available by traditionalist and classic works . But to a great extent , modernism in this field is defined by the contribution of new viewpoints coming from multicultural sources . That America is the bastion of diversity and the melting pot of histories and cultures within and outside the national sphere is the sole cause

for this variety , which has made poetry and literature as prolific as it is now

Many of the best contemporary poets originate from America , and a considerable number are immigrants , or descended from first-generation settlers . Within these contexts lies a vast resource for ideologies and goals , as well as culture-specific concepts that may be rooted in social , political , and economic oppression and alienation . Two of the most notable modern poets come from opposite ends of the spectrum - one who is truly American , in the historical sense and one who claims America as his place of birth but had found solace and identity outside of the country 's geographic limits . Both poets have created their respective bodies of work that resonate the American experience , based on events and lifestyles that define their origins and upbringing Allen Ginsberg and Joy Harjo , two of the most celebrated and individual poets of this time , have carved their own niches in the American tradition through two distinct ways - an outward view of the predominant society and culture , and an introspective style of self-discovery

II . Allen Ginsberg : From the Inside Looking Out

Born into a Jewish family in New Jersey in 1926 , Allen Ginsberg had been exposed to unconventional philosophies early on - with his father being a poet , and his mentally-unstable mother a self-proclaimed Communist , coming from the propagation of the ideology during the Great Depression

Ginsberg grew up to be an outspoken youth and voiced out his opinions about workers ' rights and World Ward II through letters addressed to The New York Times . During this time , Ginsberg found his model in the works of legendary poet Walt Whitman , and this influenced him to pursue his talent in poetry . At Columbia University , Ginsberg would meet several people who would share his own ideals , and this included Jack Kerouac and William S . Burroughs . Eventually this exclusive group called themselves the Beat Generation , which referred to their collective feelings towards rebelling against conformity and tradition that were prevalent during the post-War era (Charters

In Ginsberg 's pursuit of further answers to his growing discontent with convention led him to the study of Tibetan Buddhism , which would figure in his most renowned poem , Howl . The poem exposed much of Ginsberg 's personal life , including his schizophrenic mother and the Beat Generation that he had started . The opening line , I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness ' is a fairly accurate and concise summary of...