Frankenstein driven by romantic imagery and set in historic context, that analysis the European divide in society perpetuated by superficiality. Contrastingly Blade Runner is consumed by commercialism that reflects the dystopian globalised world that omits normal societal values and morals. Both texts challenge the morality of artificial creation that is motivated by the characters' relentless ambition. The texts employ techniques such as allusions and tactical characterisation to depict the disconnection to nature and the manipulated visions of the characters as well as introducing the question of 'what it means to be human?' Character is emblematic of the ideas within the both texts.
He believes in doing the right thing. However, under the influence of Dracula, he is a whole other person. He is vulnerable to Dracula’s will, making him unable to control his actions. He eats flies for their souls and he even lets the Count into the house, where he attacks Mina. In addition, Renfield attacks Dr Seward with a knife.
Because the poem places a large emphasis on Satan and the fall of man, it could give a sense of rebellion to an uneducated reader, which it certainly did with the monster. However, if Paradise Lost was replaced with the Bible, this influence would be reversed with many positive influences, including “Thou shalt not kill,” and “Love thy neighbor as yourself.” Plutarch’s Lives is a collections of historic retellings of the lives of famous Greek and Roman figures. While there are many positive stories, there are also many negative influences. Many tales of betrayal create negative precedents that the monster followed. However, if a different selection of Lives were chosen, then the monster could have learned of valor and honor.
The eponymous villain Dracula exemplifies and personifies the fears of society during the 1800's including the spread of the plague, and milieu of the 1800's. Throughout the horror novel we can see Dracula as an alluring, mysterious figure that embodies the paradigms of science, religion and patriarchal values as he changes from a man to a monster through the narration of various personalities, most informatively, Jonathan Harker, Van Helsing and Mina Harker. Reflecting in its epistolary style, Dracula represents Bram Stoker's oppressed individualism, making it unique and refreshing in contrast to other novels of the time. The combination of journals, letters and newspapers allows the reader to observe the point-of-view of each character and
Although sharing little in setting or premise, the texts Frankenstein and Blade Runner share many of the same concerns as they both challenge the values and morals of the societies in which they were set, most notably the notion of what it means to be human, as well as articulating the composers' critique of the advancement in science and technology. Both texts also exhibit the consequences of imprudent creation and the hubris of an individual to rise above and disrupt the natural order. Written in the eighteen hundreds by aggrieved writer Mary Shelley, the novel Frankenstein presents readers with a Romanticist perspective of technology ‘dehumanizing’ mankind as society was not made clear of their indistinct boundaries. Through Victor’s regression, “I, the true murderer, felt the never dying worm alive in my bosom”, the symbols of the ‘worm’ explore the downfall in
Inhumanity and monstrosity is depicted in Frankenstein, through the characters of Victor and the creature, whom can be perceived as doppelgangers. Initially the creature is seen as physically horrifying, which is expressed through description, the hyperbole “his face was wrinkled into contortions too horrible for human eyes to behold,” but is initially benevolent until contact with civilisation transformed him into a vengeful murderer. This also evokes Rousseau’s Romantic theory of the noble savage; that man’s existence is superior amongst nature, when he is not exposed to the malicious influences of society. Towards the end of the novel, Victor is also seen to be a monster, as he did not take responsibility for his creation, which leads to his realisation, “I, not in deed, but in effect, was the true murderer.” This is also a similar case for Tyrell in Blade Runner; however, he does not feel guilt for the treatment and injustice of his replicants. “Commerce is our goal,” is his slogan, depicting his greed and inhumanity, which is reflective of the economically driven 20th century.
Brahm Stoker’s “Dracula” highlights concerns prevalent within the Victorian era, shown through characters, symbols and themes throughout the novel. Prior to this, Samuel Taylor Coleridge worked within the Romantic era absorbing a multitude of radical political and theological ideas, ideas which often underpinned his works. Coleridge’s “Christabel” confronts concerns surrounding universal human characteristics, particularly those most prominent within his era, such as female purity and innocence. In contrast to these more traditional beliefs, “Blood; The Last Vampire” articulates anxieties surrounding the breakdown of a society and the repercussions of this in relation to a younger, more contemporary society. The “dark side’ within these texts are often projected through a singular symbol, character or theme that is unaccepted or feared by its surrounding society.
In Bram Stocker’s novel “Dracula”, there is an ongoing theme of sexuality threatening the social order. The Victorian era in England was known for its patriarchal division of power between men and women. Men were the dominant figures, and were seen as intelligent, rational and powerful. Women on the other hand, had very limited roles in Victorian Society, and were subordinate to men at the time. In the novel, the traditional roles and ideologies of men and women in Victorian society are challenged by Dracula.
In the 16th chapter of Dracula by Bram Stoker, the count has made his first victim in England, Lucy having been transformed into a vampire. Van Helsing, Dr. Seward, Arthur, and Quincey Morris investigate on the situation and decide to get rid of her, or rather of it...Indeed the young women has become monstruous and has started to attack children for their blood. The passage we have to analyse is the ritual the men have to perform to eliminate the creature, described through Seward's point of view. Many traditional characteristics of vampires are, like in the whole book, present in the text: blood, sharp teeth, stakes and garlic...Different recurrent themes of Stoker's work can also be found in this passage, and we will try to identify them and analyse their meaning.
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Societal changes of the nineteenth century instilled a common fear that mankind’s newfound perversion would lead to the downfall of Western European culture. This “panic,” inspired popular novelists like Robert Louis Stevenson to write The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A recurrent theme being that underneath an educated man lays an uncultured barbarian. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde portrays the detriments of the modern cultural, intellectual, and scientific changes. The nineteenth century technological innovations spurred the Second Industrial Revolution.