Similarities Between Blade Runner And Frankenstein

Ridley Scott’s Blade runner and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein both explore mankind’s ability to acquire forbidden knowledge. This power can lead to the destruction of an individual’s morality. Both these texts explore the loss of humanity and the rise of scientific technology that leads to ‘’ misery and destruction’’.
Frankenstein depicts the loss of humanity in the text and this is demonstrated through the dehumanisation of the monster. The monster is metaphoric representation of the consequences of science. The monster states ‘’ I felt the greatest ardour for virtue rise within me’’. However when the monster reads Victors journal he turns into this ‘’horrendous fiend’’ that kills William. ‘’ I too can create desolation’’ shows the loss of empathy

This is portrayed through the dehumanisation of the replicants. One of the major motifs in the film is ‘’more human than human’’ and this is portrayed in the scene between Holden and Leon. During this scene Leon can be seen to hold a greater capacity of human expressions than Holden who is more ruthless and straight to the point with his questions. This is further reinforced when Tyrell pats Roy in his head like a father pats his son. ‘’ the flame that burns twice as bright lasts half as long …you are the prodigal son. Quite the prize’’. The metaphor of the candle depicts Roy as a product which Tyrell owns, further reinforcing the fact the dehumanisation of the replicants. Tyrell also is shown as an uncaring father who considers his replicants as a ‘’prize’’. The oxymoronic term of a son which turns into a prize also shows the loss of humanity depicted upon the

‘’Newton is said to have avowed that he felt like a child picking seashells beside the great and unexplored ocean of truth’’. This portrays the idea of Romantics and how nature was considered as divine. The hyperbole ‘’penetrated natures secrets’’ and ‘’acquired unlimited powers’’ reinforces the great duality and power that nature was portrayed in. The creation of the monster by Victor through the ‘’promised light’’ only brings upon misery and destruction. This is reinforced by the ‘’illumination’’ of light to ‘’nothing but darkness, penetrated by no light’’. This shows that as man’s ability to develop science grows they is always a danger to this change. In this case the danger being the destruction brought forth by the