Jananee  Sundarakumar  |  Frank/BR  |  HSC  Advanced  English  ‘To  what  extent  do  the  two  texts  present  similar  or  different  criticisms  of  society?  

Despite   their   differing   contexts,   both   Mary   Shelley’s   novel   Frankenstein   (1818),   and   Ridley   Scott’s   film   Blade  Runner   (1982),   present   similar   social   critiques   and   exemplify   the   existences   and   development   of   universal  concerns.    Shelley’s  novel   is  a  Romantic   response  to  a  period  of   radical   socio-­‐cultural  change  and  Scott’s   film  a  reflection  of  a  post-­‐modern  society  and  both  explore  the  impact  of  science  and  other  ethical  concerns  regarding  their  respective  societies.    Both  texts  effectively  use  devices  appropriate  to  their  text  type  to  communicate  these  concerns.          

Frankenstein  conveys  Shelley’s  perspective  on  changing  economic  and  social  conditions  in  the  early  19th  century,  revealing  criticisms  and  a  concern  for  the  consequences  of  scientific  advancement.    A  primarily  Romantic  novelist,  Shelley’s  inclusion  of  imagination,  tragedy  of  loss  and  ‘nightmare’  scenes  reflects  the  aspects  of  her  genre.  Gothic  influences  can  also  been  seen  in  her  description  of  Frankenstein’s  scientific  pursuits,  particularly  in  the  line  ‘’who  shall  conceive  the  horrors  of  my  secret  toil,  as   I  dabble  among  the  unhallowed  damps  of  the  grave,  or  tortured  the   living   animal,   to   animate   the   lifeless   clay?”.   Selective   diction   such   as   ‘unhallowed   damps’   and   ‘lifeless’   in  conjunction  with   the  macabre   setting   of   a   graveyard   create   dark   imagery  which   reinforces   the   atmosphere   of  mystery  and  terror  that  are  synonymous  to  Gothic  novels.  The  use  of  both  the  Romantic  and  Gothic  genre  allow  Shelly   to   effectively   communicate   the  dark   consequences   involved  with   the   excess   scientific   development   that  occurred  during  her  time  period.  Like  many  others  of  the  Romantic  Movement,  Shelley  argued  strongly  that  new  found   knowledge   from   the   Industrial   Revolution   could   have   devastating   effects   on   society,   evident   when  Frankenstein  states  “you  seek  for  knowledge  and  wisdom,  as  I  once  did;  and  I  ardently  hope  that  the  gratification  of  your  wishes  may  not  be  serpent  to  sting  you,  as  mine  has  been’.  The  metaphor  used  comparing  knowledge  to  a  ‘serpent’  communicates  not  only  the  great  power  that  it  holds  but  also  the  danger.  The  epistolary  structure  draws  in  the  reader  and  develops  Shelley’s  message  on  knowledge  further  by  conveying  her  commentary  at  the  reader  directly   through   the   second   person   narrative   structure.     As   a   result   Shelley   communicates   her   critiques   of   the  socio-­‐economic  changes  resulting  from  excess  scientific  progress  in  her  society.    

The  combination  of  social,  political  and  economic  issues  with  science  fiction  and  film  noir  elements  used  in  Blade  Runner  reflects  the  consequences  Scott  associated  with  excessive  scientific  development.  The  collective  paranoia  and  military  threats  of  the  late  20th  Century  put  political  strain  on  the  countries  of  that  time,  especially  America  and  this  bleak,  nihilistic  view  future  of  the  world  is  clearly  expressed  in  Blade  Runner  through  its  use  of  poorly  lit  scenes  and  a  dark  colour  palette.  Similarly,  the  diegetic  sound  produced  by  the  fans,  the  shadows  cast  by  both  the  outside  light  and  the  cigarette  smoke  and  the  claustrophobic  structure  of  the  interrogation  room  in  the  opening  shot  of   the   film  epitomise   the   film  noir  elements  used   in   the   film,  accentuating  dark  social   context  of   the   time  whilst   also   reinforcing   the   negative   light   in   which   Scott   viewed   excessive   economic   rationalism.   Much   like   in  Frankenstein,  Scott  communicates   the  power  of   scientific  knowledge   in  his   film;  evident   in   the  use  of   technical  jargon   by   Tyrell   when   he   talks   to   Deckard   about   the   “capillary   dilation   of   the   so-­‐called   blush   response...  fluctuation  of  the  pupil...involuntary  dilation  of  the  iris”  communicates  Tyrell’s  obsessive  thirst  for  knowledge  that  will   be   his   downfall.   The   dim   lighting   and   smoke   covered   streets   of   Earth   are   contrasted   with   positive  connotations   conveyed  by  words   such   as   ‘golden’   and   ‘opportunity’   used   to   describe   the   “off-­‐world   colonies”,  highlighting   the   consequences   of   human   artifice   and   excess   scientific     development   through   the   utilisation   of  science  fiction  elements  such  as  Replicants  and  space  travel.      

