In Goyas Greatest Scenes We Seem to See by

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

In this paper I will be exploring the social criticism that is

conveyed by Lawrence Ferlinghetti in his poem In Goyas Greatest
Scenes We Seem to See. Ferlinghetti criticizes the industrial revolution
in America; he compares its outcomes with war. Ferlinghetti alludes to
various paintings by Goya that depict war, and links their interpretation
to the industrialization in America. The poem contains various poetic
elements such as alliteration, hyperbole and Ekpharsis all reinforce his
rhetoric. Being a painter as well as a poet contributes to Ferlinghettis
brilliant mixing of art and poetry, the poems appearance has a strong
visual effect, one that transports the notion of war and chaos through
its form. I will demonstrate Ferlinghettis use of alliteration, hyperbole
and Ekpharsis, as a means to criticize the industrialization in America.
The socio historical context of this poem is the economic growth
that the American society has experienced during the 1950s, also
known as the golden age of capitalism. Lawrence Ferlinghetti was a
part of the Beat Generation, a group of poets that among other
things were known for their criticism of capitalism and rejection of

materialism. The poem was published in Ferlinghettis book titled A

Coney Island of the Mind in 1958. It is written in an open form and
lacks clear rhymes and structure; it follows the rhythm of natural
speech. I will refer to the poem by lines, and as having two sections:
the first discusses art, and the second discusses American society and
highways.
The speaker addressee relation in the poem is from one scholar
to another. Ferlinghettis language as well as his reference to art
indicates that the poem targets educated people, possibly his fellow
poets. In this poem Ferlinghetti fuses two periods, the peninsular war
as it was depicted by Goya, and the industrialization in the 1950s. In
the first section and lines, Ferlinghetti describes the pain and suffering
that is inflicted on humanity using Ekpharsis, he refers to art and
dramatically

portrays

its

meaning,

which

later

he

links

to

industrialization. In Goyas greatest scenes we seem to see/ the

people of the world (lines1-2) The alliteration in the first sentence
draws attention specifically

to Goyas paintings, combined with the

plural we, can be seen as referring to fellow scholars, like him, they
are able to interpret Goyas paintings. These lines contain a hyperbolic
exaggeration; Ferlinghetti generalizes the people of the world, as all
being portrayed in a particular painting. All the people in the world
could never be depicted in a single painting. The use of hyperbole
draws attention to Ferlinghettis interpretation of that particular

moment, as if people from the 1950s are depicted in it. He continues

to portray [the exact] moment when/ they first attained the title
of /suffering humanity (lines3-5). Ferlinghetti refers to a particular
moment that depicts collective suffering; however the specific moment
of reaching the title of suffering humanity (line 5) cannot be
determined. Ferlinghetti personifies the painted suffering humanity
(line 5) they writhe upon the page, (line 9) as if twisting in pain in the
painting. All these instances of hyperbole portray horrors of war as if
they become alive today, at the climax of the industrialization.
Ferlinghetti uses hyperbolic descriptions to dramatize and attract
attention to the circumstances in the paintings; he links the outcomes
of past war, to the present-day industrialization.
Ferlinghetti reference to particular paintings is in order to
connect the depicted war to industrialization. It is evident through the
suffering humanity, (line 5) and specific elements such as groaning
with babies and bayonets/under cement skies (line10-11). These
images allude to a series of painting by Goya called The Disasters of
war, that depict realistic images of war. These images represent
Ferlinghettis perception of industrialization. Lines 10 and 11 that
depict a scene of battle, also display a strong contrast between babies
and bayonets. Babies symbolize birth, giving life and continuation,
while bayonets stand for death, murder, and the taking of lives. The
description of Goyas paintings provides a strong contrast between

nature and industrialization. There are no natural elements in Goyas

paintings, the skies appear to be cement like, trees are blasted,
(line12) hit, stricken, not by a natural force but by war. The cement
skies (line11) have a double meaning; besides suggesting an image of
a

dark

war

they

provide

connection

to

the

concept

of

industrialization. Bent statues bats wings and beaks/slippery gibbets/

cadavers and carnivorous cocks (lines 13-15) these lines contain
strong alliterations; the emphasis in their pronunciation creates drama
that draws attention to the message of death that is conveyed in these
lines. The abstract landscape of blasted trees, (line12) also alludes to
industrialization; Ferlinghetti contrasts natural elements with men
made material. The theoretical scene of bent trees evokes the sense of
war between natural vs. unnatural elements, through the destruction
of natural elements, outcomes of war are linked with industrialization.
Ferlighettis description of images from Goyas The Disasters of war,
mediate between his knowledge of art and poetry, transforming
powerful and vivid scenes of war, to those of industrialization.
The particular images that Ferlinghetti describes are termed in a
very particular and precise word choice. Ferlinghettis language in the
poem has a strong political connotation. Being a part of the Beat
Generation, has influenced his writing and word choice in this poem.
The main agenda of the Beat culture comprised of dismissing known
conventions in writing, being modern and revolutionary, experimenting

