Howl: Study Guide | SparkNotes

“Howl,” by the American poet Allen Ginsberg, was first published in 1956, and it immediately became a landmark text of the Beat Generation

. Written in long lines that sound at once prophetic and mournful, “Howl” utters a fierce cry of lament for the decay of the American imagination. Ginsberg dedicated the poem to his friend, Carl Solomon, who at the time of writing was a patient in an asylum.

“Howl” encompasses many of the central values that would guide Ginsberg’s life and career, including his rejection of sexual repression and economic materialism, and an openness to multiculturalism and mysticism. Following publication, both Ginsberg and his publisher were charged with obscenity. A judge later dismissed the charge.

Read a summary & analysis, an analysis of the speaker, and explanations of important quotes from “Howl.”