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
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
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