Comparing Shelley's Concern In Frankenstein And Blade Runner

A text embodies and reflects key issues and concerns of the composer’s context, whether it be social, cultural or historical. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982) are two prime examples of how similar concerns may differ in representation due to varying times and contexts. Both Shelley and Scott strongly explore the essence of humanity alongside science and development, cautioning the audience about the concerns of these explorations as a possible path of severance with the natural order and the seemingly inexistent future of mankind due to their concerns and issues present in their time.

Frankenstein and Blade Runner explore elements of the human nature in a way that attempts to identify the characteristics that would be considered uniquely human. These
Riddled and darkened with pollution and over-population, smoke stacks are seen heaving enormous fireballs into the atmosphere which in turn responds with violent and unstable strikes of lightning. Nature on earth, the traditional home of humanity, has turned into a hostile place and does not hold any comfort for human population. The world has completely transformed into a commodified Nature, produced through scientific endeavours, highlighting the growing fear of Scott’s context – overpopulation and unscrupulous pursuit of industrialisation at the expense of Nature. Pollution and Global Warming are becoming real concerns in the 1980s, as well as the sustainability for human’s to continue to populate and live on Earth. Earth can no longer be identified as a spiritual home for humanity, thereby humanity losing belonging to a home and becoming an alien presence in an increasingly unnatural world. Effectively shown by frequent high angle panning shots looking down on urban decay, the cinematic style is of pervading darkness, creating a dreary and repelling