ipl-logo

Metropolis And 1984 Essay

1039 Words5 Pages

As examples of dystopian fiction, metropolis and 1984 share some common concerns and conventions. In a comparative essay, analyse and evaluate each text as an artistic response to the political, social and cultural climates of their respective contexts:
Texts are inherently responses which represents composers concerns of their political, social and cultural climates. Both Fritz Lang’s German Expressionist Film Metropolis (1927) and George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1948) portray the subjugation of the individual and the divide between social classes. Lang’s focus is on the consequences to society due to loss of values such as compassion in Weimar Germany following WWI. Meanwhile, Orwell represents the crushing of individual …show more content…

Having eliminated all bonds of human connection between individuals, the Party intended that ‘the sex instinct will be eradicated… neurologists shall abolish the orgasm’ where the high modal declaration depicts the frightening measures imposed by the administration to prevent revolution. Thus, the relationship between Winston and Julia serves as an outlet of instinct but is also an expression of rebellion against the status quo: ‘their embrace had been a battle…It was a political act.’ Further, the ‘glass paper weight’ motif serves as a reminder of the past, a beacon of hope but in the arrest shatters, signifying defeat to the state. Ultimately, as Winston falls short of liberation, he disintegrates into a shell of his former self: betraying Julia and becomes a mindless vehicle of the Party’s propaganda for Big Brother. Thus, demonstrating the futility of relationships between individuals under political overpower. However, the relationship symbolises a rejection of Party doctrine, parallel to Freder and Maria’s relationship in Metropolis, one acting as an apparatus to drive revolution and unification, relaying both authors contextual concerns of the people’s rejection of

Show More
Related

  • Control In 1984

    803 Words  | 4 Pages

    Deciding that he needs love and physical contact in his life, Winston begins an affair with an inner party member named Julia, who he secretly meets up with and talks about rebellion. Explaining to Julia why the Party frowns upon love marriages and tries to distance people so they can’t have sex, Winston describes that “When you make love you’re using up energy; and afterwards you feel happy and don’t give a damn for anything. They can’t bear to feel like that. They want you to be bursting with energy all the time. All this marching up and down and cheering and waving flags is simply sex gone sour” (Orwell 167).

    Read More

  • Julia's Totalitarian Government

    619 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Julia has affairs with these men, she takes great caution, even avoiding any public display of communication. Unlike Winston, she does not see government capture as an inevitability, but rather the worst case scenario. In fact, Winston’s influence is the only reason she is

    Read More

  • 1984 And 1984 Comparative Essay

    508 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dystopian texts espouse a variety of didactic messages that depend significantly upon both the context and zeitgeist of the time in which they were created. Differences can be found when comparing the techniques and perspectives the authors have chosen to represent their contextual concerns to audiences. Together both Fritz Lang’s silent black and white film ‘Metropolis’ 1927 and George Orwell’s novel ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (*referred to as 1984) 1948, confront and provoke audiences to consider the impact that (abusive power + unquestionable control= insert question statement) can have not only on the characters in these two texts, but also on the cultural and political lives of the reader and viewer. By subjugating & dehumanising the lower classes, dictators are

    Read More

  • 1984 Power Analysis

    835 Words  | 4 Pages

    ‘The party’ restricts sexual behavior as it competes with complete loyalty to the ‘state’. This is evident when Winston and Julia make love, thinking of it as ‘a blow struck against the party’ Winston also realizes it is the ‘force that would tear the party to pieces’. The party recognized the power of sex as not just an act of reproduction and is evident through Winston’s encounter. Through eliminating the act, the party is able to maintain control over the population. The party is then able to channel the population’s sexual frustrations and substitutes it with patriotism towards the party.

    Read More

  • Oppression In 1984

    1343 Words  | 6 Pages

    Once Julia has given Winston the note that says ‘I love you’ on it, they begin meeting each other in private, but Winston is not sexually attracted to Julia like she is to him; “Their embrace had been a battle, the climax a victory. It was a blow against the part. It was a political act” (Orwell, 104). In 1984 relationships are forbidden, unless to only reproduce children for the party, making Winston and Julia’s relationship extremely

    Read More

  • Dystopia In The Giver

    883 Words  | 4 Pages

    However, he is not the only author whose novels explore the chances of a futuristic, extreme society. The struggles against a totalitarian government is predictable a recurrent theme in dystopian literature, Louis Lowry’s The Giver being no exception, and therefore it relates greatly to the themes discussed in Orwell’s 1984. The

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Winston And Julia In 1984

    736 Words  | 3 Pages

    George Orwell’s novel 1984 presents us two characters who are entirely different, but still complement each other entirely, the protagonist Winston and his love-interest Julia. Julia’s optimistic character highlights Winston’s fatalistic one. Winston believes he and Julia are compatible and can relate to each other because they share the same believes. They both detest Big Brother and want to rebel against the Party. While this is true, their similarities seem to end there.

