Karel Capek Books, Quotes, Biography, Novels

Karel Capek Books, Quotes, Biography, Novels
Karel Čapek (1890–1938) was one of the most influential Czech writers of the 20th century, celebrated for his contributions to literature, particularly in science fiction and social commentary. Born on January 9, 1890, in Malé Svatoňovice, Bohemia (then part of Austria-Hungary, now the Czech Republic), he was the youngest of three siblings. His father, Antonín Čapek, was a doctor, and his mother, Božena Čapková, collected local folklore. Čapek studied philosophy at Charles University in Prague, as well as in Berlin and Paris, earning a doctorate in 1915. Despite lifelong health issues due to a spinal condition, he pursued a prolific career in writing.

Čapek is best known for his play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), published in 1920 and premiered in 1921, which introduced the word “robot” to the world—a term coined by his brother Josef, derived from the Czech word “robota,” meaning forced labor or drudgery. The play explores the creation of artificial beings who eventually rebel against their human creators, offering a prescient critique of technology and dehumanization. Another notable work, War with the Newts (1936), is a satirical novel about the exploitation of intelligent amphibians, reflecting Čapek’s concerns about imperialism, fascism, and human greed.

A staunch advocate for democracy and humanism, Čapek opposed the rising tides of fascism and communism in Europe during the 1930s. His close friendship with Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia, inspired works like Talks with T.G. Masaryk, a biographical exploration of Masaryk’s philosophy. Čapek’s writing often blended humor, philosophical depth, and a focus on ordinary life, as seen in works like Tales from Two Pockets (1929) and his trilogy Hordubal, Meteor, and An Ordinary Life (1933–1934).

In 1935, he married actress Olga Scheinpflugová after a long acquaintance. As Nazi aggression loomed, Čapek refused to leave Czechoslovakia despite being labeled “public enemy number two” by the Gestapo. He died of pneumonia on December 25, 1938, in Prague, shortly before the German occupation. Ironically, the Gestapo arrived to arrest him months later, unaware of his death.
Čapek was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times but never received it. His legacy endures through his innovative storytelling and the enduring relevance of his themes.