About
Karel Čapek (1890-1938) is a major figure in Czech literature between the two world wars. Born in Bohemia, he studied philosophy in Prague, Berlin and Paris. Suffering from a spinal disease, he was exempted from military service during World War I. Settled in Prague in 1917, he became a journalist and writer. He is famous for introducing the word 'robot' in his play R.U.R. (1920). His science fiction works and philosophical novels explore the dangers of technology and totalitarianism. He was committed against fascism and the Nazi threat, which earned him the status of 'public enemy number 2' by the Gestapo. He died of pneumonia in 1938, shortly after the Munich Agreement.
* 1890-01-09 — † 1938-12-25
Major works
- R.U.R. (1920)play
- Krakatit (1924)novel
- La Guerre des salamandres (1936)novel
- L'Affaire Makropoulos (1922)play
- Lettres d'Angleterre (1924)travelogue
Key milestones
- 1920Introduces the word 'robot' in his play R.U.R., coined by his brother Josef.
- 1936Publishes War with the Newts, a dystopian satire on totalitarianism.
- 1938Dies in Prague of pneumonia, shortly after the Munich Agreement.
Themes
Technology and dehumanizationTotalitarianism and fascist threatRelativism of knowledgeNature and gardeningDemocracy and humanism
Sources: britannica.com · id.loc.gov · mzv.gov.cz