kaz1
et tu
Can someone have a look at my essay?
The question is: Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley and Blade Runner, Directed by Ridley Scott share many common attributes, most notably, that time has demonstrated both texts' significance to society. Explore this statement.
ESSAY
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott are two texts that engage with contemporary values and beliefs. These two texts are significant because they explore the themes of hubris, humanity and ethics in the advancement of technology.
Both Tyrell and Victor are blinded by their achievements, their unethical actions becoming the harbingers of not only their doom, but the world and people around them. Thus it is in these two tests that the relevant issues of hubris, ethics, and humanity are explored.
Hubris is a characteristic that reflected by many contemporary issues. For example the morality of the cloning debate and stem cell dilemma are reflections of Victor’s obsession with science and progress. Hubris is the excessive pride of those with power made manifest in that individuals come to see themselves as godlike. For Victor the prospect of life and death “appeared to (him) ideal bounds”. He considers natural environments to be his slave that “he has chased nature to her very hiding place”. Victor is so egotistical that he proclaims “new species bless me as their creator”. However as with all hubris the inevitability of his downfall is certain. Both in the milieu of Greek promethean hubris and that of the Gothic Romantic scientist trespassing the domain of god. The creature’s vengeance is the ultimate price Victor pays for his hubris. Shelley foreshadows Victor’s inevitable suffering through the irony of his own advice - “I seek for knowledge… I hope yours may not be a serpent as mine had been”. This alludes to the fall from Eden as Adam and Eve gained ‘forbidden knowledge’. It is a double metaphor that plays both the knowledge Victor gains, as well as the loss of innocence of the monster as it goes into the real world.
Much like Victor who thought that he transcends the morality of one man to another; bending nature to be his slave. Tyrell has the same god-like characterisation of Hubris. Tyrell too pays with his life for toying with creation. As a film media the hubris of Tyrell is portrayed through visual cues that allude to his godlike status. When we first meet Tyrell he is presented in a mid-shot of a man dressed in white with soft luminous lighting juxtaposed against Deckard in Black jacket and Rachael in a dark business suit. The relationship between master and creation is evident as a result. Furthermore when Tyrelll confronts Roy the film uses editing to juxtapose between the glowing pristine image of Tyrell against the soiled appearance and moody dark lighting of Roy. Despite fearing for his life Tyrell continues to condescend Roy, stating "The Light that burns twice as bright burns half as long. You are quite a prize." Tyrell is unable to distinguish the replicants from property even to the bitter end. This death at the hands of his prodigal son is the hubris that Tyrell ultimately receives.
Another aspect of both texts is the question of Humanity. In Frankenstein it is a feature that is illustrated by the monster’s kind gentle nature juxtaposed with Victor’s rabid dehumanisation in creating the creature. The monster is torn between his innocent good nature and the scorn that people treat him with. He is alienated and wrecked by longing for companionship, which ultimately drives the creature to madness. This can be seen when the monster says “The human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union… if I cannot inspire love I will cause fear”. Here it can be implied while the monster is trying to show compassion to other people but the horror induced by his physical appearance hinders his humanity. This is in direct contrast to Victor’s dehumanisation when building the monster. This can be seen when the monster says “God in pity made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image, but my form is a filthy type of yours”. The characterisation of master and monster is ironic, as Victor becomes increasingly alienated from humanity by his obsessions, while the monster longs after companionship and love.
Humanity is portrayed in Blade Runner as something lost to humans but cherished by replicants. In the same virtue as the creature, the created seeks to be human while humanity rejects its own emotions. This is presented to the responder when Holden confronts Leon. In a medium shot using editing to juxtapose between the two characters. Leon is nervous, wild eyed and sweating while Holden is calm, collected and analytical. When Holden asks the questions his voice takes on a robotic and synthetic tone while Leon becomes more nervous and anxious. The irony here is that Leon is the replicant and Holden is the human. The allusion is what constitutes the question of ‘what is human?’ By the same principle Rachael at first encounter is cold, unresponsive and robotic. Her emotion is kept hidden until Deckard reveals that she is a replicant. By then she is wrecked with emotion and sobbing uncontrollably. This juxtaposition again begs the question what is humanity just as the creature questions his own humanity. In this way both texts challenge the concept of what constitutes humanity.
