Bladerunner and Frankenstein

One of the main protagonists in Frankenstein is Victor Frankenstein, whose actions Shelley uses to instil very important messages. Frankenstein is an ambitious and egocentric scientist who is on a desperate quest to find the secrets to creating life. Frankenstein finds himself so immensely immersed in his work, that it cuts off his relationships with others, as well as causing his health to also suffer. Frankenstein was written during the “the enlightenment” period, where progress and scientific methods and approaches were starting to dominate and become valued, as well as the mentality that with reason and rationality, anything could be achieved. Despite this, Shelley writes the story as a reminder that an over-ambitious or obsessive nature will inevitably lead to one’s downfall if not careful. When Tyrell was met by Roy Batty, one of his creations, for a prolonging of his life, Tyrell simply responds by calling him a “prodigal son”. By further ignoring Roy’s requests, Tyrell says that “the light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long”, commenting on his achievement of a human that is “twice” better than the humans that God has managed to create. Tyrell’s selfish and self-absorbed nature can also be seen in his implantation of memories into “experiment” replicants, to allow them to have a “cushion or pillow for their emotions”. This is not an act of kindness however, but a procedure to try and ensure replicants are more predictable and easier to “control”. In Blade Runner, Scott reminds us of the consequences of possessing too much pride, or hubris, through Tyrell’s losing control over his creations, as well as his brutal and horrific death. Through the character of Frankenstein and Blade Runner, it is evident that though ambition and individuality may achieve great things, no matter the context or time, excessive pride and ego will always lead to one’s premature failures or downfalls.
In Frankenstein, Shelley presents the idea of creating life using...