Frankenstein And Bladerunner Analysis

Assessment Task

Question: Texts reflect the changing values and perspectives of their times.

How true is this shown to be in the texts you have studied? In your answer make detailed reference to both texts.

Composed over a century and a half apart, Mary Shelley’s Romantic/Gothic novel Frankenstein and Ridley Scott’s postmodernist film Bladerunner, both explore different values and perspectives of Transgressing nature’s laws, and playing God, and the role of nature in society. Composed in the late 20th century, Scott is heavily influenced by the Post modern sensibility, scientific research, mainly cloning, and loss of confidence in the traditional world view. In Shelley’s early 19th Century context, she is heavily influenced by Romantic
sensibility, also, early scientific research, political and social revolution, and belief in the power of an individual. Through both narrative and filmic devices, both texts explore how values and perspectives change heavily due to the time they are living in.

First published in 1816, Shelley’s novel explores a protagonist as he attempts to play God, in transgressing nature’s laws by creating “human” life.
With modern science thriving in the early 19th century, Shelly was highly influenced by 2 scientists. Mary owned a copy of Humphrey Davy’s celebrated science lecture. In it he stated “it (science) has bestowed on the human scientist that which may almost be called creative; which have enabled him to modify and change the beings surrounding him”. Mary also modelled aspects of her book on Galvanism, created by Galvani; it was a theory to reanimate human corpses through electrical currents. Shelley utilises the Chinese box structure to recount the hubristic scientist, Victors, early days at the University of Ingolstadt and his encounter with Professor Waldman. IN his opening lecture Waldman espouses the power of the modern scientist declaring, “tey have acquired new and almost unlimited powers.” Using emotionally heightened language Shelley shows Victor’s reaction to these words, portraying him as the embodiment hubris as he immediately decides that “more, far more, will I achieve… I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers.” Shelley draws on her knowledge of Goethe Faust, who Victor was categorized as. Like Faust, Victory blasphemously attempts to usurp Gods powers and tear apart nature’s mysteries in his excessive desire for knowledge and
control.

Paralleling Shelley’s exploration, but in the context of the late 20th century, Scott’s post modernism film explores similar ideas on transgressing natures laws. Like Shelley, Scott also uses the context of his time period to shape the meanings in the film of playing God, and usurping nature’s role. The 1980’s saw a huge advancement in modern day science. Geneticists focused on mapping the genetic sequence in the human genome, in the University of California, a gene was transferred from one mouse to another. In 1982, Barney Clark was given the first ever mechanical heart, and the first test tube baby was born just before 1980. This relates to Scott’s depiction of a dystopic world in Los Angeles, 2019, is one which makes a clear moral statement. In this world science and technology are portrayed as mechanisms of control and exploitation, rather than as a means to improve the times of others. This is conveyed through the films mes-en-scence which includes an abundance of technology and machinery. These images clash with those of urban decay and a population who suffer from a series of genetic diseases. Living in the post modernist era, Scott would have been affected by this time, when texts were typically saturated with irony and allusion. Such works also tend to subvert traditional models of unity and coherence and instead try to capture the sense of discontinuity and apparent chaos characteristic of the electronic age. Tyrell was the perfect example of this; he shows his wilful blindness in the creation of the Nexus 6 replicates. The immorality of his decisions is symbolised through his thick lensed glasses, this is heightened through the symbolism of the owl which is artificial. Tyrell’s complete disregard for his practices of creating “human” life as a product is reflected through his dialogue when he states about Rachel “she is an experiment, nothing more.”

Shelley explores the idea of having a meaningful relationship with the natural world.
Shelley’s novel portrays the natural world as a source of beneficence and morality which can offer solace to those in need. Shelley’s ideas on nature are influenced by Romantic elements, with its focus on nature as a source of morality but with sublime elements having the power to trigger feelings of awe but also spiritual inspiration. Victor removes himself voluntarily from nature’s moral influence during his time at the University of Ingolstadt when he spends every waking hour on his creation. He acknowledges that, immersed in his own obsessive pursuit, he becomes “insensible to the charms of nature” so that “winter, spring and summer passed away durin my labours…” In breaking his bond with the natural world, he breaks his ties with his family, his morality, and with good health. Shelley employs emotive language to portray Victor’s defilement of mature and its processes as he attempts to usurp its power and create new life. Words such as “horrors”, “tortured”, and “seized by remorse”, evoke his inner pain which results from his wrong doing, but also his ability to control in his manic
obsession.

Similarly, Scott explores the idea that mankind needs to have a sound relationship with the world of nature. The 1980’s were a time of growing concern for the environment as a result of pollution arising from commercial exploitation, industrialization and urbanization. There issues were linked to threats of irreversible environmental damage. Bladerunner uses the Film noir style to show the degradation of the environment. Everything within this world is commodified, including plants and animals. The only sign of living nature is the bonsai trees, which is a symbol of nature diminished and controlled. When Tyrell’s creature, Batty, like Frankenstein’s creature confronts his maker it is don within the massive “mountainous” Tyrell building. Whils drawing a clear parallel with Mount Blonc, this world space is alienating for the responder. Rather than embodying the indefinable beauty of sublime nature which Victor experiences, this “mountain” is definitely artificial. Ironically, it is also one of the primary reasons for the absence of nature.

Texts reflect the changing values and perspectives of the times the author was living in. Bladerunner and Frankenstein both explore the Authors perspective on transgressing nature’s laws, and playing God, also, the role of nature in society.