Reevaluating the poetry of allen ginsberg from the perspective of protest literature

Abstract

This dissertation studies the poetry of Allen Ginsberg from the perspective of protest literature. It puts forth arguments on how his poetry represents the evils of society and government and presents the universal love and human values for the betterment of human lives in this world. His poetry builds up the missing link that connects art to society for the achievement of a paradisal state for every human being. The essential holiness in everything and in everybody is the ultimate outcome of his protest which accepts the spiritual salvation for all. This dissertation concludes that the change of consciousness as against a repressive social order will bring human peace for all mankind. Ginsberg visualised this through his poetry. newlineGinsberg s protests cover up multiplicity of issues which appear to be controversial at the first instance but really have their worth and relevance for the society. This project opens up the discourses on many taboo subjects as well issues that formed the public opinion in Ginsberg s time. Ginsberg, being a radical thinker and a social activist opposed materialism, war and a repressive political system. Being a member of the Beat and Hippi group in America he adopted madness as a strategy of protest against the evils of society and government. Alienation for his rebel groups was not a boycott of the system, but an outright rejection of the mainstream values of society that oppressed people and their freedom. Ginsberg showed all this through his poetry. newlineFor a spontaneous flow of heart and mind Ginsberg opposed a repressive government and its crash consumerism. Throughout, he has preached to change the public consciousness. Poetry formed his major protest tool. To communicate the people, he innovated open form in his poetry to adopt it as a public voice. The new poetry of Ginsberg opposed to the high modernism of Eliot and the newline