Beat
Apart from its use as a term in rhythm, Beat describes a (mostly
American) literary and cultural movement that began in the late
1940s and continued into the 1960s. Beats portrayed themselves
as countercultural radicals, ??? Beat culture was a strong
influence on the countercultural movements of the 1960s.
Two of the most influential Beat works are Jack Kerouac's novel
On the Road and Allen Ginsberg's long free-verse poem Howl.
From the Guide to Literary Terms by Jack Lynch.
Please send comments to jlynch@andromeda.rutgers.edu.
Note: This guide is still in the early stages of development. Bear with me.