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Enlightenment Ideals In Doctor Who

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Much like the TARDIS, the Doctor Who series is bigger on the inside. Although seemingly a story of a crazy time traveler visiting fantastic worlds, Doctor Who weaves far deeper and interesting human dramas into the narrative. It intertwines together ideas of Enlightenment, Romanticism and Realism to transform the science fiction futuristic genre into a very personal storyline that viewers can directly relate to. In the episode “Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel”, Doctor Who explores the depth of human interactions and character development as it relates to modern society. They explore the quest for knowledge, the allure of sentimentality, and the balance between the two.
From A Handbook to Literature (ed.Harmon), works featuring Realism explore …show more content…

According to a handout adapted from A Handbook to Literature (ed.Harmon), Enlightenment ideals “celebrated reason, the scientific method, and human beings’ ability to perfect themselves and their society”. The Cybermen are perfect examples of the extreme end of the Enlightenment ideal. Cybermen were created by combining the intellect of the human mind with the power, strength, and immortality of a mechanized robot. Lumic, the inventor of Cybermen, called them “Skin of metal and a body that will never age or die” (Rise of the Cybermen). Lumic continuously explores Enlightenment ideals over the course of the two-part episode, explaining in one interview, “We 're all flesh and blood, but the brain is what makes us human” (Rise of the Cybermen) Lumic believes the bodies of humans and their subsequent mortality is what makes humans weak. Because the Cybermen have an emotional inhibitor, they make purely rational decisions and feel no pain or disgust, further epitomizing the Enlightenment ideal. His creations call themselves the next level of mankind and their goal is to assimilate all humans and turn them into Cybermen. In doing so, Lumic is trying to perfect society. As Lumic puts it, “ I will bring peace to the world. Everlasting peace and unity and uniformity” (Age of Steel). Both Lumic and his creations are emblematic of Enlightenment ideals and …show more content…

In the show, aliens, different worlds, and alternate realities are focuses of the plot. However, Doctor Who is successful because it interweaves these insane plot devices with relatable human drama and emotion. For example, in “Rise of the Cybermen” and “Age of Steel”, the show introduces the idea of a scientific advancement that would erase emotion from our lives. It causes us to question the importance of being able to feel. Has it allowed us to improve as a society or has it held us back? By introducing Enlightenment and Romantic characters in an austere contrast, Doctor Who highlights the divide in these ways of thinking. The Doctor represents the balance between them and is a stand in for morality. He stops Lumic in the end by blending both Enlightenment and Romantic philosophies together, using both philosophies to show one is not better than the other, nor can we use one philosophy without the other. The ideas of Romantic and Enlightenment are at their best when they are used in

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