with drugs and sexuality, rejecting and criticizing materialism, and

explicit depictions of human condition. Most of these elements are
exhibited in the poem. Terms like blasted trees (line 12) and bent
statues, and beaks, (line 13) may be interpreted as drug related. In
terms of slang being blasted means high, bent means intoxicated
with drugs and beaks is a term for cocaine. Possibly, these terms
were specifically selected, in order to keep up with the agenda of being
modern, revolutionary, and explicit about the true condition of
humanity. The form as well as the word choice are Ferlinghettis
rebellion against the familiar conventions in poetry, the lack of
symmetry and the double meanings in his phrases all live up to a
reputation of a beat poet. Ferlinghettis fusion of past wars through
Goyas works, with present events as the industrialization, proves him
to be unconventional, innovative, explicit and critical of current
happenings, he successfully maintains his status as a beat poet.
Goyas imagination of disaster (line18) proves to be bloody real,
(line19) as Ferlinghettis moves the reader to the present where it all
still exist[s] (line20), and the threat of industrialization on the
American society is the same as the threat of war, but with a different
landscape.
In the second part of the poem Ferlinghetti introduces a shift of
periods; he focuses on events in the 1950s. According to Ferlinghetti,
there was a change in the landscape that consisted of billboards that

advertised and encouraged capitalism, construction of freeways, cars

and engines, all of these resulted from industrialization. It is as if they
really still existed/ and they do/Only the landscape is changed, (lines
20-22) the capitalization of only reinforces Ferlighettis claim that
industrialization is war like. The most and only significant change is
that of the background, the appearance of billboards and cars. They
are still ranged along the roads/plagued by legionnaires/false windmills
and demented roosters, (lines 23-25) Ferlinghettis word choice is
original; he continues to fuse the concept of war with industry in the
line plagued by legionnaires (line 24). legionnaires alludes to a legion
in the army and thus to war, taking us back to the notion of
destruction, on the other hand the use of the term to describe a
disease is powerful. Legionnaires disease is known to be transferred
by bacteria that thrive in pipes, water tanks and air conditioning
systems, which have all been created with the help of industrialization.
By

using

this

term

which

associates

two

different

meanings,

Ferlinghetti skillfully inserts the idea that humanitys largest enemy is

the plague of industrialization. Ferlinghetti insists on portraying the
change in the landscape as a disease, as a war in which humanity
already lost.
Ferlinghetti continues to fight against bland billboards (line 30)
that are ranged along the roads, (line 23) and destroy the natural
landscape. The landscape is plagued by false windmills and demented

roosters (line 25) which represent capitalism at its best. Ferlinghetti

choice of word is political, the windmills allude to Don Quixote and the
false giants he fights, and similarly Ferlinghetti fights the giant
billboards, the giant corporations which stand behind them. The
demented roosters (line 25) that plague Ferlinghettis landscapes are
those who benefit the most of industrialized society, he alludes to the
giants, businesses and corporations which subsidize industrialization.
Ferlinghetti

mocks

their

arrogance

and

claims

them

to

be

unreasonable, manic; they symbolize the destruction on anything that

is normal and natural. Ferlinghetti sees humanity as the same
people, (line 26) but nowadays they are distant from nature, they are
further from home (line 27). Ferlinghetti inserts another hyperbole,
he portrays all of humanity as grown apart from nature, they are on
freeways fifty lanes wide/on a concrete continent (line 28-29). The
exaggeration of a highway with fifty lanes alongside with America as
all made of concrete, reinforce his concept of a destroyed landscape.
Concrete America is spaced with bland billboards/ illustrating imbecile
illusions of happiness, (line 30-31) it is false and pointless, it became
a place of untruthful imitations of pleasure. Another interpretation to
these lines is available, the term spaced (line 30) may allude to
American society as being high on innovation, as consuming it like
addicts, experiencing drug induced euphoria. The new concrete
scene, (line 32) that once was Ferlinghettis natural landscape,

reveals that there are less tumbrils, old fashioned cars, and more
strung

out

citizens,

(line33)

addicts,

who

consume

America.

Ferlighettis political agenda is evident in these lines, the words to

protest capitalism and industrialized America are cleverly chosen. The
final hyperbole of engines/that devour America (line36-37) displays
Ferlinghettis perception of industrialization as equal to war, capitalism
has won the battle, it took over the landscape and all of humanity.
They are now captives of progress, America is threaded with highways,
addicted to innovation that brings spiritual desolation and only illusions
of pleasure.
The poem approves Ferlighettis beat character, it dismisses
known conventions, experiments with language, explicitly depicting
human condition and criticizes industrialization. Ferlinghetti fuses two
periods and two forms of art, painting and poetry in order to connect
the notion of destruction to industrialization, making the issues in the
poem more than relevant even today. The reference to art, the
alliteration and hyperbole all transport Ferlighettis personal pain and
suffering of the loss of natural landscape to false portrayals of
happiness that will bring about Americas destruction. Ferlinghetti as
well as Goya illustrated chaos and destruction, the appearance of the
poem seems to be structured, like a landscape that lost any natural
traits and all that is left is the chaos after the war. Ferlighettis
acquaintance with art and his insertion of particular images to the

language in this poem is no less than brilliant, his message is as vivid,

emotional and strong as a painting created by Goya.