Patrick Suskind's Perfume

Grenouille is a unique character in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer in the sense of his supernatural sense of smell. Grenouille’s sense of smell not only aids him in accomplishing his goal in creating the perfect scent, but it also develops his character with several hardships, such as various people throughout his life underestimate and demine the existence of his supernatural nose. Patrick Suskind, the author of Perfume, portrays Grenouille as a bildungsroman who accomplishes his goal of crafting the perfect scent by overcoming constant shunning from society during the end of French Renaissance. Within 18th century of France, the society is very religious on Catholicism and ranking of wealth, and the possession of supernatural qualities is a threat to the way of life that is either satanic or an advantage for one’s own desire. Despite society claiming Grenouille’s unearthly nose is unholy to religion, is a target of wealth, and the people an arrogant understanding of new things, Grenouille keeps striving with his ambition. The opening argument society defends against Grenouille’s sense of smell is that it is unholy to the religion of Catholicism. In the 18th century, religion, specifically Catholicism, was immense within French society. Grenouille having his supernatural sense of smell threatened the religion in being a quality abnormal to normal humans and, inevitably, being considered devilish and unholy. This first roadblock for Grenouille’s future ambition set