How does Patrick Süskind use religion to criticise society in 'Perfume: The Story of a Murderer'

Patrick Süskind frequently uses religious references in order to disparage society and the value it places on outmoded conventions. One way he does this is by highlighting the importance placed on virginity by Catholic society. This stems from the significance behind the Virgin Mary herself, as well as the belief that sexual intercourse before marriage is a mortal sin. In the patriarchal society within the novel, women have almost no power and are passed like property from father to husband, but without their virginity they are deemed worthless and impure. We see this most importantly with Grenouille’s selection of young, strictly virginal girls to make his perfume. He describes Laure as having a scent that is “terrifyingly celestial,” (177) which demonstrates how highly he values her, but also has heavenly connotations. Laure’s father knows that to protect her life he must wed her and deflower her as soon as possible. Süskind is saying quite bluntly that the only thing that would diminish this girl’s value for Grenouille is for her virginity to be compromised. When he eventually murders her and takes her scent, he describes it as “her glorious scent, his scent.” (227) This reflects the idea that a woman does not own her sexuality, and rather it is the possession of the man that ‘takes’ her. By sardonically reducing Laure’s value to her virginity, the author is stating that this particular religious value is outdated and has a negative impact on women, and although the novel is set in eighteenth century France, these ideas are still prevalent in modern day society.