Milia McCoy

Final Written Commentary Ten Bullet Points

Othello and Perfume

1. The global issue that I am going to explore regards the dangerous consequences of
objectifying women in society.
2. The first work of literature I will analyze is Othello from (5.2.1-40) where Othello has
decided and accepted that he will kill Desdemona because of her accused acts of
infidelity.
3. Othello’s soliloquy demonstrates how thoughts of his wife committing infidelity
culminate into a bitter and violent confrontation, in which both Othello and Desdemona
know she is going to die, and uses repetition to reinforce societal norms.
4. Shakespeare uses simile to explore the ideas of femininity as they relate to Desdemona
and beautiful women.
5. Shakespeare uses diction, syntax, and tone to portray the distorted outlook on women’s
sexuality in society and to juxtapose the relationship between Othello and Desdemona.
6. The second work of literature I will analyze is Perfume, in chapter 46 where it is revealed
that Grenouille views Lauree as nothing but an object to be used and disposed of, which
ultimately costs Lauree her identity and life.
7. Süskind comments on the value of a woman in society and how after she is used, her
worth and as a result identity is no longer needed.
8. Literary devices such as word choice, diction, tone, and simile are used to develop
themes of exploitation and objectification.
9. Take place in similar environments and comment on the nature of objectification
explored in relation to each environment and death.
10. Literary devices and drama are used as tools to better understand the nature of the global
issue as it relates to the world in which we live in.
 The global issue that I am going to explore regards the dangerous consequences of
objectifying women in society and will be exploring this theme as it relates to William
Shakespeare’s tragedy, ​Othello,​ and Patrick Süskind’s novel, ​Perfume​. Both works of literature
explore the negative effects of chastity and sexuality as a way of viewing a woman in a male
dominant society.

The first work of literature that I will be referencing is William Shakespeare’s tragedy,
Othello. Othello i​ s a screenplay that follows Othello, a ​Venetian general whose jealousy
ultimately leads him into killing his wife Desdemona. The play demonstrates the tragic downfall
when jealousy becomes an integral part of someone’s life. This is ultimately the cause of death at
the end of Scene five Act two for most of the main characters. However, as well as commenting
on the nature of jealousy, this playwright demonstrates the destructive objectification of women
as seen by men in this society. I would specifically like to highlight the first 40 lines of Act Five
Scene Two, as Shakespeare fully explores this concept through the protagonist. Scene Two starts
with Othello on his bed next to a sleeping Desdemona. From there, in a soliloquy, Othello’s
thoughts can be explored as he first justifies, decides, and finally accepts that he will kill his
wife. His motivations/justification in doing so represent not only Othello’s insecurities and anger
but show the societal implications of women who are unfaithful or sexually active.
Othello’s justification is shown with repetition and vivid imagery. Othello first repeats,
“It is the cause,” which refers to Desdemona’s alleged infidelity. In repeating so Othello is
reminding himself why it is that she must die and why he must do it. He then repeats, ​“the light,”
or “thy light,” which references both death and literally putting out a light in case he might regret
his decision. In putting out the light, it may also refer to Othello reminding himself she is no
longer the “torch” in which only serves him, in regards to “if I quench thee, thou flaming
minister, I can again thy light restore should I repent me.”
What’s interesting to note is the simile Othello uses when justifying his method of killing
Desdemona. From line four to line six Othello says, “Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,
And smooth as monumental alabaster.” This simile provides the reader with a comparison that
not only refers to her complexion but references purity and beauty- while purity in context with
the scene is a bit ironic, the undeniable reference to beautiful things and protecting it, even if to
kill it, demonstrates another way in which Othello views Desdemona and her worth. While he
plans to kill her, he opts to do so without physically tainting her looks. This shows how Othello
puts more value on Desdemona’s looks than her own life, commenting on the worth of a
woman’s appearance over her beauty.
Additionally, Shakespeare creates an aggressively bitter tone with sharp syntax and
accusatory diction which is juxtaposed against the soft and vulnerable diction in which
Desdemona speaks. For example when Othello says, “I would not kill thy unprepared spirit. No,
heaven forfend! I would not kill thy soul.” Desdemona asks, “Talk to you of killing?” only for
Othello to respond, “Ay, I do.” His straight forward nature implies to both of them that he will
kill Desdemona as he no longer loves her as he had before. This final conversation between them
shows that once Othello has had enough with Desdemona she is completely dead to him and
better off dead. The threatening nature of Othello’s direct delivery of lines further develops the
idea that he is in full control and that no matter what Desdemona says or does, he, the man in the
relationship ultimately has the final say. This passage allows the audience to visualize the
vulnerability of Desdemona as she represents women in society and the imposing ideas inflicted
upon her by Othello, a male-centric point of view.

