Ginsberg's spin on religion that can justify any action if twisted in your favor

The obvious theme in “Howl” is how the destructive social forces of Moloch destroy the “best minds” but in addition to these social forces Ginsberg creates an interesting spin on religion that can justify any action if twisted in your favor. Ginsberg includes aspects of Christianity, Islam, and Kabbalah (ancient Jewish tradition of mystical interpretation of the Bible) with some references to Buddhism to create his own idea of religion or spirituality. 

 

In part I we see Ginsberg using several religious terms and references to describe the “best minds.” The first description we see is “angelheaded hipsters” (9). When I read this line I see the hipsters, who I picture to be poets, musicians, and artists, to have a halo on their heads that make them appear to be angels. In the line before this we know that these hipsters are looking for an “angry fix” and right after, Ginsberg turns around and describes them as “angelheaded” as if to ignore the fact that they are looking for drugs. Shortly after, we see another reference to angels when Ginsberg writes “and saw Mohammedan angles staggering on tenement roofs illuminated” (9). In the stanza before this we see that these angels “high sat up smoking in the supernatural darkness” (9). We are now led to believe that these angels have been smoking and are now staggering and in the following stanza we see that they are hallucinating. It is apparent that they have smoked some type of paraphernalia, but Ginsberg lets you know that in a very light and angelic way. Then, Ginsberg writes “who vanished into nowhere Zen New Jersey” (11). Ginsberg is not only adding yet another religion by choosing the word Zen, which is connected with Buddhism, he is justifying the way these “best minds” can just pick up and leave by suggesting that they are looking for their Zen. By Ginsberg describing the “best minds” as angels and describing their actions with religious references he is justifying their actions. Also, by using religious references from numerous religions he lets his reader know that he has no tie to one specific religion.    

 

 

In part II there is the obvious religious reference to Moloch, which is an Old Testament deity to whom people sacrificed their own children. Throughout part II Ginsberg uses language to refer to ancient rituals or religion that all require great sacrifice. By describing Moloch this way he is listing all of the ways that Moloch has required sacrifices from the “best minds” and due to these sacrifices they have gone insane. Ginsberg writes “Moloch whose skyscrapers stand in the long streets like endless Jehovahs!” (21). Jehovah is a Hebrew word for God so we continue to see Ginsberg reference religious aspects from all religions. By listing all of the required sacrifices to Moloch Ginsberg is furthering his argument that due to Moloch, which he gives very religious qualities to, the “best minds” are justified in whatever they do whether that be going crazy or doing drugs.

In part III we still see several religious references, but now that Carl Solomon has gone crazy, Ginsberg seems to use them in a manor to enlighten Solomon. He writes “where you accuse your doctors of insanity and plot the Hebrew socialist revolution against the fascist national Golgotha” (25) and “where you will split the heavens of Long Island and resurrect your living human Jesus from the superhuman tomb” (25). I believe it is important for these two quotes to go together because the Hebrew Jesus was crucified and then resurrected in Golgotha and Ginsberg writes about Golgotha and then in the very next stanza tells Solomon to resurrect his “human Jesus.” Throughout the entire poem Ginsberg is giving religious attributes and descriptions to the “best minds.” By doing this he justifies their actions and justifies their insanity.