Anisha Riggs
Jitterbug Perfume is a novel by American writer Tom Robbins, first published in 1984. The novel follows two interweaving storylines, one in Ancient Eurasia and one in the present day. The story connects duelling perfumers in Seattle, Paris and New Orleans to a bottle of incomparable perfume created by two unlikely but defiant lovers of the past who seek immortality. The novel is filled with delightful puns, throwaway gags, exquisite one-liners, and a complicated cast of characters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Publication Year | 1984 |
| Author | Tom Robbins |
| Genre | Fantasy, humour, philosophy |
| Themes | Immortality, death, individualism, community, sexuality, race |
| Notable Elements | Puns, gags, humour, wit, one-liners, creative similes, metaphors, sexual content, philosophical treatises |
| Narrative Style | Interweaving storylines, disparate ideas, connections, fast-paced, detailed, crisp |
| Notable Characters | Alobar, Kudra, Pan, Priscilla, V'lu, Luc LeFever, Claude LeFever, Marcel LeFever |
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What You'll Learn
Interweaving storylines
Jitterbug Perfume, written by American author Tom Robbins, features two interweaving storylines: one set in Ancient Eurasia and the other in the present day.
The first storyline centres around Alobar, a powerful and chiselled 8th-century king who flees his kingdom after discovering a grey hair, indicating the first sign of ageing. According to the customs of his subjects, the king must be put to death at the first sign of ageing. No longer a king, Alobar travels across Eurasia in search of the secret to longevity. Along his journey, he meets a young girl named Kudra, who has recently escaped suttee—a ritual of self-immolation. Years later, the two meet again at a lamasery, fall in love, and set off together on a quest for immortality. Through practices taught by a mysterious group called "The Bandaloop Doctors", such as controlled breathing, regular fasting, frequent sex, and bathing in extremely hot water, Alobar and Kudra achieve immortality. They spend the next several hundred years moving across Europe to escape persecution for their heathen practices, eventually settling in 17th-century Paris and opening a perfume shop.
In the present-day storyline, we meet Priscilla, a sexually frustrated "genius waitress" who aspires to create the perfect perfume. She becomes entangled with a group of perfumers in Seattle, Paris, and New Orleans, including Madame Devalier and her assistant V'lu in New Orleans, and Claude and Marcel LeFever of the LeFever Parfumerie in Paris. These perfumers are all seeking to capture an elusive scent found in an ancient bottle, believed to be connected to immortality. The past and the present collide when the characters from both storylines come together, discovering an unexpected path to everlasting life.
The novel is filled with whimsical and bizarre characters, including Pan, the god of revelry and earthiness, who embodies the cultural transition from community-think to individualism. The narrative also includes philosophical musings, comedic elements, and a playful tone, reminding readers to "lighten up" and embrace their natural selves.
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Characters' pursuit of immortality
Jitterbug Perfume, written by Tom Robbins, is a novel that intertwines two storylines, one set in Ancient Eurasia and the other in the present day. The novel revolves around the pursuit of immortality and the creation of a unique perfume.
The central character, Alobar, is a powerful and chiselled 8th-century king who faces the threat of regicide if he shows any signs of ageing. To escape this fate, Alobar flees his kingdom and embarks on a quest for longevity, travelling across Eurasia. In Ancient India, he encounters a young girl named Kudra, who has just witnessed the horrific practice of suttee, a ritual of self-immolation for widows. Years later, they meet again at a lamasery, and their shared defiance of death brings them together. They fall in love and learn about the Bandaloop Doctors, a mysterious group of masters of immortality.
Together, Alobar and Kudra set out to find the Bandaloop Doctors, eventually discovering their empty caves. They dedicate themselves to the practices of controlled breathing, regular fasting, frequent sex, and bathing in extremely hot water. Through these practices, they achieve immortality and spend centuries living simple lives, occasionally having to flee due to their ageless appearance. However, as time passes, they face challenges, such as the threat of violence for their heathen practices and the loss of their friend, Pan, the god of revelry and earthiness, who is gradually disappearing as people stop believing in him.
