LLS 1340 - Poetry and the Brain

Credits: 3 hrs.

We will explore the interactions between poetry and the brain using a concept called “synesthesia” which illuminates how the left hemisphere of the brain generates poetry. We will study poets who have used synesthesia in their texts (Baudelaire, Rodenbach, Rimbaud, etc) and scientists who have analyzed synesthesia (Ramachadran, Cytowic, Cretien, etc). We will also examine the impact of synesthesia on the perception of reality and its ability to bridge gaps between several areas of human knowledge. You will then explore how synesthesia serves as a catalyst for artistic creativity.