The ethics of technology is a theme that is reflected by Victor’s and Walton’s ambition to delve deeper into the secrets of science, can be correlated to contemporary scientific discovery. For example acid rain and climate change as a result of industrial pollution. Both the replicants and the monster are characterisations of the effect of technology on society. In Frankenstein the ethics of the development of technology can be seen with Victor’s ambition in building the monster transforming into disgust. This can be seen when Victor says that “the beauty of my dream vanished, breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”. Here it can be implied that Victor blinded by his ambition to build the monster failed to foreshadow the consequences of using technology wantonly. The dangers brought about by technology and disregard for ethics and morality is the message implied by the Gothic Romantic tale of Frankenstein.
In Blade Runner the ethics of science and technology is portrayed by the destruction of nature by the environment. This destruction of the environment can be seen in the opening scene where a long distant shot depicts a Hades like underworld, a dark industrious synthetic city where fire explosions and lightning are inescapable. The Synthetic evangelist music in the background adds to the feel of destruction. The set design of polluted street, perpetual rain, industrial high rise buildings add up to highlight the lack of care for the environment and show what has replaced the natural world. The presence of synthetic animals combined with the panning shots of a world ravaged by technology alludes to the consequence of wanton use of technology and the ultimate result it will create for our own world.
As it can be seen from above these two texts are significant to society because they posses themes that are relevant. Hubris is important because it gives caution to man playing god. Humanity is important as the texts ask what happens if we build something “that is more human than human”. The ethics of technology is important as it gives caution to the effects of science and technology. These are all relevant issues that will remain relevant so long as humanity pursues knowledge and power.
The question is: Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley and Blade Runner, Directed by Ridley Scott share many common attributes, most notably, that time has demonstrated both texts' significance to society. Explore this statement.
ESSAY
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott are two texts that engage with contemporary values and beliefs. These two texts are significant because they explore the themes of hubris, humanity and ethics in the advancement of technology.
Both Tyrell and Victor are blinded by their achievements, their unethical actions becoming the harbingers of not only their doom, but the world and people around them. Thus it is in these two tests that the relevant issues of hubris, ethics, and humanity are explored.
Hubris is a characteristic that reflected by many contemporary issues. For example the morality of the cloning debate and stem cell dilemma are reflections of Victor’s obsession with science and progress. Hubris is the excessive pride of those with power made manifest in that individuals come to see themselves as godlike. For Victor the prospect of life and death “appeared to (him) ideal bounds”. He considers natural environments to be his slave that “he has chased nature to her very hiding place”. Victor is so egotistical that he proclaims “new species bless me as their creator”. However as with all hubris the inevitability of his downfall is certain. Both in the milieu of Greek promethean hubris and that of the Gothic Romantic scientist trespassing the domain of god. The creature’s vengeance is the ultimate price Victor pays for his hubris. Shelley foreshadows Victor’s inevitable suffering through the irony of his own advice - “I seek for knowledge… I hope yours may not be a serpent as mine had been”. This alludes to the fall from Eden as Adam and Eve gained ‘forbidden knowledge’. It is a double metaphor that plays both the knowledge Victor gains, as well as the loss of innocence of the monster as it goes into the real world.