    Read More

  • Essay On 1984 Human Connection

    653 Words  | 3 Pages

    The world of today is much different than that of 1984 because the world today is filled with human connection that comes as a direct result of our freedom to show expression. In 1984, the Party restricts the general population from showing their true emotions, which in turn limits the presence of human connection. At the beginning of the novel, Winston explains that facecrime is the act of wearing an improper expression on your face, and it is punishable by death (Orwell 62). This limits people’s ability to connect with one another.

    Read More

  • 1984 George Orwell Humanity Analysis

    516 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the book the protagonist, Winston Smith attempts to “stay human” by going against the Party's absurd views, and beginning a romantic relationship with Julia, another character from 1984 who’s sole purpose in the book is to represent lust. Since one’s humanity is every thing from their emotions, sexuality, and opinions, the romantic relation that begins between Winston, and Julia quickly comes to an end after the Party

    Read More

  • 1984 Victory Gin Analysis

    973 Words  | 4 Pages

    Julia wasn’t much interested in reading, and Winston was surprised to discover that “the difference between truth and falsehood did not seem important to” (193) Julia. While Winston was greatly concerned about the party’s manipulation of truth, Julia was more interested in freedom of individuality. The clever thing was to break the rules and stay alive, whether it was a love affair, swearing, wearing makeup or obtaining luxuries on the black market. She took great pride in her ability to bring real sugar, real milk, and real coffee to her meetings with Winston (177). Julia’s desires to bring these prohibited items to their meetings, as well as her disinterest in exposing the part indicate that she rebels simply to undermine the party in her own small ways and gain individual freedom.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Constructivism In 1984 By George Orwell

    950 Words  | 4 Pages

    Typically, this did not end well for the party and it felt it must protect both its structure and its interest and prevent this from happening. While constructivism is the very basis of the government’s power in this novel, it also shows strong themes of Marxism. Written and set during the Cold War, many of the norms the citizens follow, like the censorship of language and media to the all-knowing “Big Brother” are derived from the Soviet Union. The ending of the story, for example, involves the state capturing both Julia and Winston and charging them for their crimes of avoiding state policy and associating with each other. They are both brutally tortured and “re-educated” or forced to adopt the policies

    Read More

  • 1984 Theme Essay

    1559 Words  | 7 Pages

    The society of this novel was a dystopia and it is how George Orwell viewed the world. In the novel 1984, Orwell portrays the acts of betrayal and

    Read More

  • Individuality Leads To Rebellion In George Orwell's 1984

    781 Words  | 4 Pages

    On December 16, 1773, after months of suppression of taxes, finally the people of boston, rebelled against the governing party. They had so much individualism that they were not used and they didn’t like the idea that the British were making them pay more for their tea so because of that, the people used their individuality to work together to rebel, just as Winston and Julia used their individuality to rebel against their governing party. In 1984 by George Orwell, Winston Smith, a man in his mid 40’s, lead a lonely, rebellious life, living in Oceania, until he met Julia, who he believed to be his true love. Together, they rebel against their governing power, the Party or Big Brother, but in the end, both Winston and Julia and end up getting caught.

    Read More

  • 1984 And Macbeth Comparison Essay

    1064 Words  | 5 Pages

    William Shakespeare and George Orwell are two of the most iconic authors of all time. Although living in different conditions and time periods, both of their works show similarities in exploring human nature and defining humanity. Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Orwell’s 1984 both explore the human traits in different storylines and styles, but for a similar purpose. Not only do both pieces of literature deeply explore the themes of power and control, but also other aspects of human life such as fear and paranoia. By doing this in each author’s storyline, they connect with the values and beliefs of their readers.

    Read More

  • Individuality In George Orwell's 1984

    1446 Words  | 6 Pages

    Sex creates an extremely exclusive bond between two individuals; it’s an unspoken contract of trust and love. Not only are sexual experiences private, but they also fulfill humanity’s instinctual desire and promote individuality. However, when this intimacy is either erased or condemned by society, individuals lose touch with that vital part of their humanity and individuality. In 1984 by George Orwell, sexuality plays an important role in both Oceania’s totalitarian government and Winston’s rebellion against his oppressors; as he explores his sexuality, Winston revolts against the Party’s manipulative political control, the destruction of individuality, the absence of human connection, and the practice of sexual puritanism.

    Read More

More about Metropolis And 1984 Essay

Open Document