Frankenstein and Blade Runner
The notion of humanity is a picture intricately painted using the ideals and morals that define us as human beings in contextual society. The audience is influenced by the morals and values present through techniques in texts to paint their own image of humanity. Our ideals and morals that differ in texts through context, scrupulously shape our image of humanity
Despite different contexts, both Shelleys Frankenstein and Scotts Blade Runner enthrall the audience in a journey to explore the inner psyche through the various perspectives that are drawn.
BR depicts the hunger of mankind to break the barriers of humane principle and intrinsic concepts of nature. The extended irony in the film paradoxically gifts the artificial replicants with more emotions than humans, much like the monster in Frankenstein. Made in 1982 at a time of global de-stabilization, consumerism and a flux of migration, disaffection was a major concern in society, and Scott used this to predict a futuristic environment.
The scene portraying a bright advertisement in a gloomy backdrop epitomizes the scenery void of nature. It urges the audience to adopt Scotts concept of de-humanization through a consumer-driven outlook of contextual society of 2019, provoking interpretations about the concept of humanity while reflecting on our own principles. The dark monolithic pyramid masking Tyrells well-lit room shadows the monstrosity in the principles of the Tyrell Corporation. Through immortal themes of cheating death and controlling emotions, the audience receives insight to the monstrosity being developed within humane society, much like F, where Victor banishes his own creation.
In the scene where Roy Batty finally confronts Dr.Tyrell in a quest for answers, the angelic music and effervescent lighting of the room are a stark contrast to the dark gloomy setting of the film. Tyrells appearance and syntax delivers a cold artificial image. Batty is purposely humanized through emotions, I want more life, father while Tyrells cold response it is not something I can promise highlights the lack of humanity in the predicted context of 2019, depicting the replicants more human than human. The neglect of his creation parallels F, urging the audience to reflect on their ideals and notions of humanity in comparison to the characters present in both texts. Thus through texts, it is our ideals and morals shape our image of humanity.
F was written in 1818, when a conversation between Shelley and Byron regarding the English culture after the French revolution influenced the novel. Shelley drew this inspiration to focus on the lack of contextual humanity, paralleling four skin jobs walking. It contrasts integral facets of human nature, through the detailed characterization developed through the narratives. The ideals and morals present reflect on the concepts of humanity portrayed through the emotive language present in the texts. These shape our image of humanity depending on our interpretation.
Shelley uses Victors lack of humanity as a metaphor for mankinds negligence of the dying essence of romanticism in the time the book was written. It is evident in the chapter where Victor uses the serenity of nature to attain tranquility in a troubled mind. The visual imagery created in Montanvert accentuates the romanticism, snowy mountains glittering, synonymous to Shelleys works, persuades the audience to believe that Victor has found a sense of humanity through nature.
However, the confrontation with the monster, much like BR, presents a contrasting monstrous nature void of reason and affection. Gothic romanticism is present in the gloomy cold environment in, were both of them meet, with a vivid description of the scenery. It parallels the gothic nature of the monsters killings. Victor abuses the monster, Daemon; the tortures in hell are too mild for you, much like Tyrell abused the manner in which he created the replicants. I will glut the maw of death contrasts the poetic prose spoken by the monster. This reflects the irony of humans to fail to appreciate the true nature of the monster, much like the attitude towards the replicants in BR. Through their characterization, the audience is able to interpret the morals and ethics that comprise human beings. Victors neglect, rage and frustration is contrasted with the solitude, hurt and sorrow expressed by the monster, much like Batty in BR. Through the text, it is our ideals and morals shape our image of humanity.
F and BR involve confrontation between the creator and the creation. However, unlike the humane approach portrayed by the monster, Batty kills his creator in an outburst of his inner replicant self. Despite contextual difference, the texts target the hunger of man trying to play God. It is the method of creating such experiments that is questioned through the use of language and film techniques. BR abides the concept of post-modern Prometheus, whereby technology has taken over humanity. F is a re-contextualization of the modern Prometheus, paralleling the Titans classical myth from the gospel.
The ideals and morals evident through techniques in both texts are consistent, despite their context. Thus through the texts, it is our ideals and morals that shape our image of humanity. Both texts highlight important facets of human nature in relation to context and its values, urging the audience to reflect on their own morals.
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