The purpose of this essay is to analyze the important role social classes in 18th century France play and their impact in the novel Perfume. Social classes are prominent throughout this novel and one of the focal points. Throughout this novel, we see Jean Baptiste Grenouille climbing the social ladder after being born into the epitome of poverty. Starting from nothing and molding himself and his life to something. Grenouille is not the only character that is impacted by social classes. Key characters such as Father Terrier, Giuseppe Baldini, and Grenouille’s mother just to name a few. Whatever classes they fall under determines how a character is treated and what resources they have at their disposal. Grenouille received some aid in the form
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For many, being born into a poverty stricken lineage is impossible to overcome. Especially in that particular time period, where being poor ultimately meant that a person life would be short, miserable, and filled with hardship. Somehow Grenouille defied all odds. Born into poverty and seemingly destined to be less than dirt, he defies all the odds and embarks on a quest to the top of his society. His goal ultimately is to be the world’s greatest perfumer “He must become a creator of scents. And not just an average one. But, rather, the greatest perfumer of all time” (19). A byproduct of achieving this goal is fortune and a byproduct of fortune is an increase of social status. On Grenouille’s journey he starts off as being the son of a low class fish merchant. To an apprentice of an esteemed perfumer, and would have become the world’s wealthiest, powerful, and influential perfumer. There were many factors which contributed to his ascension to the top of the peeking order. Factors such as the Enlightenment (Ibworldlit.com). Also the superseding of the old order of France due to the Enlightenment (Gradesaver.com). Aalst, he ultimately sealed his own fate. If Grenouille was born on the other end of the social spectrum, events would have played out differently. Grenouille might still have a mother and might not have had an obsession over scent. If the social classes were tweaked or even remove from the story completely then we would have a different story all together. The social classes adds an extra layer of depth to the already phenomenal setting that is 18th century
For many, being born into a poverty stricken lineage is impossible to overcome. Especially in that particular time period, where being poor ultimately meant that a person life would be short, miserable, and filled with hardship. Somehow Grenouille defied all odds. Born into poverty and seemingly destined to be less than dirt, he defies all the odds and embarks on a quest to the top of his society. His goal ultimately is to be the world’s greatest perfumer “He must become a creator of scents. And not just an average one. But, rather, the greatest perfumer of all time” (19). A byproduct of achieving this goal is fortune and a byproduct of fortune is an increase of social status. On Grenouille’s journey he starts off as being the son of a low class fish merchant. To an apprentice of an esteemed perfumer, and would have become the world’s wealthiest, powerful, and influential perfumer. There were many factors which contributed to his ascension to the top of the peeking order. Factors such as the Enlightenment (Ibworldlit.com). Also the superseding of the old order of France due to the Enlightenment (Gradesaver.com). Aalst, he ultimately sealed his own fate. If Grenouille was born on the other end of the social spectrum, events would have played out differently. Grenouille might still have a mother and might not have had an obsession over scent. If the social classes were tweaked or even remove from the story completely then we would have a different story all together. The social classes adds an extra layer of depth to the already phenomenal setting that is 18th century