Blade Runner And Frankenstein Comparison Essay
Would you agree that Frankenstein offers a spirit of hope and redemption?
Well yes the spirit of optimism is exposed through Frankenstein’s didactic encounter with the character Walton and the sense of redemption is conveyed through Frankenstein’s acknowledgement of the atrocities he has bestowed upon humanity due to his immoral actions regarding science. What about Blade Runner?
C – Well I think we see that Tyrell in Blade Runner displays no acknowledgment for his malevolent actions and we as an audience are positioned to heed the conceited consequences of human nature. However, a cathartic development is present where we see the characters Deckard and Rachel escape the desolate city life to perhaps prosper in a brighter future.
J – Both texts are counter-cultural to their context, challenging humanity’s rampant pursuit of scientific progress whilst …show more content…
dismissive of the moral framework that should temper it.
C – Yes, well Frankenstein was created in a time when the evolution of science prospered, Luigi Galvani dealt with the contraction of a muscle stimulated by an electrical current. Shelley critiques the creative arrogance of the Romantic imagination to fabricate a Gothic state in which the protagonist abandons ethical paradigm for glory. J – Definitely. Her warning of the atrocities that follow is encapsulated with Victor’s phrase – “how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge”, Shelley’s circular epistolary form reflects Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner and the encounter between Victor and Walton due to the equivalent theme for the fervent pursuit of knowledge and the destructive nature of egotistical adventures.
C – Yeah well Frankenstein’s words - “But I, the true murderer, felt the nerve dying worm alive in my bosom, which allowed of no hope or consolidation”, also indicates the temperament of culpability on his conscience.
J - Furthermore, her allusions to Milton’s Paradise Lost evoke the poetic retelling of Satan’s fall from grace when the daemon says – “I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel”. Victor’s rejection leaves his creation to suffer at the hands of humanity, turning his ‘benevolent nature’ into a desire for vengeance. How is this concern shaped in Blade Runner?
C - While there is a span of 150 years separating them, their connection in terms of the relationship between man and technology seems to unite and define them as much as to acknowledge their differences. Science since then has progressively evolved and 13 years prior to the films release, man landed on Moon and Earth no longer represented the defining limit to his expansion and exploitation.
J - Indeed, it seems ironic that as mankind defied technological restraints and gradually advanced, it was seemingly regressing in terms of the values that defined its humanity. In the film, Scott delivers the harmful fulfillment of knowledge on a tarnished environment, an apprehension that rose during 60’s- 80’s. It is emphasized through Rachel Carson’s novel ‘Silent Spring’, which generated the environmental movement and people began to recognize the potential of human disaster through the vandalism perpetrated by improved technology.
C – Rightly so. I feel as though this is reflected when Roy Batty confronts creator Tyrell who is apotheosized as a God in a religious milieu. The oppressed product of Tyrell’s immoral proceedings faces his master, expostulating for more life. The ‘Papal Chamber’ is dimly lit, foreboding a Chiaroscuro flicker of golden candlelight with shadow, evoking Tyrell’s death in a heaven of biomechanics. Batty becomes subjected to scientific jargon verbalized by Tyrell as “ethyl methane sulphanoate as an alkylating agent”, degrading Batty to a series of artificial cells; enhancing Tyrell’s hubristic superiority over Batty.
J – Well said, don’t forget that the gouging of Tyrell’s eyes is rendered graphically, alluding to a biblical allusion of Judas’ kiss and the bleak betrayal of humanity. Scott’s representation questions whether the evolution of science and technology is beneficial for humanity. The opening sequence reveals a dehumanized and desensitized dystopian Los Angeles as the low angle shot shows the proliferation of phallic skyscrapers, a reminder of humanity’s hubris. The juxtaposition of flames, alluding to Dante’s Inferno, with the tranquil pyramid in this crosscut establishes a relationship between the monolithic structure and the natural devastation that is being wrought upon the environment.
C –That’s one of the first relations drawn, but what about how the texts reveal a critique on their own society? Shelley naively positions the monster as an innocent observer, which enables Shelley to demise our familiarity with society and perceive it anew.
