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An introduction to the
Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was an American literary movement that
rose to prominence in the 1950s. A loosely affiliated collection of poets,
novelists, playwrights, publishers, and other artists reacted to what they
considered an anti-intellectual and homogeneous social order following
World War II.
The writing of the Beat
Generation used experimental forms, surreal imagery, and vernacular
language, and emphasized the importance of "spontaneous prose" to mimic the
improvisation of jazz. Although the Beats praised canonical poets like
William Blake, Arthur Rimbaud, and Walt Whitman, much of their work sought
to rebel against literary tradition.
The Beats' radical
politics and nonconformity influenced several subsequent
countercultural movements, including antiwar and
gay rights movements, second-wave feminism, and Black liberation
organizations. The aesthetics of the Beat Generation movement found a home
in popular music, with artists like Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and Kurt Cobain
citing Beat writers as major influences and collaborators.
... Read our full write-up on the Beat Generation
here.
Also, check out
...
> Read a collection
of the Beats' poetry. (More)
> Allen Ginsberg's
poem "Howl" kick-started the movement. (Listen)
> Kurt Cobain was
inspired by the Beats (Read)
> A lost Jack Kerouac
story was discovered in the belongings of a gunned-down mob boss. (Read) ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with NCOFCU.org
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