Shelley   uses   the   characterisation   of   her   ‘monster’   and   connections   to   the   natural   environment   to   amplify  criticisms   regarding   humanity’s  moral   concerns.   The   late   Enlightenment   era   encouraged   the   ambition   of  many  scientists  and  brought  with  it  an  avoidance  of  social  morals  and  ethics  with  Shelley  highlighting  the  consequences  of  Frankenstein’s  actions  through  the  discussion  of  his  relationship  with  the  natural  environment.  When  he  looks  at  his  surroundings  in  Geneva,  he  rhetorically  questions  “Dear  Mountains!  My  own  beautiful  lake!  Your  summits  

Jananee  Sundarakumar  |  Frank/BR  |  HSC  Advanced  English  are   clear;   the   sky   and   lake   are   blue   and   placid.   Is   this   to…mock   at   my   unhappiness?”   The   use   of   positive  connotations   in   words   such   as   ‘beautiful’,   ‘clear’   and   ‘placid’   created   imagery   that   should   develop   calm   and  serene   surroundings   but   instead,   due   to   the   lack   of  moral   compass   Frankenstein   possessed  when   creating   his  monster,   the  natural   beauty  of  Geneva   is   denied   to  him.   Society   in   the  19th   Century  placed   large  emphasis   on  scientific  development  but  not   the  moral  obligations  and   responsibilities   that   it   called   for.   The   frame   structure  used  by  Shelley   in  her  narrative,  particularly  the   inclusion  of  the  creature’s  story  and  his  ability  to  articulate  his  suffering  is  powerful  in  obtaining  both  reader  sympathy  and  instigating  the  morality  and  ‘parental  responsibility’  Frankenstein   has   failed   to   acknowledge.   This   vulnerability   is   evident   when   the   creature   states   that   he   “was  alone…   he   [Victor]   had   abandoned  me,   and,   in   the   bitterness   of  my   heat,   I   cursed   him”.   The   imagery   created  through   the  negative   connotations  of   ‘abandoned’  and   ‘bitterness’  demonstrates   the   transition  of   the  monster  from  that  of  a  peaceful  being  into  that  of  a  bitter  one  due  to  the  lack  of  moral  responsibility  and  nurture  given  by  Frankenstein,  his  creator.    

Set   in   a   time  of   late  Capitalism,  Blade  Runner  epitomises   the  all-­‐powerful   corporations   that  dominated   society  and  the  technological  and  economical  drive  they  utilised  as  a  means  to  power  and  money.  They  caused  society  to  ignore   its  moral   responsibilities  and  as   seen   in   the  Tyrell  motto   ‘commerce   is  our  goal’   reflected   the  consumer  driven  culture  present  in  Blade  Runner.  The  consequence  of  these  moral  deficiencies  is  portrayed  through  natural  environment,   much   like   in   Frankenstein.   These   consequences   direct   results   of   commercial   exploitation   and  urbanisation  contributed  to  the  fears  of   irreversible  damage  to  ecological  systems  and  the  various  close-­‐  ups  to  mechanical  animals,  such  as  the  owl  in  Tyrell’s  building,  portrays  this.  This  fear  is  further  accentuated  through  the  recurring  symbol  of  rain  as  nature’s  ‘tears’  of  mourning  for  the  degradation  of  Earth.  The  reduction  of  mankind,  in  the  creation  of  Replicants,  to  a  mere  commodity  symbolises  the  mass  dehumanisation  and  lack  of  moral  compass  present   in   the   corporations   of   the   late   20th   Century.   Similar   to   the   inclusion   of   the   Monster’s   story   in  Frankenstein,  the  audience  is  positioned  to  empathise  with  the  Replicants  and  acknowledge  the  suffering  they  are  faced   with.   The   close-­‐ups   used   in   the   death   of   Zhora   and   the   slow-­‐motion   images   of   her   murder   portray   a  gruesome   scene   that   highlights   the   moral   dilemmas   that   arise   from   the   systematic   extermination   of   the  Replicants.   Her   vulnerability   is   symbolised   in   the   flimsy,   transparent   raincoat   she   is   seen   wearing   and   is  accentuated  through  the  mellow  saxophone  soundtrack  playing  during  her  death.  Scott’s  portrayal  of  Tyrell  and  Deckard   in   conjunction   with   the   Replicants   develops   his   criticisms   on   the   moral   deficiencies   in   the   late   20th  Century.    

The  social  critiques  developed  in  both  Frankenstein  and  Blade  Runner  are  similar  despite  their  differing  contexts.  The   discussion   of   science   and   ethical   concerns   is   expressed   in   Shelley’s   novel   through   Romantic   and   Gothic  elements  whilst  Scott  utilises  science  fiction  elements  and  film  noir  techniques  to  convey  his  message  of  the  need  for  scientific  restraint.