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.

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.