J – That’s correct. The destitute location of the wretch reflects his determinist yearning for acceptance. The epoch of the French Revolution emulates this distinction between the voyeuristically exiled monster and the working-class family. Industrial workers throughout the revolution were at the bottom of society and were referred to as ‘monsters’ compared to the wealthy industry owners. We see this same discrepancy in the family and the monster.
C – Frankenstein also reflects the industrial revolution’s effect on Europe, primarily the working class’s appeals for suffrage and other rights. The industrial revolution spawned the creation of large factories with wealthy owners and a poor working class. This led to the development of labor unions and working class demands for voting rights and a less demanding labor environment, mirroring the daemon’s stipulation for rights from Victor.
J - Spot on.
The monster so desperately longs for receipt, however he is apprehensive due to his horrid appearance. We see this partition of society in the monsters quote - “division of property, of immense wealth and squalid poverty; of rank, descent, and noble blood”. How is this conveyed in Blade Runner?
C - The rise of the ‘Four Asian Tigers’, which expanded industries in consumer electronics during the 70’s and 80s, reflects the injustice that stems from mass corporations depicted by Scott. This shows the division between the upper and lower classes and the dehumanization of his creations.
J - The scene ‘Tears in the Rain’ shows Deckard experience a sense of revelation when Roy Batty delivers his final sorrowful words of truth and reflection. Batty’s actions transform Deckard’s perceptions, making him appreciate that the natural and unnatural should appreciate life as something to be valued. The TDK advert's glow with the white dove symbolizes the conflict between artifice and nature, and as viewers we gain a sentiment of optimism when the dove is released in view of the first blue
sky.
C – When Deckard approaches Rachel, the same cathartic notion is illustrated through his words - “Do you love me? Do you trust me?” The passionate emotion demonstrated here depicts the process of humanization of the two characters.
J - We see the catalyst of all human life – love. The two themes discussed today within each text – mans inability to pursue science in a moral framework and their critiques of society – are reflective through their characterization and plot.
C – These themes are shaped by each composer’s individual context and personal values. Whilst both offer a spirit of hope and redemption, they also cohesively are a bleak portrayal of the consequences of mans hubris.
Well yes the spirit of optimism is exposed through Frankenstein’s didactic encounter with the character Walton and the sense of redemption is conveyed through Frankenstein’s acknowledgement of the atrocities he has bestowed upon humanity due to his immoral actions regarding science. What about Blade Runner?
C – Well I think we see that Tyrell in Blade Runner displays no acknowledgment for his malevolent actions and we as an audience are positioned to heed the conceited consequences of human nature. However, a cathartic development is present where we see the characters Deckard and Rachel escape the desolate city life to perhaps prosper in a brighter future.
J – Both texts are counter-cultural to their context, challenging humanity’s rampant pursuit of scientific progress whilst …show more content…
dismissive of the moral framework that should temper it.
C – Yes, well Frankenstein was created in a time when the evolution of science prospered, Luigi Galvani dealt with the contraction of a muscle stimulated by an electrical current. Shelley critiques the creative arrogance of the Romantic imagination to fabricate a Gothic state in which the protagonist abandons ethical paradigm for glory. J – Definitely. Her warning of the atrocities that follow is encapsulated with Victor’s phrase – “how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge”, Shelley’s circular epistolary form reflects Coleridge’s Ancient Mariner and the encounter between Victor and Walton due to the equivalent theme for the fervent pursuit of knowledge and the destructive nature of egotistical adventures.
C – Yeah well Frankenstein’s words - “But I, the true murderer, felt the nerve dying worm alive in my bosom, which allowed of no hope or consolidation”, also indicates the temperament of culpability on his conscience.
J - Furthermore, her allusions to Milton’s Paradise Lost evoke the poetic retelling of Satan’s fall from grace when the daemon says – “I ought to be thy Adam; but I am rather the fallen angel”. Victor’s rejection leaves his creation to suffer at the hands of humanity, turning his ‘benevolent nature’ into a desire for vengeance. How is this concern shaped in Blade Runner?
C - While there is a span of 150 years separating them, their connection in terms of the relationship between man and technology seems to unite and define them as much as to acknowledge their differences. Science since then has progressively evolved and 13 years prior to the films release, man landed on Moon and Earth no longer represented the defining limit to his expansion and exploitation.
