Sexuality and its Relation to Capitalism, Religion, and Madness in Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl”

Abstract

The mid-twentieth century American society saw the emergence of a literary movement known as the Beat Generation. The members of the Beat Generation were notorious for being nonconformists who broke social norms by engaging in various activities such as sexual experimentation. As a writer at the vanguard of the Beat Generation, Allen Ginsberg uses his poem “Howl” to introspect his own sexuality that goes against the conventional sexual norms of his society. This paper explores the portrayal of sexuality in “Howl.” More specifically, it aims to investigate sexuality’s connection to capitalism, religion, and madness through a close analysis of the poem. “Howl” reflects and transcends the time in which it was written because it portrays sexuality as a multifaceted and multilayered concept, affecting and being affected by various aspects of society. Sexuality, in the poem, cannot be discussed without shedding light on how it is influenced by capitalism and religion and how it is seen as the cause or effect of madness.