Scent

Scent

In Patrick Suskind's __Perfume: The Story of a Murderer__, Grenouille's disabilities in other senses are compensated by a phenomenal sense of smell. He travels throughout France, gathering innumerable scents, and breaking each down to its core elements. By using scent, Grenouille not only perceives and notices people, but is able to pierce through their outer disguise, and discover their inner soul. Regardless of their efforts, scent escapes them, and enters their soul. The unstoppable element of scent is utilized to manipulate as well as provide identity to the characters, a description of their inner nature, be it wonderful or repulsive.

Scent is portrayed as a divine element, penetrating through people's outer disguises and defences, and acting as the controller of their emotions. "The scent was so heavenly fine that tears welled into Baldini's eyes... It was to Amor and Psyche as a symphony is to the scratching of a lonely violin." (85)  ·  Baldini, is brought to tears by Grenouille’s powerful perfume. It is "heavenly fine", compared to a divine presence, which emphasizes its power. Furthermore, the contrast between Grenouille's perfume and Amor and Psyche is compared to that between "a symphony and the scratching of a lonely violin". The imagery portrayed illustrates that scent provokes his sense of hearing, breaking the barriers between senses. During the Age of Enlightenment, when composers such as Haydn are revolutionizing music, the analogy here shows that Grenouille's accomplishment in the realm of perfumery is comparable to Haydn's masterpieces, whereas Amor and Psyche would be the futile efforts of a novice. "[The scent was] so refreshingly good that dear Jean-Baptiste's eyes filled with tears of bliss..." (129)  ·  Grenouille cannot even escape its mood-altering effects. His inability to escape the effects is emphasized in the similarity in sentence structure between this line and the previously mentioned. While the first scent is "heavenly fine" to Baldini, Grenouille finds this one "refreshingly good". Similarly, his eyes are also "filled with tears of bliss", his emotions also succumbing to the control of scent. Scent is a divine element not only to ordinary humans, but even Grenouille. "For scent was a brother of breath. Together with breath it entered human beings, who could not defend themselves against it, not if they wanted to live. And scent entered into their very core, went directly into their hearts, and decided for good and all between affection and contempt, disgust and lust, love and hate. He who ruled scent ruled the hearts of men." (155)
 * //UNSTOPPABLE//**

