“Perfume” is a cross-genre novel indited by the German author, Patrick Süskind in 1985. Set in seventeenth-century France, the novel pertains to the life of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a sociopathic, enlightened Parisian whose hyperosmia, and ardent desire to experience olfactory pleasure, leads him to murder twenty-six virgin girls, twenty-five of whom were used to create the ultimate perfume. Greouille’s propensity for perfume is accentuated by the use of “Perfume” as the novels title; it is Grenouille’s passion, exemplified by his desire to “possess everything the world could offer in the way of odours” and recreate the human scent.
Süskind utilises a third person narrative through-out the novel, distancing the readers from Grenouille; they are not privy to his
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This allows Süskind to explore the thoughts of other characters, allowing for a greater comprehension of their rejection of Grenouille, which is inherently due to his lack of scent; for example, his wet nurse leaves him with Father Terrier as she believes that he is evil because he “doesn’t smell at all” . The portrayal of Grenouille as a subhuman entity coupled with this narrative style causes the reader to subconsciously deem Grenouille to be subhuman.
Süskind explores subhumanity through the behaviour of Grenouille’s mother. Grenouille’s mother, the deuteragonist, abandons Grenouille after childbirth, and professes that “she would have let the thing perish” upon being apprehended. Using “let” accentuates her lack of care for the child; not only is her indifference such that she is willing to let him perish, but she refuses to end the child’s suffering, preferring to allow him to die rather directly causing it. The noun “thing” perpetuates this; it can be assumed that Grenouille’s mother is unaware of her child’s gender, thus limiting her to gender neutral terminology. Furthermore, the use of
Works Cited: Source: #1 Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 123: Nineteenth-Century French Fiction Writers: Naturalism and Beyond, 1860-1900. A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book. Edited by Catharine Savage Brosman, Tulane University. The Gale Group, 1992. pp. 188-214.
Throughout John Gardner’s Grendel, the audience bears witness to a creature who has been ostracized by the world around him. Throughout his journey, the stories protagonist tries to live out his own life the way he wants to, despite being labeled as evil by those around him. Due to this constant criticism by his peers, he develops an inferiority complex that he desperately tries to make up for as the story progresses. Throughout his development, Grendel very rapidly moves past his existentialist beginning, through a brief phase of forced skepticism, and into a severely nihilistic point of view.
Gardner plays Grendel as like a child when he first discovers the the new world. For example, Grendel announces, “ I played my way farther out into this world” (Gardner 16). This shows Grendel’s first look in the real world. He first thinks that this world is going to be a fine place to live. Unfortunately, Grendel explore more into the world and sees the “Burning eyes of the strangers” (Gardner 17). To explain, Grendel has never seen such people in his life, so he starts to rethink life. In other words, his exploration of the world of humans changes the way he perceives the creatures in the underground world. This mentally changes his self
It’s the most iconic perfume that changed the world of fragrance. Chanel wanted to create a scent that was modern, classy and represented women. “Perfumer Ernest Beaux produced a portfolio of samples for Mademoiselle to try- and she chose the fifth proposal” (“Chanel”, n.d). It was composed of eight different ingredients making her perfume more complex than any in the market. She was the first designer to put her name on a fragrance and replaced the typical perfume packaging for a more sleek, simple look. This was an extraordinary scent and it is still around
Throughout the novels Perfume and Chronicles of a Death Foretold the authors tends to use many literary devices in order to really bring life to the work and keep the reader intrigued. Exaggeration is very apparent in both novels and almost seems excessive, but vivid at the same time. In Perfume Suskind refers to “stench” many times and based on the imagery used in the novel the context gives the word “stench” almost a positive meaning at times. For Example, when Grenouille murders the girl, the way he describes her “sweaty armpits, oily hair, and fishy genitals”, makes the sensation seem like an actual perfume to his nose. The author also uses scent to characterize in the novel. Grenouille who had to apparent sent seemed equal to one with
Despite her limited involvement in his life, Grendel’s mother indubitably impacts her son. Because she cannot speak to Grendel in a way that he understands, Grendel becomes very lonely. He wonders, “Why can’t I have someone to talk to” (Gardner 53)? This lack of communication causes Grendel to feel very distant from his own mother. As a result of his increased solitary time, he begins to isolate himself and becomes alienated. Grendel cries, “I shake my head, muttering darkly on shaded paths, holding conversation with the only friend and comfort this world affords, my shadow” (Gardner 8). Rather than looking to his mother for advice, the outcast is forced to rely on himself, thus, making him more independent and free to do as he pleases. One time Grendel asked his mother, “Why are we here” (Gardner 11)? His mother’s blank response enabled him to formulate his own austere answer to the question, resulting in his adverse and destructive ways of
The majority of John Gardner's Grendel revolves around a monster-like character named Grendel. The reader is allowed access to Grendel's subconscious and inner monologue, giving one the sense of a very close relationship with the main character. This tends to beguile one into sympathizing with him and thinking of him as a protagonist because historically in literature the main character of a novel has always been the "good guy." However, he proves himself to be very much the anti-hero in the novel many times over. Grendel's social contact with the world is extremely limited, but his persona is greatly influenced by each brief encounter with another character.
