T-Chart

A common saying is “power corrupts”. With reference to the literary texts you have
studied, to what extent is this saying correct?
People in positions of power frequently abuse their power to carry out wrong doings.
Through this power they become corrupted. The more authority someone has, the worse
their moral integrity gets as absolute power corrupts inevitably.

Texts: The Handmaid's Tale + Perfume

Thesis: Although both The Handmaid's Tale by Atwood and Perfume by Patrick Süskind
both use the concept of power in different ways,

Perfume: The supernatural scent of Grennuie represents a power and how it is corrupt as
he uses his power to kill women and strip them of their scent.

Similarities Differences

● Those who have power have ● Power is used in different ways to

unethical morals
○ Handmaid’s: In the
Handmaid's tale, the
Commanders symbolize
power. Through both the
Commanders and the
Government as a whole, the
misogynistic rule of Gilead is
shown, emphasizing the
unethical morals through the
use of power.
○ Perfume: In Perfume,
Grenouille has a supernatural
scene of smell. He is
dehumanized by his power of
scent, misusing his abilities for
his own gain and stripping
others of what makes them
human.
● Power is used to dehumanize women
○ Handmaid’s: This power
shows their corruption as they
Legally control women's
reproductive freedom which is
morally and politically wrong.
The suffering of Offred and the
show corruption
○ Handmaid’s: In the
Handmaid's Tale, power is in
the form of Governmental
power, the power of blackmail
and threats, and the power of
death. Because of the
authority, citizens are forced to
cooperate or die.
○ Perfume: In Perfume, power is
used through Grenuille’s
supernatural ability to smell
absolutely everything. Through
this ability he hunts down
women and kills them for their
scent. This supernatural ability
represents power and control.
○ Supernatural vs Government
● Time Period
○ Handmaid’s: Due to the fact
that Gilead is a fairly new
dictatorship, individuals such
as wives and commanders are
still learning how to behave in
their new jobs with these new
customs.
 other Handmaids is directly ○ Perfume: In perfume the time
caused by the Gileadean period was eighteenth-century
state's desire to own and France which looked
control women's fertility. overcrowded, dark, unhealthy,
○ Perfume: In Perfume, women and had little light, air, or
are targeted and dehumanized drinking water.
by Grenouille, as he targets ● Power creates corruption differently
them for their scent. By ○ Handmaid’s: In the handmaid's
viewing young women as a tale, the idea that people
scent to be obtained and corrupt power instead of power
having no empathy when corrupts people, as the initial
killing them, Grenouille greed and evil within a person
dehumanizes them with the creates the corruption of
power of his scent. power.
● Power creates a sense of desire and ○ Perfume: Differently, Perfume
greed uses the idea that power can
○ Handmaid’s: Through the corrupt people as the
Handmaid’s Tale, many supernatural scent that
characters become corrupted Grenouille poses corrupts him
by power as it gives them the from the start, giving him
opportunity to be greedy and savage morals and a strong
desire more. selfish desire.
○ Perfume: In perfume, the
supernatural power of scent
forms Grenouille’s character,
allowing his power to make
him greedy and very lustful for
the scent of human beings.
● Criticizes public leaders in today’s
society
○ “Power doesn't corrupt people,
people corrupt power.”-
William Gaddis. People take
advantage of power when it is
entrusted to them because of
their own greed, which as a
result leads to societal
deterioration.
○ Perfume presents two major
themes: the corruptive nature
of power and the inherent
flaws of humanity.

Outline:

Intro:
Thesis:
 Although the saying “power corrupts” is applicable in both novels The Handmaid’s Tale
by Margaret Atwood, and Perfume by Patrick Suskind, they differ when portraying the
correlation between power and corruption. In Perfume, characters corrupt power through
their unethical morals, whereas in The Handmaid’s Tale power corrupts characters as it
gives them qualities of greed and selfishness.

1. Power Creates Corruption (Governmental vs Supernatural)

Text A: The Handmaid’s Tale
● Gilead has governmental power that creates corruption
Text B: Perfume
● Grenouille has the supernatural power of scent that creates corruption within him
2. Unethical morals exhibited by characters
Text A: The Handmaid’s Tale
● Commander’s inhumane treatment of women
Text B: Perfume
● Grenouille's ability to kill women with no consideration of human life
3. People corrupt power
Text A:The Handmaid’s Tale
● Individual's beliefs and ethics creates corruption of power
Text B: Perfume
● Grenuille’s lack of scent when he was born created is quest for sent ultimately
showing how he took advantage of his power
Conclusion