Karel Capek

Rossum's Universal Robots Karel Capek

R. U. R. is a science fiction play in the Czech language by Karel Capek. R. U. R. stands for Rossum's Universal Robots, an English phrase used as the subtitle in the Czech original. It premiered in 1921 and introduced the word "robot" to the English language and to science fiction as a whole. The play begins in a factory that makes artificial people called "robots". Unlike the modern usage of the term, these creatures are closer to the modern idea of androids or even clones, as they can be mistaken for humans and can think for themselves. They seem happy to work for humans, although that changes and a hostile robot rebellion leads to the extinction of the human race. After finishing the manuscript, Capek realized that he had created a modern version of the Jewish Golem legend. He later took a different approach to the same theme in War with the Newts, in which non-humans become a servant class in human society. R. U. R is dark but not without hope, and was successful in its day in both Europe and the United States.