J - Indeed, it seems ironic that as mankind defied technological restraints and gradually advanced, it was seemingly regressing in terms of the values that defined its humanity. In the film, Scott delivers the harmful fulfillment of knowledge on a tarnished environment, an apprehension that rose during 60’s- 80’s. It is emphasized through Rachel Carson’s novel ‘Silent Spring’, which generated the environmental movement and people began to recognize the potential of human disaster through the vandalism perpetrated by improved technology.
C – Rightly so. I feel as though this is reflected when Roy Batty confronts creator Tyrell who is apotheosized as a God in a religious milieu. The oppressed product of Tyrell’s immoral proceedings faces his master, expostulating for more life. The ‘Papal Chamber’ is dimly lit, foreboding a Chiaroscuro flicker of golden candlelight with shadow, evoking Tyrell’s death in a heaven of biomechanics. Batty becomes subjected to scientific jargon verbalized by Tyrell as “ethyl methane sulphanoate as an alkylating agent”, degrading Batty to a series of artificial cells; enhancing Tyrell’s hubristic superiority over Batty.
J – Well said, don’t forget that the gouging of Tyrell’s eyes is rendered graphically, alluding to a biblical allusion of Judas’ kiss and the bleak betrayal of humanity. Scott’s representation questions whether the evolution of science and technology is beneficial for humanity. The opening sequence reveals a dehumanized and desensitized dystopian Los Angeles as the low angle shot shows the proliferation of phallic skyscrapers, a reminder of humanity’s hubris. The juxtaposition of flames, alluding to Dante’s Inferno, with the tranquil pyramid in this crosscut establishes a relationship between the monolithic structure and the natural devastation that is being wrought upon the environment.
C –That’s one of the first relations drawn, but what about how the texts reveal a critique on their own society? Shelley naively positions the monster as an innocent observer, which enables Shelley to demise our familiarity with society and perceive it anew.
J – That’s correct. The destitute location of the wretch reflects his determinist yearning for acceptance. The epoch of the French Revolution emulates this distinction between the voyeuristically exiled monster and the working-class family. Industrial workers throughout the revolution were at the bottom of society and were referred to as ‘monsters’ compared to the wealthy industry owners. We see this same discrepancy in the family and the monster.
C – Frankenstein also reflects the industrial revolution’s effect on Europe, primarily the working class’s appeals for suffrage and other rights. The industrial revolution spawned the creation of large factories with wealthy owners and a poor working class. This led to the development of labor unions and working class demands for voting rights and a less demanding labor environment, mirroring the daemon’s stipulation for rights from Victor.
J - Spot on.
The monster so desperately longs for receipt, however he is apprehensive due to his horrid appearance. We see this partition of society in the monsters quote - “division of property, of immense wealth and squalid poverty; of rank, descent, and noble blood”. How is this conveyed in Blade Runner?
C - The rise of the ‘Four Asian Tigers’, which expanded industries in consumer electronics during the 70’s and 80s, reflects the injustice that stems from mass corporations depicted by Scott. This shows the division between the upper and lower classes and the dehumanization of his creations.
J - The scene ‘Tears in the Rain’ shows Deckard experience a sense of revelation when Roy Batty delivers his final sorrowful words of truth and reflection. Batty’s actions transform Deckard’s perceptions, making him appreciate that the natural and unnatural should appreciate life as something to be valued. The TDK advert's glow with the white dove symbolizes the conflict between artifice and nature, and as viewers we gain a sentiment of optimism when the dove is released in view of the first blue
sky.
C – When Deckard approaches Rachel, the same cathartic notion is illustrated through his words - “Do you love me? Do you trust me?” The passionate emotion demonstrated here depicts the process of humanization of the two characters.
J - We see the catalyst of all human life – love. The two themes discussed today within each text – mans inability to pursue science in a moral framework and their critiques of society – are reflective through their characterization and plot.
C – These themes are shaped by each composer’s individual context and personal values. Whilst both offer a spirit of hope and redemption, they also cohesively are a bleak portrayal of the consequences of mans hubris.