EN
We will begin with the premise that drug intake, and furthermost the representations that surround this intake, are a reflection of a given time and culture’s atmosphere. That is to say that the way in which drugs are understood in general can be a strong indicator of a certain era’s imaginary. This imaginary can, amongst other techniques, be probed through a study of literature. We are proposing to do this through a reading of 19th century occidental authors and by striving to create a synergy between literature, the intake of consciousness-altering substances and Romantic aesthetics. The ways in which drugs are treated in literature can be a useful means of grasping the atmosphere and aesthetics that each era conveys.
PL
We will begin with the premise that drug intake, and furthermost the representations that surround this intake, are a reflection of a given time and culture’s atmosphere. That is to say that the way in which drugs are understood in general can be a strong indicator of a certain era’s imaginary. This imaginary can, amongst other techniques, be probed through a study of literature. We are proposing to do this through a reading of 19th century occidental authors and by striving to create a synergy between literature, the intake of consciousness-altering substances and Romantic aesthetics. The ways in which drugs are treated in literature can be a useful means of grasping the atmosphere and aesthetics that each era conveys.