Lucy's post on Howl.

At least a couple of people are having trouble posting, so if you are don't worry and we'll sort out issues tomorrow. If you could email me your prep work, and I'll post it on here, that'd be excellent.

From Lucy:

"When listening to Ginsberg’s performance of ‘Howl’ for the first time, what initially struck me was its explicit nature and the graphic language used throughout. However, upon hearing it again, it was the monotonous tone of his voice in the delivery of part 1 that appeared to have the most impact upon setting the overall mood and tone of the performance. This monotony is further emphasised in Ginsberg’s use of ‘who’ as a fixed base, allowing a beat to be established and breaks in his expressions and thoughts to be signalled. Ginsberg’s lament within the poem gives an almost autobiographical tone, which is further emphasised in his communication of personal events and experiences. Part 2 of the poem, though noticeably shorter, also displays a strong sense of emotion and passion, which is most prominently shown in the continuous use of exclamatives. Another similarity between the two parts is repetition, with the technique being expressed in part 2 through the character of ‘Moloch’; who serves to give a name to Ginsberg’s apparent bitterness towards the state of American society and industrialised civilisation. At first glance, ‘Howl’ merely appears to be a controversial rant, yet upon further analysis, one can realise and fully appreciate the pure expression within the poem and Ginsberg’s ability to communicate with his audience. "