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 does Dr. Elena Martinez interpret the role of symbolism in drug-related imagery within literature, particularly in works like *Alice in Wonderland*?
**Interview with Dr. Elena Martinez: Exploring the Intersection of Literature and Drug Use**
**Editor:** Welcome, Dr. Martinez. Thank you for joining us to discuss the significant role of drugs in literature, from the works of Thomas De Quincey to contemporary authors. Let’s start with an intriguing example: the blue caterpillar from Lewis Carroll’s *Alice in Wonderland*, who is famously depicted smoking a hookah. How do you interpret this imagery in the context of drug use and literary creativity?
**Dr. Martinez:** Thank you for having me. The blue caterpillar can be seen as a symbol of altered perception. Carroll’s use of this imagery invites readers to consider how substances can provoke introspection and challenge conventional norms. Just as the caterpillar is a transitional figure—moving from one state to another—drugs in literature often serve as catalysts for change, reflecting the tension between reality and the imaginative spaces authors explore.
**Editor:** That’s an excellent point. You mention authors like Rimbaud, who expressed a desire for “a reasoned disruption of all the senses.” What do you think motivates writers to explore these themes of excess and disorder?
**Dr. Martinez:** Writers like Rimbaud and De Quincey often engage with their experiences of drugs as a means to transcend the mundane. They suggest that through disruption, one can access deeper truths about existence, creativity, and even suffering. However, it’s a tightrope walk between enlightenment and addiction, a theme that resonates deeply in the literary world. Many authors grapple with this complex relationship—drugs can enhance creativity for some, while for others, they lead to detrimental consequences.
**Editor:** In your research, how do you see the portrayal of drug use evolve in modern literature compared to earlier works?
**Dr. Martinez:** There is a noticeable shift; contemporary literature often engages with drug use from a more nuanced perspective. While earlier works tend to romanticize the bohemian lifestyle associated with substances, modern narratives focus on the more realistic consequences of addiction and trauma. Books like *Requiem for a Dream* illustrate a sobering view of addiction, showing that the pursuit of heightened experiences can lead to devastating outcomes. This mirrors our society’s growing awareness of and struggle with addiction and mental health issues.
**Editor:** That’s a vital observation. Lastly, what do you believe is the overall message that literature conveys about drug use, especially in our current cultural climate?
**Dr. Martinez:** Literature serves as both a mirror and a lens. It reflects societal attitudes toward drugs, illustrating their dual nature as sources of inspiration and destruction. In our current climate, where discussions about mental health and addiction are at the forefront, literature can provide insights into the human experience—a reminder that the search for knowledge, whether through drugs or other means, comes with profound risks and ethical considerations. Ultimately, it’s a call for awareness and contemplation rather than blanket acceptance or condemnation.
**Editor:** Thank you, Dr. Martinez, for this enlightening discussion. Your insights into the correlation between literature and the exploration of drug use deepen our understanding of how these themes resonate across time.
**Dr. Martinez:** Thank you for having me—it’s been a pleasure.