 ·  Grenouille justifies his passion for scent by pointing out its supreme power. It is personified as "a brother of breath", which represents the proximity between the two elements. The personification is elaborated as the two are virtually combined into a spiritual presence, as humans are defenseless against them. By accepting life, people choose to expose themselves to scent. Therefore scent is able to reach their very source of life, the heart.  ·  In addition to exposing their inner nature, scent becomes the manipulator of people's emotions, "deciding" for them. The personification displays its power over the heart. The combination of opposing sentiments, "affection and contempt", "disgust and lust", "love and hate", represents the plethora of emotions that scent evokes. It is therefore a supernatural power, granting its possessor the power to “[rule] the hearts of men”. "What he coveted was the odor of //certain// human beings: that is, those rare humans who inspire love." (188)  ·  Grenouille longs to possess the scents of the few girls as his own, so that he can have the same influence over others using this divine element. He also notes that only "certain" humans have such scent. Finally, he describes his specific targets as those "who inspire love". Ironically, when spoken by others, this phrase suggests that the speaker is searching for people whose actions, words, or appearance cause love. However, for Grenouille, the greatest source of love comes from scent, invading every person along with breath, demonstrating that it is able to manipulate emotions. "Grenouille could smell at once that no living creature had ever entered the place." (122)  ·  Grenouille relies on his nose to detect human presence. Simply by smelling, he notices that no one "had ever entered the place". His conclusion not only includes the fact that no living creature is currently present in the cave, but also that the cave has never been occupied in the past. In comparison, his eyes would only inform him whether there is life currently there, and thus sight would be inferior to smell in this situation. While the person or animal may have departed, its scent remains as its identification. Consequently, Grenouille is able to deduce whether living creatures have inhabited the cave by using his nose, because any scent remaining would serve as identification of an outsider's presence. "He did not want to create a great scent... He wanted to acquire the human-being odor" (148-149)  ·  Born without scent, Grenouille virtually has no identity in the novel. Therefore he spends the first half his life ignored by others. He hopes to acquire a false human sense, which later allows him to be noticed as a human presence on the streets. The possession of a human scent is an analogy for having an identity amongst the French people. Thus Grenouille’s goal is, for now, simply to be recognized as a human presence among them. "No, he wanted truly to possess the scent of this girl behind the wall; to peel it from her like skin and to make her scent his own." (172)  ·  Grenouille manifests his admiration and love for the girl by desiring her scent. Although he has not even seen the girl, he recognizes her scent. His lust for her scent is depicted by comparing him obtaining it to "[peeling] it from her like skin". The simile compares her scent to her skin. As other people wish for her beauty, and dreaming that they had her "skin", Grenouille exhibits the same desire for her scent. To him, being as beautiful as her simply consists of having her scent. "During the last few weeks the fragrance of that thread had grown so strong that Grenouille had clearly discerned it from his cabin on the far side of the town. Now it was gone, vanished, untraceable despite the most intensive sniffing." (211)  ·  Laure’s name and appearance are of no importance to Grenouille. For him, her scent acts as a symbol for herself, her body, and her beauty. Instead of tracking Laure by following her, he simply detects her location by pinpointing her scent. Not only does using scent allow him to discern her from the, it proves to be a more powerful method than sight, as he can find her "from his cabin on the far side of the town". This line demonstrates that scent is the most distinctive characteristic of a person. Therefore if Grenouille cannot even detect Laure's smell, it implies that she has fled far away from him. "This scent was a blend of both, of evanescence and substance, not a blend, but a unity, although slight and frail as well, and yet solid and sustaining, like a piece of thin, shimmering silk " (39)  ·  The girl's scent rules over Grenouille’s emotions. Upon noticing her fragrance, Grenouille is bombarded with mixtures, contradictions, and images. It is perceived to be a blend of "evanescence and substance". The oxymoron between a fleeting sensation and a concrete element represents the ephemeral presence of the scent, and its undeniable existence. Moreover, it is only temporary, but leaves such a strong impression that it is impossible to deny it.  ·  Subsequently, Grenouille's idea of the fragrance as a unity rather than a blend symbolizes the perfect union of the diverse scents. The girl emits a variety of scents, which combine together as a perfect blend. He then proceeds to wedge the scent between "slight and frail" and "solid and sustaining". It is light, swiftly passing by him, and is easily lost. However, its presence is so strong that it stops him in his tracks.  ·  Finally, Grenouille compares the scent to "a piece of thin, shimmering silk". The simile depicts it as being delicate and fragile, but also precious and cherished. Moreover, silk, an uncommon good, suggests that the odor is a rare presence. "Her sweat smelled as fresh as the sea breeze, the tallow of her hair as sweet as nut oil, her genitals were as fragrant as the bouquet of water lilies, her skin was apricot blossoms... and the harmony of all these components yielded a perfume so rich, so balanced, so magical, that every perfume [...] seemed at once to be utterly meaningless." (41)  ·  The contrast between the scent conventionally suggested by body parts and the actual smell detected by Grenouille serves to illustrate the girl’s exceptional olfactory beauty. Sweat, tallow, genitals, and skin are generally associated with lack of hygiene, and the sources of foul odor. However, this girl's odor is so exquisite, that the similes employed represent either odors Grenouille personally values, or uses in perfumes. The sea breeze has always been a scent to Grenouille throughout the novel. Meanwhile, nut oil, water lilies, and apricot blossoms, ingredients in making perfume, are united on her body. It appears that the girl herself is a perfume.  ·  Grenouille proceeds by describing the girl's smell as a "harmony", "so rich, so balanced, so magical". "Harmony" further enhances her perfect combination of scents. It is "rich", because it satisfies Grenouille’s desires, but "balanced", as it does not overwhelm him like Taillade-Espinasse's violets, and most of all, "magical", since the scent is simply supernatural. He finishes by stating that all other perfumes "[seem] at once to be utterly meaningless". The hyperbole allows her scent to stand out even more. "Not actually her foot, but simply the cloth that enveloped it and beneath that the thin layer of oil drinking up her scent, her glorious scent, his scent." (219)  ·  Despite Laure's physical beauty, her source of attraction is her scent, her only feature that Grenouille collects. Her body is irrelevant, as he is not "[touching] her foot", recognizing her scent as the true carrier of her beauty. Her body is actually of no value, but he is touching "the cloth... and the thin layer of oil drinking up her scent". The personification of her scent being absorbed as a drink alludes to when he was in the mountains, indulging in past scents as if they were drinks. His tool, the oil, then represents him stripping away her scent, like a vampire draining his victim of blood. Nevertheless, he confesses that her scent is "glorious". She is not the one who is wonderful, but rather her odor is. It is then this marvelous odor that Grenouille longs to possess. Laure's scent then becomes "his scent", a possession easily changing hands. "He must design a diadem of scent, and at its sublime acme, intertwined with the other scents and yet ruling over him, //his// scent would gleam." (193)  ·  Grenouille compares concocting the perfect perfume to creating a diadem to illustrate the process of gathering every perfect human scent to present a phenomenal odor. He portrays himself as "designing" it, like an artist. The metaphor of comparing the girls' scents to a diadem emphasizes the wonder that will be produced. Additionally, the metaphor suggests that the perfume must be worn, as diadems are useless unless worn by someone. The ultimate scent, Laure's, is further compared as "sublime acme". Moreover, Grenouille believes the perfume will "[rule] over him", representing the supreme power of the new scent, holding everyone under its control. He concludes that it "would gleam". The metaphor further enhances the wonder of the scent, as the smell, being invisible, will be so incredible that it would seem to be shining in bright light.
 * //IDENTITY OF HUMANS//**
 * For the characters in the novel, scent is a representative, even a substitute for a person's identity.**
 * //BEAUTY/WONDER//**
 * Instead of visually presented, inner beauty in //Perfume// is manifested through scent, a tool that alters moods, and a possession that Grenouille hunts for.**

