Moral Issues In Frankenstein And Blade Runner

While all texts originate from the imagination of their composer, they explore and address human issues present in their respective contexts. This is the case with Mary Shelley’s Gothic novel Frankenstein (1818) which draws upon the human concern of Romantic egotism in the romantic era whereas Ridley Scott’s film Blade Runner (1992) has been heavily influenced by technological advancement during the 1980s. Despite there being over 150 years between their compositions both these texts explore penetration of nature and societies obsessed with the Machiavellian pursuit of science and technology. Due to each composers various problematic human concerns within their time, they build each other’s codas of the moral implications of the attainment

In Frankenstein, Shelley’s portrayal of Victor’s pursuit for the so-called “essence of life” is reflective of influential Romantic notions present during the early 19th century, especially in regards to the concept of reconstructing reality through human imagination and scientific prowess. She further alludes to the recent discoveries of Galvanism which posited the belief that bodies could be “reanimated” forming the central complication of the narrative. An example of this is Victor’s lamentation of his exploits to Captain Walton during the novel’s inception. He asserts to Walton that “I hope that the gratification of your wishes will not be a serpent to sting as mine has been”, the dramatic irony present foreshadows his eventual downfall while exemplifying the ensuing grief and ramifications he suffers. Furthermore the mention of a “serpent” is an allusion to Milton’s Paradise Lost, highlighting the destitute of Victor creating his own “devil” as a result of his pursuit for scientific achievement. Blade Runner further enforces this thematic concern while supplementing Shelley’s warning, despite being composed during a different context. The

The texts exploration of this theme is no doubt a result of Shelley’s strong romantic influences surrounded by noted Romantics such as her husband Percy Shelley, she would often trek into the countryside and immerge herself within nature. Victor displays similar behaviour in the novel when he retreats to nature following his creation of the monster and uses descriptive and connotative language in his words “It was a divine spring and the season contributed greatly to my convalescence”, thereby elucidating nature’s healing ability. However, it is not simply Victor who appreciates nature’s ability to rejuvenate, epistolary form of the narrative provides the reader with three separate views that of victory the Monster and Walton and it is clear each character shares similar sentiments towards nature. For example, the monster personifies nature by stating “I gradually saw plainly the clear stream that supplied me with drink and the trees that shaded me with their foliage”. Here nature is presented as a caring entity, which is reflective of how Romantics perceived it. Similarly, before undertaking his expedition, Walton uses pleasurable imagery to describe how “a gold northern breeze… fills me with delight”. These favourable perceptions of nature illustrate Shelley’s fondness towards nature and allow readers to understand part