Das Böse und Ekelhafte nach Süskind und Tykwer: Ein Vergleich der literarischen und filmischen Charakterisierung Grenouilles in Patrick Süskinds Das Parfum. Die Geschichte ei-nes Mörders. (1985)

Abstract

In Patrick Süskinds bestselling novel: Das Parfum. Die Geschichte eines Mörders (1985) the protagonist Grenouille is widely known as an evil and disgusting character. Noticeable is Tom Tykwers film adaptation of the novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) in which Tykwer has a very different take on its main character. Whereas the literary Grenouille is described as demonic in the movie he is portrayed as an innocent and fairly handsome young man. In spite of this disparity in character Tykwers rendition is considered faithful to the novel. The aim of this study is to examine this discrepancy in which Tykwer stays loyal to the text while at the same time providing the viewer with his own version of the story. This study explores the similarities and differences between the portrayal of both lead characters and will focus on the ill nature of the protagonists by using literary narrative devices by Martinez, Scheffel and Mieke Bal and a filmic theoretical approach by Faulstich. Also discussed will be the different meaning ascribed to the murder of the plum girl out of which different interpretation possibilities follow. The findings of this study suggests that the shift in evilness has not been the determining factor responsible for changing the interpretation of the adaption. The different interpretation follows out of the main characters shift in goals. Based on Bals narrative theory, I therefore conclude that the literary figure wanted to derive his self-worth by looking within and finding nothing there, whereas the filmic character wanted to derive his value from others and seeing no one there for him.