Allen Ginsberg | Brief Biography

Allen Ginsberg | Brief Biography

Allen Ginsberg | Brief Biography

Allen Ginsberg was an American poet and writer, born on June 3, 1926, in Newark, New Jersey. He is considered one of the leading figures of the Beat Generation, a group of writers and artists who rejected mainstream culture and values in the 1950s.

Ginsberg was the son of Louis and Naomi Ginsberg, both Jewish immigrants. His father was a high school teacher and poet, and his mother was a communist and a nurse. Growing up, Ginsberg was exposed to political activism and artistic expression, which greatly influenced his later works.

In 1944, Ginsberg enrolled at Columbia University, where he met fellow Beat Generation writers Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs. He was also heavily influenced by the work of the great modernist poets, including Walt Whitman and William Carlos Williams. During this time, he began experimenting with drugs and exploring his sexuality, both of which would later become major themes in his writing.

Ginsberg’s first published poem, “In the Baggage Room at Greyhound,” appeared in the magazine, “The Columbia Review,” in 1948. He went on to publish his first collection of poetry, “Howl and Other Poems,” in 1956, which became one of the defining works of the Beat Generation. The book was praised for its bold and raw language, which broke with traditional poetic conventions, and for its unconventional subject matter, which dealt with homosexuality, drug use, and spirituality.

In 1957, “Howl” was banned for obscenity, leading to a famous obscenity trial. The trial was a significant event in the history of censorship in the United States and helped establish Ginsberg’s reputation as a controversial and influential figure.

Throughout his life, Ginsberg was an activist for political and social causes, including the anti-war movement, the civil rights movement, and the gay rights movement. He was also a devoted Buddhist, which had a profound impact on his spiritual beliefs and creative work.

Allen Ginsberg continued to publish poetry and essays throughout his life, including “Kaddish and Other Poems” (1961), “The Fall of America” (1973), and “Plutonium Ode” (1977). He also traveled extensively, performing his work and collaborating with other artists and musicians.

In 1997, Ginsberg died of liver cancer at the age of 70. He left behind a legacy as one of the most important and influential poets of the 20th century, and his work continues to inspire new generations of writers and artists. 0 0 0.

Sources:

“Allen Ginsberg.” Poetry Foundation.

“Allen Ginsberg.” Encyclopedia Britannica..

“Howl and Other Poems.” City Lights Books, www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=8728603001050.

“The Obscenity Trial of Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Howl.'” The Smithsonian, 21 June 2010, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-obscenity-trial-of-allen-ginsbergs-howl-144075569/. ***

N.B. The article originally belongs to the book entitled ‘Biographies of Writers Around the World‘ by Menonim Menonimus.

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