"People stank of sweat and unwashed clothes; from their mouths came the stench of rotting teeth, from their bellies that of onions, and from their bodies, if they were no longer very young, came the stench of rancid cheese and sour milk and tumorous cheese." (3) <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"> ·  The people's putrid smell from their diverse body parts represent the undesirable qualities that emerge. The smell of unwashed clothes is due to the people's unwillingness to cleanse their garments, which symbolizes their laziness and ignorance towards self-care. Next, the "stench of rotting teeth" is a metaphor for the vile words that are exchanged. Not only do the rotting teeth refer to the lack of dental hygiene, but it also emphasizes the cruel words that are utilized at the time. Similarly, the scent of onions "from their bellies" represents their inner hatred and contempt that is contained. Finally, ironically, although milk in humans is generally associated with fertility and nurturing, it is here interpreted as "rancid cheese and sour milk and tumorous cheese". It appears that through the people's ignorance, they set each other, even their own children aside, like leaving milk aside. The milk then rots, similar to relationships breaking down due to being stagnant. "It was establishing his scent! And all at once he felt as if he stank, of sweat and vinegar, of choucroute and unwashed clothes." (17) <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"> ·  When Grenouille exposes Father Terrier's hidden flaws through his olfactory scrutinization, the similarity between his smell and that of the common man serve to mock the religious as being of the same level as others. As a Father, Terrier appears as a holy man to others. Nevertheless, he is exposed to Grenouille's merciless smelling. Terrier is unable to prevent himself from being examined. By smelling him, Grenouille dissects him down to his very core, which "[stinks], of sweat and vinegar, of choucroute and unwashed clothes". Sweat, vinegar, and unwashed clothes have all been mentioned previously in the novel to describe the French people in general. The allusion reveals that Terrier as being the same as the rest of the population, no better despite his position and image. In his heart, he is the same as all other people. Sukind is therefore mocking the religious, claiming they are actually no better than the ordinary person. "He would have loved to have gone over to him, lifted him up, and pressed him to his enlightened heart. But he feared that he still smelled too much of violets..." (147) <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"> ·  Upon recognizing his unpleasant violet smell, Taillade-Espinasse discoverse\ his inner, albeit false, vileness due to an abundance of //fluidum vitale//. Taillade-Espinasse "would have loved" to hug Grenouille. Ironically, neither Taillade-Espinasse nor Grenouille have any love for one another. The former views the latter as an experiment subject which will bring him to fame, while the latter is manipulating the former to help reintegrate himself into humanity. The irony is further emphasized as Taillade-Espinasse wishes to "[press Grenouille] to his enlightened heart". Grenouille conjures a ludicrous explanation, and Taillade-Espinasse’s heart is by no means "enlightened". <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol;"> ·  However, Taillade-Espinasse's overly strong violet scent ultimately describes his inner nature. Like Pelissier, who has absolutely no knowledge on making perfume, but still attempts to do so, Taillade-Espinasse is completely unaware of true, valid scientific ideas, but pretends to be a legitimate scientist. Just as Grenouille finds Pelissier's Amor and Psyche to be disproportionate and unbalanced, the marquis possesses too much violet scent on himself. The overwhelming scent is representative of his inability to discover true scientific facts, but rather invents preposterous theories, like Pelissier creating shockingly unpleasant perfumes. Thus the uncontrolled scent symbolizes his inner nature that fails to present reliable ideas.
 * //UGLINESS/REPULSION//**
 * Unpleasant odors emitted by humans represent their inner evil and flaws, which are extracted and exposed**