Frankenstein vs. Bladerunner
Evan L. Wendel 11-20-06 CMS.796: Major Media Texts Comparative Analysis
Worldspace in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner:From Romantic Nature to Artificiality The language and style of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein are both deeply rooted in the literary traditions of the Romantic period, and yet Victor Frankenstein’s scientific experimentation, and eventual success in creating life from inanimate matter, certainly makes Frankenstein an early forbearer of the science fiction genre. However, it is important to point out that Mary Shelley’s novel is primarily concerned with critiquing the science of the early 19th century, whereby the worldspace of Frankenstein, that is to say, the physical surround the characters of the text inhabit, remains highly structured around Nature, which is used to elucidate their lived experiences. Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982; rev. 1992), in stark contrast, positions the viewer from the very opening sequence of the film within a hauntingly mechanized and non-natural future—the hellish worldspace of Los Angeles in the year 2019. The aim of this essay will be to explore parallels between Frankenstein and Blade Runner in order to illuminate key differences between their respective worldspaces, and examine how character experiences, regardless of their humanness, are articulated through language, imagery and visuals within these spaces. The parallels between the Creature in Frankenstein, and Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), the poetic leader of the fugitive replicants in Blade Runner, are obvious. Both are living creations of unchecked scientific endeavors, thereby raising many of the same philosophical, moral and ethical concerns. Similarly, both are regarded as Other, that is, distinct from humans, though the distinction is blurred more in the case of replicants, as 2 they are genetically engineered to simulate humans in everything but emotional response. By comparing Roy’s lived experiences with
Worldspace in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner:From Romantic Nature to Artificiality The language and style of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein are both deeply rooted in the literary traditions of the Romantic period, and yet Victor Frankenstein’s scientific experimentation, and eventual success in creating life from inanimate matter, certainly makes Frankenstein an early forbearer of the science fiction genre. However, it is important to point out that Mary Shelley’s novel is primarily concerned with critiquing the science of the early 19th century, whereby the worldspace of Frankenstein, that is to say, the physical surround the characters of the text inhabit, remains highly structured around Nature, which is used to elucidate their lived experiences. Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982; rev. 1992), in stark contrast, positions the viewer from the very opening sequence of the film within a hauntingly mechanized and non-natural future—the hellish worldspace of Los Angeles in the year 2019. The aim of this essay will be to explore parallels between Frankenstein and Blade Runner in order to illuminate key differences between their respective worldspaces, and examine how character experiences, regardless of their humanness, are articulated through language, imagery and visuals within these spaces. The parallels between the Creature in Frankenstein, and Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), the poetic leader of the fugitive replicants in Blade Runner, are obvious. Both are living creations of unchecked scientific endeavors, thereby raising many of the same philosophical, moral and ethical concerns. Similarly, both are regarded as Other, that is, distinct from humans, though the distinction is blurred more in the case of replicants, as 2 they are genetically engineered to simulate humans in everything but emotional response. By comparing Roy’s lived experiences with