Frankenstein And Blade Runner

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Each of us has a responsibility for being alive: one responsibility to creation, of which we are a part, another to the creator a debt we repay by trying to extend our areas of comprehension. ~ Maya Angelou. The ethics of creating life should be of the upmost importance, we should not jeopardise humanity and the environment in the pursuit of science, advancement and technology. In their pursuit for knowledge, power and technological advancement, Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Ridley Scotts adaptation of Philip K Dick’s ‘Do Androids Dream of Sheep’s’, ‘Blade Runner’ neglect their creations, fail in their parental responsibility, and the consequences of its absence within each context. Despite being composed 160 years apart both texts have similar themes which reflect the attitudes and concerns of society of their time. An emphasis is created on humanity’s demise as a result of egotistical attitudes and negligent behaviours, in an over materialistic world.

Shelley portrays Frankenstein’s behaviour as irresponsible and neglectful towards his revolting creation. Shelley uses emotive language to highlight Victors rejection for his creation. “Devil, wretch, vile insect.” Written during the industrial revolution, Shelley’s Frankenstein can be interpreted as a warning for the repercussions of one mans neglect. This negligence is exposed through Victor Frankenstein’s nature as he falls victim to the dangers of unmonitored technological advancement and lack of his moral boundaries. Victor is engulfed with curiosity of technology, buried with the want to create perfection and in attempting to construct what he is not he creates a repulsive monster. “The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of mankind.” Through this quote and the use of literary allusions we are given an insight to Frankenstein’s remorseless and egotistical nature.

Similar to Frankenstein, Scott questions humanity and the moral implications of science and the growing neglect and lack of concern for the environment. Scott has explicitly portrayed the dystopian setting of P.A. 2019 to represent the potential deficiency of society’s moral knowledge. The replicant’s fate is dangling in the hands of their creator, Tyrell, with his hunger for knowledge and power deserts them and thereby condemning the replicants to a life of misery. Roy: “It’s quite and experience to live in fear isn’t it? That’s what it is to be a slave.” Emotive language is used to manipulate the audience into sympathising with the replicants. In Scotts film, he characterizes the subservient nature of the replicants and raises serious moral and ethical issues, Tyrell has created beings with no basic human rights. This is illustrated in the scene between Rachael and Deckard, where he does not hesitate to feed her the lines she must say to him and almost forces her to be involved with him. Deckard: “Say kiss me.” Rachael: “I can’t rely on…” Deckard: “Say kiss me.” Rachael: “Kiss me.” Deckard: “I want you.” Rachael: “I want you.” Deckard: “Again.” Rachael: “I want you. Put your hands on me.” Scott uses shot framing and cinematography in conjunction with editing to create tension in an entirely dialogue focused situation. In comparison with today’s society, this scene could almost be considered rape if it were not for the fact that Rachael is not human.

Victor attempts to mirror God and take over Gods role as creator and master of the universe, but his vanity, arrogance and thirst for knowledge blinds him from seeing the repercussions of his actions. In Shelley’s Frankenstein Victor’s pursuit of knowledge succeeds in discovering the secret of fabricating life and brings a monster made of parts of the dead to life. The creature, from the moment of his birth, can be seen to mirror and to resemble the life of his creator: their lives and their fates are horrifically intertwined. Both creator and creation become obsessed
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