In the present-day storyline, various perfumers are introduced, including Priscilla, a sexually frustrated "genius waitress" in Seattle, and Madame Devalier and her assistant V'lu in New Orleans. These characters are also indirectly connected to the pursuit of immortality as they seek to create the perfect perfume, unknowingly attempting to recapture an ancient scent discovered by Alobar and Kudra. The novel explores how these characters' stories intertwine and how their pursuits relate to the theme of immortality.
Jitterbug Perfume is known for its humorous and whimsical tone, blending Eastern and Western thought, philosophy, and sexuality. Despite some criticisms, the novel has gained a following for its imaginative and unique blend of disparate ideas and its exploration of the pursuit of immortality through unconventional means.
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Humour and wit
The novel follows two interweaving storylines, one in Ancient Eurasia and one in the present day, connecting duelling perfumers in Seattle, Paris, and New Orleans. The characters in the novel are larger than life and often hilarious, from Alobar, a medieval chieftain king who flees death time and again, to Priscilla, a misfit waitress in Seattle who is also an amateur perfumer. The interplay between lust and love emerges as a recurring theme throughout the novel, with many characters seeking pleasure but often at the cost of personal identity and depth.
Robbins's humour often evokes the absurdity of societal norms, and the novel is filled with exquisite one-liners and witty observations. For example, the novel opens with a description of the sky as "a velvety black paw pressing on the snowy landscape with a feline delicacy, stars flying like sparks from its fur." The novel also includes many puns and gags that are not only funny but also significant to the plot and character development.
At its core, Jitterbug Perfume is about the reminder to "lighten up" and embrace all facets of life. Robbins uses humour and wit to explore serious themes such as immortality, love, life, and the essence of perfume. The novel suggests that when we lighten up and connect with our natural selves, the possibilities are limitless. This message is perfectly suited to today's reader, as many of us take ourselves too seriously.
In addition to its humour and wit, Jitterbug Perfume is also known for its philosophical undertones. Robbins uses the novel to contemplate the shift from community-think to the individualism of modernity, with the god Pan embodying this cultural transition. The novel also explores the nature of desire and the implications of our choices, with Alobar's thousand-year existence offering insights into what it means to live fully.
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Sexism and objectification
Jitterbug Perfume, published in 1984 by Tom Robbins, is a novel that explores a multitude of themes, one of the most prominent being sexism and the objectification of women. The story follows a centuries-old king, Alobar, and his journey through time, during which he encounters a variety of characters, including a modern-day woman named Priscilla. The novel delves into the ways in which women are viewed and treated by society, often as objects of desire or as means to an end, rather than as full human beings.
One of the key examples of sexism and objectification in the novel is the character of Janice, who is introduced as a "perfume model." She is described in a purely physical way, with her body parts being compared to various fruits and her beauty being objectified. Janice is reduced to her physical appearance, and her inner life and personality are largely ignored. This objectification is further emphasized by the fact that she is a model, a profession that often involves the exploitation and objectification of women's bodies for commercial gain.
The character of Priscilla is also subjected to sexism and objectification, although in a somewhat different way. As a modern-woman, she is seen as a threat to the traditional male-dominated power structure. Her intelligence and independence are viewed with suspicion and she is often treated with contempt and dismissed as a "ball-buster" or a "bitch." Priscilla's experiences highlight the ways in which society often tries to keep women in a subordinate position, and how those who challenge traditional gender roles are often punished or ridiculed.
The novel also explores the idea of women as possessions or property. Alobar, for example, at one point refers to women as "chattel," a term used to describe movable property or slaves. This dehumanizing language reflects a long history of women being treated as objects to be owned and traded, rather than as individuals with their own agency and rights. The novel critiques this mindset and the ways in which it contributes to the objectification and subjugation of women.
