Anti-Hero of the Scent Novel: Grenouille

Abstract

Patrick Süskind's novel, originally titled Das Parfum, attracted great attention when it was published in 1985. The novel was translated into many languages after its publication. It was translated into Turkish under the name Koku in 1987. The reason why the novel attracted so much attention was its protagonist, whose like had not been seen in literature until then. Grenouille, the main character of the novel, is in a chain of oddities from the moment he is born. As he grows up, it becomes more obvious that he is different from the people around him. One of her peculiarities is that her body has never smelled since the moment she was born. On the other hand, he has a talent that no one else has, an extraordinary sense of smell. Grenouille, who is not valued and ignored by anyone, is always seen as the "other" as long as he lives. This feeling constitutes an important turning point in his life. The anger he feels towards people paves the way for Grenouille to use his extraordinary talent to prove himself. However, in doing this, Grenoulle does not act as required by moral norms. He takes his revenge on people by dominating them. It achieves this with its has only superior talent and its  extraordinary sensitivity to smell. In this study, Süskind's extraordinary hero, Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, will be discussed in every aspect.