Back to results

Missouri State University

Kaddish: Allen Ginsberg's American Elegy

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

This works analyzes the impact and meaning of Allen Ginsberg's poem Kaddish. It is shown through biographical, textual and historical evidence that Kaddish is more than just a poem for and about Ginsberg's deceased mother. In the poem, Ginsberg's mother, Naomi, serves symbolically for all Jewish-American women and her fate embodies that of the Jewish people, and in fact, all of America. The structure and content of the poem are analyzed, as well as related work; including poems, correspondence and journals. A large portion of this material is unpublished information found in the archives of the Stanford University library. The first chapter serves as an introduction to explain the necessity of this interpretation, the second chapter provides biographical and historical evidence and the third chapter is a close reading of the poem.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts in English
Level thesis:degree_level
Masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
English
Year
2000

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Carey, John M.
Contributors dc:contributor
  • James Jones

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • © John M Carey

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/369
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-1370

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Missouri State University
Base URL
bearworks.missouristate.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Carey, John M.. Kaddish: Allen Ginsberg's American Elegy. Masters thesis, 2000. https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/369