Themes In Perfume The Story Of A Murderer
Introduction
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a novel written by Patrick Süskind, which was later adapted into a movie. The story revolves around Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a man born with no body odor but with an exceptional sense of smell. The novel explores various themes, including love, obsession, identity, and power.
Love and Obsession
One of the most prominent themes in Perfume is love and obsession. Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is obsessed with capturing scents, and this obsession drives him to commit murders. He is also obsessed with the scent of a woman, Laura Richis, which ultimately leads to his downfall.
On the other hand, Laura's father is obsessed with finding the murderer of his daughter's friend, which leads him to falsely accuse innocent people. The theme of love is also explored in the relationship between Jean-Baptiste and his mother, who abandons him at birth.
Identity
The theme of identity is also explored in Perfume. Jean-Baptiste Grenouille struggles with his identity as a person with no scent. He becomes obsessed with capturing scents to create his own identity. He also struggles with his identity as a murderer and his inability to connect with other people.
The theme of identity is also explored in the character of Baldini, a perfumer who is struggling to maintain his identity in a changing world. He is forced to adapt to new trends in the perfume industry to stay relevant.
Power
The theme of power is explored in the character of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who uses his exceptional sense of smell to gain power over others. He uses his ability to create scents to manipulate and control people, ultimately leading to his downfall.
The theme of power is also explored in the character of Marquis de la Taillade-Espinasse, who uses his position of power to manipulate and control others. He uses his influence to protect Jean-Baptiste, who has become his apprentice.
Mortality
The theme of mortality is explored in the final scenes of Perfume. Jean-Baptiste Grenouille creates the ultimate scent, which he believes will make him immortal. However, he realizes that the scent can only be experienced after death. He willingly gives himself up to be torn apart by a mob, knowing that his scent will live on.
Conclusion
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a novel that explores various themes, including love, obsession, identity, power, and mortality. The story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is a cautionary tale about the dangers of obsession and the consequences of pursuing power at any cost.
