R.U.R. and The insect play

Karel Čapek, Josef Čapek

"In 1920 Čapek wrote what was to become his most famous work, the play 'R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots)', a meditation on the themes of humanity and subjugation that introduced the 'robot'. He was prolific throughout the 1920s, his plays addressing a range of subjects, although best remembered as a writer of early science fiction. Čapek also dealt with contemporary moral and political issues, including the rise of corporations and European fascism"-- "Determined to liberate the mass-produced but highly intelligent robots forged in the machinery of Rossum's island factory, Helena Glory arrives in a blaze of righteousness. Soon perplexed by the robots' seeming humanity but absolute lack of sentience, she deserts her strident campaigning and falls in love with Domin, the factory's General Manager. Yet even as their life on the island appears to become more comfortable, the tide is turning against the humans ... Drawing huge international attention following its original production in 1921, 'Rossum's Universal Robots' was a strikingly prescient meditation on the themes of humanity and subjugation that were to dominate the twentieth century. Seen as a precursor to works including Huxley's 'Brave New world', it is a true classic of the dystopian genre, and remains all too resonant"--