The second literary work I have chosen to reference is Patrick Süskind’s novel ​Perfume.
Perfume f​ ollows Grenouille as he aims to become the world’s best perfumer, a task that requires
the death of twenty-five young girls, all in the name of the perfect perfume. At face value, this
novel is a strange and at times grotesque story of a murder with a monstrous gift, but beyond the
surface is an abstract commentary on how women, specifically young girls, are objectified in
society and the negative consequences. The passage that highlights this theme is in the first two
paragraphs (pages 219-220) of chapter forty-six. This passage continues with the aftermath of the
death of Lauree, a young girl most sought after by Grenouille because of her sent, and
Grenouille’s extraction of her sent. The significance of the scent’s extraction is becoming less
about her scent and more of what it symbolizes. As we continue with the passage, the scent
becomes analogous with beauty, innocence, and virginity. All things in which the society of
Perfume i​ dolizes the girls in their society. The extraction of scent, as it is explored in this
passage, identifies how when these material things used to put value on girls and women are
exploited or used, women lose both worth and identity. This concept is explored through the use
of dysphemistic simile, word choice, and the detached, cold tone created by Süskind. The
passage is narrated to understand Grenouille’s perspective, the murder, and in regard to the
passage, the perspective of the general society. When Lauree first addressed it as a simile,“He
threw open the cloth and pulled it from the dead woman like a bandage.” The word choice is
specific in the way it depicts Lauree, as a “dead woman” and in comparison to “a bandage”. Both
unpleasant diction and simile completely remove the facade of a beautiful girl and feed into the
idea of a corpse. Süskind uses the opposite of euphemistic writing to create a disturbing and
description tone in the rest of the paragraph as he describes the extraction of scent, skin, and
pores. This use of dysphemistic diction creates an uncomfortable feeling with the audience that is
used to separate and regard any inklings and association with desire and wanting with the
imagery of Lauree. Ultimately, removing all lust and value from the now corpse.
Where this relates to a woman’s value is also directly stated is when the narration states,
“Only now was she really dead for him, withered away, pale and limp as a fallen petal.” In this
quotation, there is direct symbolism with Lauree as a limp petal. This quotation uses imagery to
associate Lauree with a fallen and useless petal as it was once a part of something great.
However, now when she has been used and the things that made her worth were gone, she is no
longer needed. Her identity and worth are quite literally stripped from her, leaving her only now
dead. After no longer retaining the qualities in which society valued her, there is nothing needed
or left of her.

Interestingly, both of the literary works explore the ideas of societal impressions of
women in ways that kill the female lead. Similarly, they both take place in bedrooms and kill
their female lead without damaging their physical appearance. Beyond the literary devices used,
it is this similarity that comments on the nature of objectification. In location, it comments on
sexual objectification/worth of a woman and in killing without dramatically damaging
appearance, is to comment on valuing the beauty of a woman before herself as an individual. The
act of killing the women in each work comments on both physical and emotional harm inflicted
when objectification is taken into place. However it is that a society may objectify a woman, she
herself will lose value and worth when ways in which she is valued are diminished or used.

From both literary pieces, they aim to not only demonstrate the effects of objectifying
women but to warn of the realities in doing such. While the use of theatrical drama and fiction is
certainly applied to make the subject matter entertaining, they are also done so to resonate and
symbolize the impact on the viewer. Literary devices like simile, diction, and tone are also
consistent in allowing visualization of each scenario and a way for readers to fully apply each to
an analysis of the real world.