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Of Genius And Epiphany: Schlafes Bruder, Das Parfum, And Babette's Feast, Nicholas Vazsonyi

Studies in 20th & 21st Century Literature

At first sight, all three works under consideration—Schlafes Bruder (1992), Das Parfum (1985), and Babette's Feast (1950)—appear to conform to "postmodern" conventions, such as a rejection of logocentrism or a playful borrowing of pre-existing literary motifs and styles. However, all three works also revive the category of "natural genius," despite the twentieth-century rejection of romantic idealism in matters of aesthetics. Moreover, these "geniuses" create "masterpieces," which invariably trigger epiphanous moments for the untrained and unsuspecting audiences to whom they are presented. This is true even for the otherwise parody- and pastiche-filled Perfume, where the phenomenon of genius and …