Essay on "Medieval, Modernist and Post"

Essay 7 pages (1975 words) Sources: 1

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Leading figures such as Kerouac and Ginsburg would latch onto the deconstructionist impulses of the modernist movement and utilize them to invade the literary tradition with slang, obscenity and exceedingly edgy content.

For instance, in Ginsburg's America, the author merges literature, colloquialism and stream-of-consciousness styling to register a highly controversial sentiment. Ginsburg addresses his subject head on, writing; "America when I was seven momma took me to Communist Cell meetings they sold us garbanzos a handful per ticket a ticket costs a nickel and the speeches were free everybody was angelic and sentimental about the workers it was all so sincere you have no idea what a good thing the party was in 1935" (p. 221)

This approach is emblematic of the Beat movement, combining the sentiment for protest with an overtly casual use of references that would have been otherwise taboo in literature and in society in general. By placing the low-brow elements of his countercultural experiences in the high-brow milieu of poetry, Ginsburg and his fellow beats would engage something of a democratization of the form. Here, the experiences and impulses driving poetic expression were something set many worlds apart from those of the courtly writers of classical poetry.

5. What is the link between Beat poetry and blues, Beat poetry and rap?

This deviation from the experiential bases for poetry would be important as a way of opening the door of critical acceptance for other modes of street-level expression. Indeed, in the Reader, Ginsburg speaks openly about the connection between the Beat Poetry tradition and the traditions in African and African-American music that would both precede and succeed it. In blues and rap respectively, Beat would find the common ground of frank expression, unflinching sexuality and sheer democratic reliability. On the question of rap's importance as a mode of post-modern expression, Ginsburg would counter that "actually, it's a very ancient tradition. It goes back to the old griot in Africa, which involved boasting, warriors boasting their prowess, sexual boasting as well, and also a sort of social commentary, village commentary" (p. 232)

Using preacher call and response techniques that would eventually serve as the basis for the blues structure as it evolved in the U.S., this style of expression would correspond with the Beat impulse for social commentary. And perhaps most importantly because of its commercial influence, rap music has had the impact of making this mode of expression broadly popular. Today, rap and hip hop music are among the more dominant forms of expression merging themes of protest, literary dexterity and commercial viability. In many ways, rap music is the tradition of the Beats made viable for popular consumption.… READ MORE

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