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.
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How have the works of authors like Rimbaud and De Quincey influenced modern literary approaches to drug experiences?
**Interview: The Influence of Drugs in Literature**
*Date: November 24, 2024*
*Guest: Dr. Alice Thompson, Literary Scholar and Author of “Mind-Expanding Literature”*
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Dr. Thompson. Your recent publication discusses the intricate relationship between literature and psychoactive substances. Can you elaborate on how drugs have shaped literary narratives, starting with classics like “Alice in Wonderland”?
**Dr. Thompson:** Absolutely, and thanks for having me. Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” is a fantastic starting point. The image of the blue caterpillar smoking a hookah is rich in symbolism. It suggests altered states of consciousness, a theme pervasive in literature. Carroll’s work invites readers to explore fantastical realms that often parallel experiences induced by drugs, reflecting broader societal issues regarding perception and reality.
**Editor:** That’s fascinating. You mention figures like Arthur Rimbaud and Thomas De Quincey in your work. What role did they play in challenging conventional views of drugs?
**Dr. Thompson:** Rimbaud, for instance, famously proclaimed the need for a “reasoned disruption of all the senses” to achieve poetic creation. This embraces the idea that one can harness drugs not merely for escapism but as tools for deeper artistic insight. De Quincey, known for “Confessions of an English Opium-Eater,” illustrated the complex relationship writers have with substances—oscillating between addiction and inspiration.
**Editor:** It seems that the narrative surrounding drugs in literature is quite nuanced. Are there any contemporary writers who continue this legacy?
**Dr. Thompson:** Certainly. Contemporary authors like Will Self have incorporated drug experiences into their narratives, exploring themes of excess and the allure of oblivion. They may view drugs as a temporary relief from the mundane or a way to engage more profoundly with the self and the world. This reflects a shift from mere indulgence to exploring the psychological ramifications and creativity associated with these substances.
**Editor:** You’ve mentioned the tension between knowledge and forgetting. Can you dive deeper into what this means in the context of literature?
**Dr. Thompson:** This tension is crucial in understanding the duality of drug use in literary contexts: on one hand, drugs can expand consciousness and open new avenues for creativity. On the other, they can lead to oblivion and addiction. This complexity is mirrored in the works of many authors who use their own experiences with substances to explore themes of identity, reality, and existential despair.
**Editor:** how do you see the portrayal of drugs evolving in future literature?
**Dr. Thompson:** As society’s relationship with drugs continues to evolve—especially with the rise of legal recreational substances and the discourse surrounding mental health—I believe literature will increasingly reflect these changes. We may see more nuanced portrayals that go beyond the glamorization or vilification of drug use, focusing instead on personal narratives and the broader societal implications.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Thompson, for sharing your insights. It’s clear that the connection between drugs and literature is both deeply historical and ever-relevant.
**Dr. Thompson:** Thank you for having me. It was a pleasure to discuss this enlightening topic.
