When his experiment comes to life, Frankenstein gets scared, thus giving The Creature all of the power he previously held. Victor continues to avoid and run from his creation, leaving all of the power out of his hands. Furthermore, The Creature confronts Victor and demands that he listen to his story, and later demands that he be given a companion. Here we can see where the thirst for power has been transferred, leaving the original man of power in desolation. Looking at the work as a whole, we see a common idea about paying God by giving life, and the aftermath that comes with it.
Although perspectives and values change with time, ideas and concepts can transcend. In pursuit of knowledge and technology, society begins to lose a sense of humanity. The 1818 gothic novel, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and 1982 science fiction film, Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott although composed over one hundred years apart contain the same concepts on the nature of humanity. Through context and a variety of film and literary techniques both composers were able to convey their purpose of a cautionary warning about the consequences of playing
Shelley evidences this theme through Victor stealing the Gods gift of life, alluding to Prometheus stealing the Gods gift of fire, epitomised in Victors dialogue “A new species would bless me as its creator”. ( can also add from here the domino effect/ notes taken from book, consequences of playing God) Victor becomes a lost soul when he tries his ghastly experiments on the dead and loses his moral compass when he becomes obsessed with animating the dead. Victor's overindulgence in science takes away his humanity, and he is left with the consequences of these actions without having reasoned out the reality that his experiments may not have the desired effects. (can also talk about loss of parental duty/abondment) Rejecting and not naming his invention makes the reader feel a sense of prejudice against the monster as it is given titles such as the ‘monster’ or ‘creature’, words that linger on a negative aspect. This initial reaction of Victor was an indirect means of Shelley showing how humans would react to side effects or catastrophes caused by scientific
If he has no obervation of human beings, he would not realize his enormous distinction between him and human being. If he does not discover that satchel of books and reads Milton’s Paradise Lost, he would not find out the stories of “Adam”, and how unfair and cruel the treatment he has received from his creator Victor Frankenstein. The allusion to the biblical story is primarily used in this passage. The monster is wondering why “his state was far different from any other being in existence”. God creates “a perfect creature, happy and prosperous”, victor creates a monster who is “wretched, helpless, and alone”.
Fame being one of Frankenstein’s prime motive for creating a superhuman portrays that he does not realize his motive will cause low credibility. Even though the monster is portrayed as ugly and demonic, he longs for a female companion of the same species that will understand him. Moreover, because his physical appearance does not fit in with those around him, he claims he is mean because he is alienated. Thus, Victor suggests the monster’s words are reasonable and promises to create the monster’s companion. However, in the process of his work, Victor slacks off and
Prometheus, a Greek God who is known to be the fire-stealer and life-giver, also tried to play god by creating man and giving them fire against Zeus’s commands. Victor Frankenstein and Prometheus both stole to create their own being or race to worship them and were justly punished in the end for those endeavors at playing God and thievery. According to James Rieger and Harold Bloom, the crime of the “modern Prometheus” is partly the conventional overreacher’s wish to “explore unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation.” In the story Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein creates a creature to worship him as stated in the text, “A new species would bless me as its creator and source” (Shelley 32) and that he can control. Victor is trying to be a god which is why he is trying to create this new race. He states in the text, “I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter” (Shelley 30).
Texts in Time Frankenstein and Blade Runner Reflection Statement Texts in Time Frankenstein and Blade Runner Reflection Statement HSC Advanced English David Touma HSC Advanced English David Touma Despite a 164 year contextual barrier, the significant values and concerns of Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic novel Frankenstein are exemplified in Ridley Scott’s post-modern pastiche cult classic film Blade Runner (1982). Both composers demonstrate similar perspectives on common thematic concepts; including the obsession with knowledge, science and technology, the usurpation of the role of god, as well as neglecting filial responsibility and revenge. Despite their differences in context and medium, both are effective in exploring the consequences of their common concepts. Contextually, Shelley explicates romantic idealism as opposed to enlightenment, and the post-industrial European environment, whereas; Scott’s film noir sci-fi echoes issues regarding excessive industrialisation and globalisation, adding voice to Shelley’s precautionary tale. Frankenstein was composed during the Romantic period; which involved challenging previously accepted, scientific statements, regarding the practical and ethical possibilities arising from human enquiries into the sources of life and human knowledge in general.
For both Frankenstein and Bladerunner, the texts clearly convey both the time in which they were produced and illuminate why their composers chose the format through which they convey their concerns of the dangers of scientific knowledge and the inherit goodness of humans and the impact of life experience that provokes change. These two ideas continued as paramount concerns during both periods of time in which these texts were written and still resonate with society to this modern day. Shelley’s novel ‘Frankenstein’ is an exemplar of the texts popular in her time. It was known that both romantic and gothic texts had come to influence the literary scene of the late 18th century, a period of revolutionary political and social reform. However,
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Scott Ridley’s Blade Runner, although constructed in different contexts, are both instrumental in demonstrating the universal notion of the nature of humanity. Through the literary discourse of Frankenstein, Shelley is able to draw from the contextual influences of the Romantic Movement and Enlightenment, therefore exploring the valued notions of excessive knowledge and the role of creator in establishing glory. These universal notions have been appropriated and shaped in Blade Runner, to therefore present the way in which the contemporary capitalised society of America has led to a futuristic world characterised by the consequences of excessive knowledge and usurping the role of creator. Both Frankenstein
Or rather, stay, that I may trample you to dust! And, oh! That I could, with the extinction of your miserable existence, restore those victims whom you have so diabolically murdered!” (M. Shelly, Frankenstein, Chapter 10) Frankenstein’s reasons for creating the monster was that he was so utterly obsessed with life itself he wanted to create a being that would never die out of his mother’s memory so no one else felt his pain, So mainly the reasons for him rejecting the monster is because it was nothing he expected and especially creating it out of his mother’s memory he felt the need to reject