Monday, August 16, 2010

1956: The Balcony to Howl and Other Poerms


Purpose of this blog: Brief summaries of World, British and American literary classics for possible English majors.

Jean Genet. French. 1956. Play. The Balcony. Men come to brothel to fulfill fantasy roles. Active responsibility is less satisfying than fantasies.

Albert Camus.l French. 1956. Novel. The Fall. Former Parisian lawyer committed to avoiding any situation demanding action.

Aldous Huxley. British. 1956. Essay. “Heaven and Hell.” Effects of the drug mescalin. Ecstatic, depressed states compared to mystics’ accounts of heaven and hell.

John Berryman. American. 1956. Poetry. “Homage to Mistress Bradstreet.” Bradstreet’s conflict: absolute devotion to God and family vs. her love of writing, which she considers worldly and “self-indulgent.”

Allen Ginsberg. American. 1956. Poetry. Howl and Other Poems. Poetic manifesto of the Beat movement. Nightmarish images reflecting brutal dehumanized America.

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