Much like Victor who thought that he transcends the morality of one man to another; bending nature to be his slave. Tyrell has the same god-like characterisation of Hubris. Tyrell too pays with his life for toying with creation. As a film media the hubris of Tyrell is portrayed through visual cues that allude to his godlike status. When we first meet Tyrell he is presented in a mid-shot of a man dressed in white with soft luminous lighting juxtaposed against Deckard in Black jacket and Rachael in a dark business suit. The relationship between master and creation is evident as a result. Furthermore when Tyrelll confronts Roy the film uses editing to juxtapose between the glowing pristine image of Tyrell against the soiled appearance and moody dark lighting of Roy. Despite fearing for his life Tyrell continues to condescend Roy, stating "The Light that burns twice as bright burns half as long. You are quite a prize." Tyrell is unable to distinguish the replicants from property even to the bitter end. This death at the hands of his prodigal son is the hubris that Tyrell ultimately receives.
Another aspect of both texts is the question of Humanity. In Frankenstein it is a feature that is illustrated by the monster’s kind gentle nature juxtaposed with Victor’s rabid dehumanisation in creating the creature. The monster is torn between his innocent good nature and the scorn that people treat him with. He is alienated and wrecked by longing for companionship, which ultimately drives the creature to madness. This can be seen when the monster says “The human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union… if I cannot inspire love I will cause fear”. Here it can be implied while the monster is trying to show compassion to other people but the horror induced by his physical appearance hinders his humanity. This is in direct contrast to Victor’s dehumanisation when building the monster. This can be seen when the monster says “God in pity made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image, but my form is a filthy type of yours”. The characterisation of master and monster is ironic, as Victor becomes increasingly alienated from humanity by his obsessions, while the monster longs after companionship and love.
Humanity is portrayed in Blade Runner as something lost to humans but cherished by replicants. In the same virtue as the creature, the created seeks to be human while humanity rejects its own emotions. This is presented to the responder when Holden confronts Leon. In a medium shot using editing to juxtapose between the two characters. Leon is nervous, wild eyed and sweating while Holden is calm, collected and analytical. When Holden asks the questions his voice takes on a robotic and synthetic tone while Leon becomes more nervous and anxious. The irony here is that Leon is the replicant and Holden is the human. The allusion is what constitutes the question of ‘what is human?’ By the same principle Rachael at first encounter is cold, unresponsive and robotic. Her emotion is kept hidden until Deckard reveals that she is a replicant. By then she is wrecked with emotion and sobbing uncontrollably. This juxtaposition again begs the question what is humanity just as the creature questions his own humanity. In this way both texts challenge the concept of what constitutes humanity.
The ethics of technology is a theme that is reflected by Victor’s and Walton’s ambition to delve deeper into the secrets of science, can be correlated to contemporary scientific discovery. For example acid rain and climate change as a result of industrial pollution. Both the replicants and the monster are characterisations of the effect of technology on society. In Frankenstein the ethics of the development of technology can be seen with Victor’s ambition in building the monster transforming into disgust. This can be seen when Victor says that “the beauty of my dream vanished, breathless horror and disgust filled my heart”. Here it can be implied that Victor blinded by his ambition to build the monster failed to foreshadow the consequences of using technology wantonly. The dangers brought about by technology and disregard for ethics and morality is the message implied by the Gothic Romantic tale of Frankenstein.
In Blade Runner the ethics of science and technology is portrayed by the destruction of nature by the environment. This destruction of the environment can be seen in the opening scene where a long distant shot depicts a Hades like underworld, a dark industrious synthetic city where fire explosions and lightning are inescapable. The Synthetic evangelist music in the background adds to the feel of destruction. The set design of polluted street, perpetual rain, industrial high rise buildings add up to highlight the lack of care for the environment and show what has replaced the natural world. The presence of synthetic animals combined with the panning shots of a world ravaged by technology alludes to the consequence of wanton use of technology and the ultimate result it will create for our own world.
As it can be seen from above these two texts are significant to society because they posses themes that are relevant. Hubris is important because it gives caution to man playing god. Humanity is important as the texts ask what happens if we build something “that is more human than human”. The ethics of technology is important as it gives caution to the effects of science and technology. These are all relevant issues that will remain relevant so long as humanity pursues knowledge and power.
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