This essay explores the famous poem written by Allen Ginsberg in 1945-1955 entitled Howl, also known as Howl for Carl Solomon, and more specifically how he uses and portrays the theme of religion within this poem. Ginsberg was a Buddhist who studied Eastern religious disciplines, so it's no surprise that religion played an important role in his works like Howl. This essay will recognize the considerable role that religion plays in Howl and the impact it has on its readers, will argue that Ginsberg was a "mystical" poet, as well as arguing that the use of this theme was ultimately to challenge the same orthodox and traditional religion, as Ginsberg is widely known for stirring controversy and challenging social norms. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay To offer a little more context and specifics: Ginsberg while he could most likely be considered a religious poet, he could even more distinctly be considered a mystical poet. A mystic is defined as a person who claims to obtain, or believes in the possibility of obtaining, insight into mysteries that transcend ordinary human knowledge, such as through direct communication with divine intuition or immediate in a state of spiritual ecstasy. Ginsberg challenges traditional dogma, wanting communion with a higher power. Explore this by humanizing divine concepts. This can be seen in line 89 of Howl: "They broke their backs raising Moloch to heaven!" Sidewalks, trees, radios, tons! raising to Heaven the city that exists and is everywhere around us!' Moloch is the name of an ancient Jewish god, seen in scripture. It essentially supports the concept of Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), while expressing the idea that Heaven is not superior to human beings and implies that Heaven is everywhere around us. To further emphasize this point, Ginsberg espouses and associates religion with politics, a clearly banal concept. with greater power. This is present in line 107, “I am with you in Rockland where you accuse your doctors of insanity and plot Jewish socialist revolution against fascist national Golgotha.” The poet associates the political concept of socialism with Judaism, and, conversely, fascism and nationalism are associated with Golgotha: the place of Christ's death. One of the most explicit arguments for Ginsberg being a mystical poet is found in line 24 "who studied Plotinus Poe." Telepathy of St. John of the Cross and kabbalah bop because the cosmos instinctively vibrated at their feet in Kansas'. Kabbalah is a form of Jewish mysticism and Saint John of the Cross was a Christian mystical writer. Ginsberg does not appear to display a great deal of in-depth knowledge regarding religious traditions, but instead is specifically interested in believers of the more radical concepts of various faiths. Ginsberg also takes a more abstract approach seen in line 20, 'who disappeared into the Zen nothingness of New Jersey leaving a trail of ambiguous picture postcards of Atlantic City City Hall'. Ginsberg seems to suggest that New Jersey is Zen: a concept seen in Buddhism, while also challenging orthodox Buddhism by implying that Zen is “nowhere.” It makes the reader wonder whether the poet truly has faith in any form of religion or whether he simply believes in an overall higher power. Ginsberg draws a parallel between himself as a mystical poet and other mystics in line 25 by referring to the spiritual Native Americans, "who went lonely through the streets of Idaho looking for visionary Indian angels who were visionary Indian angels. This concept is further explored in the row.