The protagonists, The Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, consider it their life’s ambition to sadistically control and dominate those around them through sexual intrigue. These two villains are indeed locked in psychological combat to see who can actually ‘out-do’ the other in stalking, capturing and destroying the souls of others. Taking absolute pleasure in ripping any virtue from the hearts of their prey, Merteuil and Valmont wave their accomplishments in front of each other like spoils of war. The less the chance of surrender, the more relentless is the pursuit.
Jean Paul Gaultier finds a symbolic tension, which highlights the desire to emulate the clothing, and associated gender paraphernalia. He is often described as Frencher than French, the enfant terrible of French couture. This essay will expose reactions of ridicule and intolerance exceptional technique and ability to never confine to the norm, the ways he has shaped and challenged the conventional idea of fashion. The modes of male self-presentation will be shown with the consideration of each fashion collection. “Clothes don’t have a gender except those of function.” Discussion will investigate male self-presentation, Gaultier ability to tread the line between gender identity and cross-dressing, between provocation and originality. Fashion is full of outdated clichés, which no longer fit with the times.
The novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, by Patrick Süskind takes place in the densely populated and repugnant slums of 18th century Paris where protagonist Jean-Baptiste Grenouille resides as a lowly peasant with an incomparable sense of smell that sets him apart from the rest of the world. However, Grenouille is unaffected, and endures the hardships of brutal peasant life with an iron will, in the hopes of discovering every scent the world had to offer as his only motivation for living. He craves to be alone to further enhance his knowledge in capturing scent; Grenouille becomes so estranged and enthralled in the art of capturing fragrances that he sets out on a quest to concoct the “ultimate perfume” which leads him to commit a series of murders to capture human scent. Süskind, by way of Jean Baptiste’s obscure life and fine nose allows readers to explore the concept of alienation and the effects it has on the character development of Jean Baptiste Grenouille.
In her, “Modernity and the Spaces of Feminity,” Griselda Pollock questions the representations and myths of modernity in Paris during the nineteenth century. The Impressionist movement, dominated by a masculine perspective, represent Paris as being the new place for recreation, leisure and unrestrained pleasure. But, what about Impressionist women painters? what was their point of view? Pollock argues that a historical asymmetry, which is a social and economical difference produced by a social structuration of sexual difference, determined both what and how men and women painted. Therefore, in order to analyze female Impressionist, we must take into consideration that they share the same social system produced by a sexual differentiation, hence,
In conclusion, the author’s choice of utilizing the third person narration is what provided the high level of ignorance, as the voice concentrated on the protagonist husband. It brought the reader to the place of how inadequately the husband treated the wife and how he was oblivious of how his actions affected her. The reader is also able to envision that the protagonist is not cognizant that he is not being truthful to himself. It permits the reader to realize the how boring, prideful, thoughtless, and insensitive the protagonist is overall.
Oud has begun to appear, usually in the form of exclusive limited editions, opulently and carefully, in the avant-garde collections of perfumery houses that have already acquainted us with the exotics of the South, the East, and faraway islands
“The Necklace”, narrated by Guy de Maupassant in 3rd person omniscient, focuses the story around Mathilde Loisel who is middle class, and her dreams of fame and fortune. The story is set in 19th century France. One day, Mathilde’s husband brings home an invitation to a fancy ball for Mathilde; to his surprise Mathilde throws a fit because she doesn’t have a dress or jewelry to wear to the ball. M. Loisel gets her the beautifully expensive dress she desires and Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from Mme. Forestier, a rich acquaintance of Mathilde. Mathilde goes to the ball and has a night she’s dreamed of, until she gets home from the ball at 4 A.M. to find
The history of perfume is a reflection of humanity: a means of exchange, a protection against disease, a potion with divine virtues, a gallant message, which reflects society, perceptibly communicating its sense of commerce and medicine, of the sacred and the sensual. The word "perfume" comes from the Latin per fume "through smoke". This refers to the original use of fragrances - the burning of incense and herbs as a religious offering.