2024-11-24 15:00:00
In “Alice in Wonderland”, by Lewis Carroll, the young heroine meets a blue caterpillar smoking a hookah on a mushroom… Illustration by John Tenniel (London, 1890). DARCHIVIO/OPALE.PHOTO
From Thomas De Quincey to Will Self via Arthur Rimbaud, drugs have given rise to an abundant literature. Antidotes to bourgeois moderation, whether they express excess or disorder, they testify to a desire not without danger of engagement in creative introspection. Rimbaud, “the man with the soles of wind”, was one of the first to call for, in his famous collection of prose poems A season in hell (1873), the implementation of a “reasoned disruption of all the senses” conducive, according to him, to poetic creation. Often associated with the image of the cursed poet, he nevertheless had an ambiguous relationship with substances that modify perception.
Many people followed suit. Some have made narcotics a key focus of their work, others have seen them only as an uninteresting mirage or a refuge from depression or physical suffering. A minority found in psychotropic drugs a door to a larger dimension. Between knowledge and forgetting oneself, the line is sometimes tenuous.
This article is taken from “Special Issue Le Monde – Drug traffickers: their networks, their crimes, the response”November-December 2024, on sale at kiosks or online by going to on our store website.
The German writer Ernst Jünger, fascinated by extreme experiences, perfectly sums up this ambiguity in Approaches, drugs and drunkennessa major work published in 1970: « Forgetting something, running away from something and on the other hand wanting to achieve, to gain something, it is between these two poles that the whole problem of drunkenness moves. » We take drugs out of pain, sorrow, curiosity, a taste for transgression as much as to open ourselves to a different form of consciousness and thought, neither cognitive nor discursive. For Jacques Rigaut, one of the most active agitators of the Parisian Dada group, known for his nihilistic spirit at the beginning of the 20th century, the use of narcotics simply requires no justification.
Alice high perched
If, in the 16th century, Rabelais already mentioned substances altering the mind in his writings, Thomas De Quincey, self-proclaimed “Pope of the Church of Opium »is the first writer in the world to have frankly recounted the recreational use of a drug, in this case laudanum, an alcoholic tincture of opium very popular in the Victorian era. His Confessions of an English Opium Eater, published in 1822, thus mark the beginning of a long series of imitations. Balzac was inspired, for example, by Alfred de Musset’s somewhat fanciful translation of the text to write a short story (L’Opium) in 1830.
You have 86.34% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
1732487958
#Drugs #heroine #literature
How do literary depictions of drugs reflect societal attitudes towards substance use during the time periods in which they were written?
**Interview with Dr. Emilia Hart, Literary Scholar and Expert on Drug Representation in Literature**
**Date: November 24, 2024**
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Hart, for joining us today. Your insights into the relationship between drugs and literature are invaluable. Let’s start with the famous blue caterpillar from “Alice in Wonderland” who is depicted smoking a hookah. What do you think Lewis Carroll’s portrayal of drug use signifies in the context of the story?
**Dr. Hart:** Thank you for having me! Carroll’s caterpillar is a fascinating character. The hookah symbolizes altered states of consciousness and serves as a gateway to explore themes of identity and reality. This moment in the story encapsulates the Victorian fascination with drugs, where such substances were often associated with enlightenment yet also with confusion. The caterpillar’s languid demeanor prompts Alice—and the readers—to question what reality truly is, much like the experience of drug use itself.
**Interviewer:** That’s a compelling interpretation. You also have explored the works of authors from De Quincey to Rimbaud, who have famously engaged with drug use in their creativity. How do these writers navigate the fine line between inspiration and self-destruction?
**Dr. Hart:** Indeed, many writers have grappled with this duality. Rimbaud, for instance, advocated for a “reasoned disruption of all the senses” as a means to unlock poetic creation in his work *A Season in Hell*. This idea resonates through literature where drugs act as both a muse and a peril. Authors like Thomas De Quincey elucidate the intoxicating allure that leads to addiction, while others treat drugs merely as escapism—a refuge from their struggles. The literary discourse surrounding these substances reflects broader societal issues and personal responses to suffering.
**Interviewer:** You mention De Quincey and Rimbaud as pivotal figures in this discourse. Can we say that drug use in literature serves different purposes for different authors?
**Dr. Hart:** Absolutely. For some, drug use is integral to their artistic expression, offering a lens through which they engage with reality. For instance, Will Self often critiques modernity’s superficiality through his narratives that include substance use. Conversely, other writers may view drugs as a curse or distraction, not contributing meaningfully to their work. This ambivalence reveals deep truths about the human experience and how creativity can emerge from both enlightenment and despair.
**Interviewer:** As we consider these varying perspectives, what do you think is the contemporary relevance of literature about drugs?
**Dr. Hart:** The dialog continues to be relevant, especially with current discussions around mental health, substance use, and addiction. Literature provides a profound way to explore these themes, allowing readers to engage with the complexities of human experiences surrounding drugs. It serves not as an endorsement but as a reflective surface for societal struggles, promoting understanding and empathy towards those affected by substance use issues.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Dr. Hart, for your enlightening views on the intersection of drugs and literature. It’s clear that this topic has deep roots and significant implications for both authors and readers alike.
**Dr. Hart:** Thank you for the discussion! It’s an essential conversation in understanding how literature mirrors and shapes our societal perspectives on such complex issues.
