ENGLISH: FRANKENSTEIN/BLADERUNNER

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It is easier to denature plutonium than to What gives us that title, ladies and gentlemen? denature the evil spirit of man. The moment we are born naturally after nine Although not a philosopher, I think Albert months of development, we are immediately Einstein was right in the sense that humans can pronounced as human beings. Maybe we don’t be evil. That people can appear less human. even deserve that title. Maybe we are all too evil, Maybe even not human at all. This is quite a too wicked, too corrupt! To be honest, I’m not complex and paradoxical idea, the idea of what one to preach. However, the composers Mary makes us human. Shelley and Ridley Scott convey a significant message to us through their texts about humanity.

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Through my study of Frankenstein and Blade Similarly, Blade Runner is composed in a time of Runner, I have come to understand the unprecedented Industrialisation and significance of context and values in the 19th technological, scientific development. These and 20th Centuries. As you can see on the contexts influence both Shelley and Scott to handout in front of you, Frankenstein challenged explore humanity through fictional characters. the social norms of society, written in a time Indeed, the composers confront us with the where Christian values were dominant, during question: what is it to be human? the Industrial Revolution and conflicting views of Scientism and Romanticism.

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This is demonstrated in Frankenstein through Shelley sees Victor as blasphemous through his the idea of Scientism. Victor, as you all know, is words: “I have become the author of unalterable human. But to what extent is he morally? I mean evils!” He is sacrilegious, profane and God will he tries to “reveal the secrets of nature” by punish him. That’s what she is saying! Shelley is defying Christianity. Christianity! The belief saying we should not disregard family and system of most Victorians in the 19th Century! In believe unreservedly in science. Acting like doing this, Victor doesn’t see his family for two Victor and becoming obsessed could cost us our years and becomes obsessed with creating life. humanity.

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And it’s interesting how almost two-hundred Humankind has stripped the world of natural years later, Ridley Scott reflects this notion in his resources and turned it into a disgusting, cyberpunk, classic film, Blade Runner. unbearable dystopia. Take a look at our hard- boiled detective protagonist, Deckard. It’s difficult As you can see down the bottom of the hand-out to find any sense of human quality in him as he in front of you, I’ve stated this similarity. In Blade ruthlessly murders Zhora, a female replicant. Her Runner, we’re confronted with a never-ending death is possibly the most disheartening and megalopolis of pollution, with industrialised and violent, highlighting the Film Noir genre. claustrophobic buildings, constant rain and darkness.

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The blood on her transparent coat. Slow motion. The world around us has relied far too long on Her cries. Her running to save herself. And technology and science. We have forgotten Deckard, unfeelingly, pulls that trigger. Not once. what’s important. We’ve forgotten about love, Not twice. Maybe three or four times. Scott is about compassion, about nature. Scott, to me, is saying, this is not what it is to be human. rather disappointed and like Shelley, he asserts Deckard is not human, at least not we cannot believe unreservedly in Scientism. psychologically.

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We see that there is a strong similarity between In Frankenstein, Shelley asserts that to be these texts but...there is also an undeniable human, one must portray the romantic ideals of difference. Victor is inhuman, creating life. emotion, love for the sublime and reflection on Deckard is inhuman, not for creating life but oneself. The Creature, like a newborn, because he is ruthless, insensitive, a merciless experiences “a strange multiplicity of sensations” murderer. Shelley focuses on Victor’s lack of as he wanders in search for identity saying “Who humanity while Scott portrays human am I?” degradation on a more global scale.

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In a very human way, he questions his existence “I think therefore I am” are iconic words spoken and purpose in life, admits he is miserable yet at by the Replicant, Pris, in Blade Runner which times, pleased about the “enchanting anchor the romantic idea of humanity. Ladies appearance of nature”. Ladies and gentlemen, if and gentlemen, if the ability to think and feel is showing emotion, reflecting on oneself and human, then the Replicants are human and appreciating the aesthetic world is what it is to sometimes, as stated, “more human than be human, then the Creature is evidently this human”. and not an “abhorred monster”. This is yet another notion reiterated in Scott’s Blade Runner.

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Rachael cries upon realising she is a Replicant The difference between the texts, however, is and soon forms a loving relationship with that there is basically little or no appreciation of Deckard in that scene where she says “I love nature in Blade Runner whereas in Frankenstein, you/I trust you”. Roy loves Pris, and when she love of nature is reiterated throughout the text. dies, he mourns over her dead body. Scott, like Shelley, values balance and regardless of artificial creation, one can still be human.

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Another fascinating similarity of both texts which In Frankenstein, the theme of the Creator- really intrigued me was the association of Creation relationship is a religious analogy of humanity with religion – which I have also God’s creation of man. Victor plays God, an act included on the handouts. Shelley’s time was which Shelley considers blasphemous. And who obviously dominated by Christian values but in is the real victim here? The Creation. Or the Scott’s context, there is a more diverse ‘blend’ of “fiend” as Victor likes to put it. cultures and religious beliefs.

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The Creature, corrupt and miserable creates a Indeed, what it is to be human is shown through religious parallel between himself and Satan, the Creator-Creation relationship where Roy is confessing remorse and lack of morality – a very Satan and Tyrell is God yet, Scott delivers a human reaction. So what do we see here? unique turn of events. Roy’s quest is to prolong Shelley believes man should not play God and his lifespan but in the denouement, he accepts challenge religion. A similar concept is reflected the inevitability of the human condition. in Blade Runner yet...the differences are quite profound.

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He ends his life with dignity, saving Deckard and Through my comparative study of both Shelley’s delivering that beautiful soliloquy “I’ve known Frankenstein and Scott’s Blade Runner, I have adventures, seen places you people will never come to understand what defines humanity. The see...”and son on... Roy, once a satanic figure composers are influenced by the worlds around rejects his human emotion of revenge, redeems them and develop values which are expressed in himself and dies. Soon, we forget Roy is even a their texts. Replicant.

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Ladies and gentlemen! Even though they are in Like Albert Einstein said, humankind is evil. I different time periods, both composers assert agree to an extent. We saw how the created that believing unreservedly in Scientism will lead could spiral into base corruption but in the end, to the loss of our humanity. What it is to be they grow sensitive and learn to appreciate the human is evident through the ideals of most important things in life. But this, they Romanticism and even Religion. figured out on their own. They reflected and searched within themselves.

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And they didn’t just sit there. They left, wandering – whether that was in the woods or under the city landscape. And now I ask for you, ladies and gentlemen, to do the same. What makes us human? Are we human? And if we aren’t, then we what are we still doing here?