The Dystopian Themes Of Dehumanization In George Orwell's Metropolis

The classic silent film Metropolis (1927) was directed by the famous Fritz Lang and co-written by his ex-wife Thea Von Harbou. The film was produced in Weimar Germany post WW1, reflected by its German Expressionist style. Large portions of the film were believed to be lost until recently and the restored version was released 2010. It was the first film on UNESCO’s Memory of the Wold Register and has inspired sci-fi films like Star Wars and Bladerunner. George Orwell’s 1984 is a fiction novel that is recognised for its futuristic, dystopian themes. It is one of the most influential novels of the 20th century evidenced by phrases and concepts from the text joining with the English dictionary such as the term “Orwellian”. 1984 continues to maintain relevancy by influencing political discussions in the modern day and can therefore be recontextualised.Whilst these two texts have differing perspectives, values, significance and context they have similar content. Examples of this are the depiction of a dystopian society through the themes of altered time, a constant state of poverty and a dismal physical environment. These two texts also discuss dehumanisation through the sub-themes of Anti-Semitism, mechanization and lack of individualism. The theme of what happens when such dehumanisation is challenged by the protagonist in an attempt to retain human …show more content…
Fritz Lang’s ex-wife, who wrote the screenplay, joined the Nazi party in 1932. The villain portrayed as a Jewish person represents the Anti-Semitism that was common in Weimar Germany under Volkitch Ideology of post WW1. 1984 depicts similar Anti-Sematic values as Goldstein, the face of the opposing party (the Brother Hood) is described as having “a lean Jewish face”. This is due to Orwell’s experiences of Nazi Germany and their use of the Jewish population as a