Throughout the novel, there is also a recurring theme of women being associated with nature and being portrayed as wild, untamed creatures. On one hand, this depiction can be seen as a celebration of women's connection to the natural world and their innate power. However, it can also be interpreted as a form of objectification, as it reduces women to their biological instincts and portrays them as creatures that need to be tamed and controlled. This theme underscores the complex and often contradictory ways in which women are viewed and represented in society.
Finally, Jitterbug Perfume also touches on the issue of female aging and the double standard that exists between men and women in this regard. The novel highlights how women are often valued primarily for their youth and beauty, and how they are made to feel invisible or worthless as they age, while men are often seen as becoming more distinguished with age. This aspect of the novel critiques the objectification of women's bodies and the narrow beauty standards that contribute to this form of sexism.
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Philosophical undertones
Jitterbug Perfume, written by Tom Robbins, is a novel that explores various philosophical themes and ideas. At its core, the novel is a humorous and whimsical take on the quest for immortality and the pursuit of eternal youth. It follows two interweaving storylines, one set in Ancient Eurasia and the other in the present day, connected by a bottle of extraordinary perfume.
One of the central philosophical themes in the novel is the idea of individualism and the shift from community-centric thinking to individualism in modern society. This is embodied by the character of Alobar, a king who flees his kingdom to escape death and embarks on a journey of self-discovery and the pursuit of immortality. Along with his partner Kudra, Alobar practices controlled breathing, regular fasting, frequent sex, and bathing in extremely hot water to achieve immortality. Their journey takes them across Europe, always on the run due to their defiance of societal norms and their heathen practices.
Another philosophical undertone in the novel is the idea of transcending evil through play and maintaining a sense of fun and lightheartedness in life. Alobar and Kudra's journey is filled with adventure and a certain playfulness, as they navigate their immortality and the challenges that come with it. This is contrasted with the character of Pan, the god of revelry and earthiness, who embodies the cultural transition to individualism but gradually loses his corporeal form as he is believed in less and less.
The novel also explores the philosophical concept of the connection between humans and their natural selves, suggesting that by embracing our natural state and "lightening up," we can unlock limitless possibilities. This is reflected in the practices of Alobar and Kudra, who find power in their natural instincts and desires. Additionally, the novel delves into the nature of consciousness and the evolution of new forms of consciousness, as explored through the character of Marcel LeFever and his ideas, which unsettle his uncle, Luc LeFever.
Jitterbug Perfume also touches on philosophical ideas about death and the afterlife, approaching these typically sombre topics with humour and wit. Through the character of Priscilla, a waitress trying to create the perfect perfume, the novel explores the human desire to leave a mark on the world, even as we grapple with our own mortality.
Overall, Jitterbug Perfume presents a unique blend of Western and Eastern thought, mixing disparate ideas and connecting them in unexpected ways, offering a whimsical and thought-provoking exploration of life, death, and the human condition.
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Frequently asked questions
Jitterbug Perfume is Tom Robbins' fourth novel, published in 1984. The book follows two interweaving storylines, one in Ancient Eurasia and one in the present day. The story connects duelling perfumers in Seattle, Paris, and New Orleans to a bottle of incomparable perfume created by two unlikely but defiant lovers of the past who seek immortality.
The lovers of the past are Alobar and Kudra. Alobar is a powerful and chiselled 8th-century king who escapes regicide at the hands of his subjects due to a custom of killing the leader at the first sign of ageing. After fleeing, Alobar travels through Eurasia on a newfound quest for the secret to longevity. He meets Kudra, a young girl who has escaped suttee, and the two fall in love. They learn ancient eastern self-preservation techniques and live happily for centuries, moving around Europe to avoid the threat of violence against them for their heathen practices.
In the present day, various perfumers are trying to capture an elusive scent found in an ancient bottle, while also getting entangled with the Last Laugh Foundation, which is hoping to find the secret to eternal life. One of the perfumers is Priscilla, a sexually frustrated "genius waitress" trying to invent a perfume in her Seattle apartment.
