Frankenstein/ Blade Runner Essay

Textual form is an issue which divide many critiques and audiences. Some view texts as a form creation skipper and more expressive, whereas others may view film as to be losing its credibility of expression. Never the less it is adamant that through with(predicate) a comparative study of 2 differing forms exploring similar ideas it becomes clear that one form isnt always superior over another. Mary Shelleys Frankenstein (1818) and Ridley Scotts stain Runner (1982) mirror this thesis. Whilst being composed more than a century apart, each explore similar ideas but approach them from different perspectives.Shelleys epistolary novel reflects a goal of Romanticism and Enlightenment through its glorification of nature, as well as its cautionary like tale of social responsibility and exploration of creator indite created. Scotts science fiction film Blade Runner conveys the many fears surfacing from the United States in the 1980 by warning of the possible dangers associated with envi ronmental deterioration, scientific advancements and genetic engineering. Scott scrutinizes such concepts as a world without true nature, and, like Frankenstein, the consequences of a lack of social responsibility.Shelley masterfully uses literary techniques to create her timeless classic. similarly Scott achieves a similar prestige through his use of filmic techniques. Nature is a indicatorful idea explored in Frankenstein. The idea of sublime nature was embraced during Romantic check of the late 18th Century. It allowed an unrestrained emotional sense for the individual. In Frankenstein, descriptions of nature seem to appear repeatedly during emotional or significant moments in succeeders life. Nature allows an outlet for Victor, it acts as his savoir. This connection is expressed where Victor travels back to Geneva to see his family.Here he witnesses the might of nature and its power. such examples of this include the pathetic fallacy of lightning playing on the summit of M ont Blanc with lightning being a recurring motif in the novel expressing how nature, whilst having to power of destruction, also has the power to illuminate and make clear. Nature also acts as a savoir to Victor in a time of sickness bestowing on him the most delightful wizard therefore conveying once more his connection and dependence with nature. Just as Frankenstein glorifies nature, Blade Runner explores a world where nature has become nearly obsolete.This mirrors the publics thoughts in the 80s of a continued deterioration and the consequences of our overuse of nature. The opening scene of Blade Runner uses filmic techniques such as chiaroscuro to reflect the lack of nature present with the entire landscape being industrialised. The pollution of the city drowns out the suns light, meaning all present lighting is artificial, reflecting a world with no natural warmth or clarity. The close up fade of the eye expresses a fire burning within, a possible allusion to Hates and the un derworld.The non-diegetic medicinal drug played is synthetic sounding, providing an eerie scene, further enforcing a lack of nature. A lack of social responsibility is evident in Victor concerning the Creature setting up a creator verse created situation in Frankenstein. The monster reflects context of Tabula Rasa, he is a blank slate completely innocent until experience creates perception. Cursed, cursed Creator Why did I live I know not despair had not yet taken possession of me. Shelley here uses rhetorical questions and emotive language to express the feeling of the Creature.The Creature believes that the blame for his suffering and pain in the neck lies with Victors cruelty and neglect of his creation rather than pain and anger being something innate in him. Victor through his lack of responsibility for this creation created an outcast of the monster leading to its pain. Shelley shows this in the biblical allusion I ought to be thy Adam I was benevolent and good misery made me a friend, once again strengthening the readers opinion that the creatures suffering could have been avoided if Victor had shown sympathy towards him.Just as the monster confronts Victor in Frankenstein, Roy also confronts his creator Tyrell, in Blade Runner. Roy, being a result of genetic engineering, plays out the mindset of the public in the 1980s that eventually the birth of our advancing science may one day flexure on us. The scene features shots filled with religious iconography with Tyrell draped in luxury with lit candles providing the only light in the room. The chess game which Tyrell and Sebastian are enmeshed in is a metaphor for the capturing of the king with the king being Tyrell and Roy achieving checkmate.The two shot of Roy and Tyrell during their confrontation is one of the few in the film and displays Roy as a dominant figure indicating a power shift in their relationship. Tyrell clearly acknowledges this shift when he backs away from Roy in fear. Roy is move d by this see as to him Tyrell is God, his creator, which is conveyed in the quote its not easy to meet your maker, a biblical allusion expressing the enormity of the meeting from Roys perspective.It is now clear, through the comparative study of Frankenstein and Blade Runner that a comparative study of two textual forms only enhances our interest in discovering the parallels present between them. Blade Runner, being a film, has clearly shown to be able to explore similar ideas as Frankenstein, a novel. Each thoroughly explores nature and its influence on the public of their time as well as the lack of social responsibility each creator had towards his created, and the consequences of those actions. Thus it is evident that difference in textual form does not weaken the depth in which similar parallels can be explored.