Confessions of an English Opium-Eater · Theme
Pleasure versus Pain
How Confessions of an English Opium-Eater develops Pleasure versus Pain.
De Quincey contrasts the initial 'divine pleasures' of opium—ecstasy, serenity, and heightened intellect—with the subsequent 'pains of opium,' including physical agony, nightmares, and mental torpor.
Where it surfaces
- The Pleasures of Opium
The chapter contrasts the excruciating pain of rheumatism with the 'divine enjoyment' and 'abyss of divine enjoyment' brought by opium, highlighting the dual nature of the drug.
- Introduction to the Pains of Opium
He confesses his inability to face misery and his hankering after happiness, justifying his opium use as a means to avoid pain.
- Endnotes
Discussion of the principle 'reculer pour mieux sauter' and how anger helps bear sufferings, illustrating the trade-off between pleasure and pain.