The Literary Influences Of Jim Morrison

Victor Rouă0 comment

Jim Morrison was one of the best American poets of the 20th century as well as a very naturally gifted singer. A highly charismatic and enchanting musician and intellectual, Jim Morrison was an avid reader from a young age. As a teenager, he immersed himself in a wide variety of notable literary works, ranging from rather obscure and rare books on demonology and the occult or esotericism to French symbolism poetry (more specifically Arthur Rimbaud), Charles Baudelaire, Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Friedrich Nietzsche, William Blake, Aldous Huxley, Beat (or Beatnick) poets and novelists (most notably William S. Burroughs), and Albert Camus.

Jim Morrison, a gifted American poet and singer, performing live with The Doors in 1967. Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Jim Morrison was a very well-read young man, highly sensitive, kind, nice as well as very loving and affectionate (contrary to what some might be inclined to think). His rather erroneous depiction in Oliver Stone’s 1991 film entitled The Doors exacerbated his dark side which was not natural. The real Jim Morrison was a nice guy, according to Ray Manzarek, the legendary keyboardist of the band. If I were to trust someone on Jim Morrison who knew him quite well, I would always trust what Ray had to say about him and not a film director. I also highly encourage you to do so.

Heading back to his literary influences, it was essentially thanks to his longtime interested in literature that created the name of the band he had fronted from 1965 up until 1971, the year in which he had passed away in relatively mysterious circumstances in Paris, France. The name of the Doors was inspired by Aldous Huxley’s book The Doors of Perception which was in turn a reference to another major literary work by American romanticist poet William Blake, more specifically The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. The quote from this literary work which inspired the name of one of the greatest bands in rock music history was the following one:

‘If the doors of perception were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is, infinite.’

And indeed, so it is:

‘For man has closed himself up, till he sees all things thro’ narrow chinks of his cavern.’

And that was the remainder of the respective famous quote. This particular quote can be, in my humble opinion, rightfully associated with Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Cave’. In a philosophical manner, one could argue that this represents an expanded type of consciousness, one which has infinite potential in stark contrast to a restrictive shadow in a cave. Of course, freedom inevitably enters the equation for without freedom and courage to move past fear and self-imposed limitations of one’s mind consciousness can only remain rather closed off and without the potential for expansion. In other words, the harshest prison one can live in is inside one’s closed mind. And this reminds me of a very touching and melancholic song by The Doors, namely Unhappy Girl. There are two lines in the respective song which go like this:

‘[…] You are locked in a prison
Of your own device’

And this can apply to the opposite gender as well, not only to ladies. Once again, in my opinion, this can potentially highlight the fact that the harshest prison one can live in is one of the respective person’s own device, in his or her own mind.

Last but not least, two important Doors songs that represent a direct literary tribute to William Blake are Break on Through and End of the Night (two very dear and most favourite songs of mine from their entire discography), both on the eponymous debut studio album by the band which was released in 1967.

This touching and melancholic song in particular was inspired by the poem Auguries of Innocence by William Blake:

His literary influences shaped his surreal, mysterious, dreamy, romantic, and, at times, dark poetry, revealing his true yet sometimes underrated side, that of a very loving and intelligent romantic genius. Thank you very much for your time and attention! All the best and rock on!

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