UVM Theses and Dissertations
Format:
Print
Author:
Lausier, Steve
Dept./Program:
English
Year:
2013
Degree:
M.A.
Abstract:
Much is written on the strong emotive qualities of Allen Ginsberg's seminal poem "Howl," and how its blunt, controversially arousing rhetoric helped re-shape American literature and popular culture. In his work, Ginsberg rails against the injustices of postwar 1950s American society with a vibrant fervor, characterizing the collective evils of his world in the guise ofthe ancient god Moloch.
Despite the excruciating, angryemotions of the three Parts of "Howl," Ginsberg includes the "Footnote to Howl" in his book Howl and Other Poems, which juxtaposes the negative emotions of the main work with a euphoric chant of "Holy!," even going so far as to declare "Holy the Angel in Moloch!" In this study I intend to utilize affect theory as a lens for looking at "Howl" with the intent of identifying and analyzing the emotive currents of the work as a whole, strongly employing the works on affect theory by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Judith Butler, and lL. Austin.
As a consequence of this reading, I also intend to explore Allen Ginsberg's reinvention of masculinity within the poem, offering a historicist look into the pervading masculinity of the time as emotionless, calculating, and withdrawn, and how Ginsberg countered this with a new "Queer Masculinity" which applied heavy yet firm emotions, and was willing to open the mind to new ideas outside of the McCarthyist status quo. Finally, I will apply the aforementioned affective close reading and the historical, cultural analysis of Ginsberg's New Masculinity to argue for "Howl" and the "Footnote" as works which demonstrate Judith Butler's concept of "responsibility."
This idea involves the recognition that the 'one' who is 'giving the account' is not to blame for the conflicts and/or circumstances which resulted in the necessity that the account be given, yet still accepts responsibility for those circumstances. I intend to show that while Ginsberg displays that he is not to blame for the wrongs done to "the best minds of (his) generation," declaring Moloch as the perpetrator, he still accepts responsibility for these wrongdoings by declaring in the "Footnote" that despite their existence, he still sees an 'Angel in Moloch, ' and in his exclamatory, euphoric "Footnote" encourages the reader to share his view.
Despite the excruciating, angryemotions of the three Parts of "Howl," Ginsberg includes the "Footnote to Howl" in his book Howl and Other Poems, which juxtaposes the negative emotions of the main work with a euphoric chant of "Holy!," even going so far as to declare "Holy the Angel in Moloch!" In this study I intend to utilize affect theory as a lens for looking at "Howl" with the intent of identifying and analyzing the emotive currents of the work as a whole, strongly employing the works on affect theory by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Judith Butler, and lL. Austin.
As a consequence of this reading, I also intend to explore Allen Ginsberg's reinvention of masculinity within the poem, offering a historicist look into the pervading masculinity of the time as emotionless, calculating, and withdrawn, and how Ginsberg countered this with a new "Queer Masculinity" which applied heavy yet firm emotions, and was willing to open the mind to new ideas outside of the McCarthyist status quo. Finally, I will apply the aforementioned affective close reading and the historical, cultural analysis of Ginsberg's New Masculinity to argue for "Howl" and the "Footnote" as works which demonstrate Judith Butler's concept of "responsibility."
This idea involves the recognition that the 'one' who is 'giving the account' is not to blame for the conflicts and/or circumstances which resulted in the necessity that the account be given, yet still accepts responsibility for those circumstances. I intend to show that while Ginsberg displays that he is not to blame for the wrongs done to "the best minds of (his) generation," declaring Moloch as the perpetrator, he still accepts responsibility for these wrongdoings by declaring in the "Footnote" that despite their existence, he still sees an 'Angel in Moloch, ' and in his exclamatory, euphoric "Footnote" encourages the reader to share his view.