Beat Generation William Ginsberg Essay

Introduction The era of the Beat Generation was a time of reinvention, in a society recovering from the second World War , the Beats were a group of poets who strayed from social and literary conformity by questioning authority, and followed a more free verse way of writing with little to no rules. They were part of the counterculture that developed post 1945. The Beat Generation were a group of poets that managed to change the way literature and writing were done in the 1950s. Literary traditions were disregarded and a new, vibrant way of writing was implemented. The classic way of writing poetry, such as using rhyme, form, and proper diction became lost to the Beats who focused on a more spoken-esque and unrestrained way of writing in order to show what they felt. Studying beat poetry can be done to simply appreciate the artistry behind it and the unique aesthetic it creates. By analysing beat poetry we can see how they strayed from not only the established way of writing poetry, but used that poetry as a way to revolt against society.

One of the most prominent members of the Beat Generation was Allen Ginsberg, who was known for his raw and expressionistic poetry. Through the use of literary devices and themes such as spirituality, religion, death and life, Ginsberg’s works show ideas and values that were demonstrated often throughout Beat poetry. This leads to the question “How do the techniques used in Ginsberg’s Poetry showcase the Beat identity?”. Analysing the poems