Death and Immortality Through Scent

Grenouille's quest to create an eternal scent, and his ultimate dissolution.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Desire for Eternal Scent

Desire for Eternal Scent The Red-Haired Girl's Scent Grenouille wanted to possess the girl's scent forever. He stored it in memory. The Problem of Transience He realized that real scents fade. He needed to create a perfume that would last. The Ultimate Perfume

The Perfume as Immortality

The Perfume as Immortality Creating the Masterpiece Grenouille's perfume was so powerful it could make him a god. It was his bid for immortality. The Execution He achieved a moment of godlike adoration. But it was fleeting. Emptiness of Immortality

Death and Dissolution

Death and Dissolution Choosing Mortality Grenouille rejected his power and sought death. He used the perfume to be destroyed. Cannibalism He was eaten, his body gone. No trace remained. Paradoxical Immortality

1753-1766

1766

25 June 1766