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== Life and work == |
== Life and work == |
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Čapek was born in [[Malé Svatoňovice]], [[Bohemia]], [[Austria-Hungary]] (now [[Czech Republic]]). |
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'''ELLIE AND CHARLOTTE ARE THE BOMB''''''''Bold text''''' |
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He wrote with intelligence and humour on a wide variety of subjects. His works are known for their interesting and precise descriptions of reality, and Čapek is renowned for his excellent work with the [[Czech language]]. He is perhaps best known as a [[science fiction author]], who wrote before [[science fiction]] became widely recognized as a separate genre. He can be considered one of the founders of classical, non-hardcore European science fiction, a type which focuses on possible future (or alternative) social and human evolution on Earth, rather than technically advanced stories of space travel. However, it is best to classify him with [[Aldous Huxley]] and [[George Orwell]] as a [[speculative fiction]] writer, distinguishing his work from genre-specific [[hard science fiction]]. |
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[[Image:Capkuv dum.jpg|right|thumb|House of Čapek brothers in Prague 10-Vinohrady]] |
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Many of his works discuss ethical and other aspects of revolutionary inventions and processes that were already anticipated in the first half of 20th century. These include [[mass production]], [[atomic weapon]]s, and post-human intelligent beings such as robots or intelligent [[salamander]]s. |
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In addressing these themes, Čapek was also expressing fear of impending social disasters, [[dictatorship]], violence, and the unlimited power of [[corporation]]s, as well as trying to find some hope for human beings. Čapek's literary heirs include [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Salman Rushdie]], [[Brian Aldiss]] and [[Dan Simmons]]. |
In addressing these themes, Čapek was also expressing fear of impending social disasters, [[dictatorship]], violence, and the unlimited power of [[corporation]]s, as well as trying to find some hope for human beings. Čapek's literary heirs include [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Salman Rushdie]], [[Brian Aldiss]] and [[Dan Simmons]]. |
Karel Čapek | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 25 December 1938 | (aged 48)
Occupation | writer |
Spouse | Olga Scheinpflugová |
Signature | |
Karel Čapek (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkarɛl ˈtʃapɛk] ) (January 9, 1890 – December 25, 1938) was one of the most influential Czech writers of the 20th century.
ELLIE AND CHARLOTTE ARE THE BOMB'''Bold text
In addressing these themes, Čapek was also expressing fear of impending social disasters,
dictatorship, violence, and the unlimited power of
corporations, as well as trying to find some hope for human beings. Čapek's literary heirs include
Ray Bradbury,
Salman Rushdie,
Brian Aldiss and
Dan Simmons.
His other books and plays include detective stories, novels, fairy tales and theatre plays, and even a book on gardening. His most important works attempt to resolve problems of epistemology, to answer the question: "What is knowledge?" Examples include "The Tales from Two Pockets", and first book of all the trilogy of novels Hordubal, Meteor, and An Ordinary Life.
Later, in the 1930s, Čapek's work focused on the threat of brutal Nazi and fascist dictatorships. His most productive years coincided with the existence of the first republic of Czechoslovakia (1918–1938). He wrote Talks with T. G. Masaryk [1] – Masaryk was a Czech patriot, the first President of Czechoslovakia, and a regular guest at Čapek's Friday garden parties for Czech patriots. Čapek was also a member of Masaryk's Hrad political network. This extraordinary relationship between the author and the political leader may be unique, and was an inspiration for Václav Havel. He also became a member of International PEN.
Soon after it became clear that the Western allies had refused to help defend Czechoslovakia against Hitler, Čapek refused to leave his country – despite the fact that the Gestapo had named him Czechoslovakia's "public enemy number 2." Though he suffered all his life from the condition Spondyloarthritis, Karel Čapek died of double pneumonia on December 25, 1938, shortly after part of Bohemia was annexed by Nazi Germany following the so-called Munich Agreement. He was interred in the Vyšehrad cemetery in Prague. His brother Josef Čapek, a painter and writer, died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
After the war, Čapek's work was only reluctantly accepted by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia, because during his life he had refused to accept communism as a viable alternative. [2]
In 2009 (70 years after his death), a book was published containing extensive correspondence by Karel Čapek, in which the writer discusses the subjects of pacifism and his conscientious objection to military service with lawyer Jindřich Groag from Brno. Until then, only a portion of these letters were known. [3]
The word robot comes from the word robota meaning literally serf labor, and, figuratively, "drudgery" or "hard work" in Czech, Slovak and Polish. The origin of the word is the Old Church Slavonic rabota "servitude" ("work" in contemporary Russian), which in turn comes from the Indo-European root *orbh-. Robot is cognate with the German word Arbeiter (worker).
Karel Čapek introduced and made popular the frequently used international word robot, which first appeared in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) in 1921. While it is frequently thought that he was the originator of the word, he wrote a short letter in reference to an article in the Oxford English Dictionary etymology in which he named his brother, painter and writer Josef Čapek, as its actual inventor. [4] In an article in the Czech journal Lidové noviny in 1933, he also explained that he had originally wanted to call the creatures laboři (from Latin labor, work). However, he did not like the word, seeing it as too artificial, and sought advice from his brother Josef, who suggested "roboti" (robots in English).
m Reverted edits by
113.197.4.144 to last version by Fæ (
GLOO) |
|||
Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
== Life and work == |
== Life and work == |
||
Čapek was born in [[Malé Svatoňovice]], [[Bohemia]], [[Austria-Hungary]] (now [[Czech Republic]]). |
|||
'''ELLIE AND CHARLOTTE ARE THE BOMB''''''''Bold text''''' |
|||
He wrote with intelligence and humour on a wide variety of subjects. His works are known for their interesting and precise descriptions of reality, and Čapek is renowned for his excellent work with the [[Czech language]]. He is perhaps best known as a [[science fiction author]], who wrote before [[science fiction]] became widely recognized as a separate genre. He can be considered one of the founders of classical, non-hardcore European science fiction, a type which focuses on possible future (or alternative) social and human evolution on Earth, rather than technically advanced stories of space travel. However, it is best to classify him with [[Aldous Huxley]] and [[George Orwell]] as a [[speculative fiction]] writer, distinguishing his work from genre-specific [[hard science fiction]]. |
|||
[[Image:Capkuv dum.jpg|right|thumb|House of Čapek brothers in Prague 10-Vinohrady]] |
|||
Many of his works discuss ethical and other aspects of revolutionary inventions and processes that were already anticipated in the first half of 20th century. These include [[mass production]], [[atomic weapon]]s, and post-human intelligent beings such as robots or intelligent [[salamander]]s. |
|||
In addressing these themes, Čapek was also expressing fear of impending social disasters, [[dictatorship]], violence, and the unlimited power of [[corporation]]s, as well as trying to find some hope for human beings. Čapek's literary heirs include [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Salman Rushdie]], [[Brian Aldiss]] and [[Dan Simmons]]. |
In addressing these themes, Čapek was also expressing fear of impending social disasters, [[dictatorship]], violence, and the unlimited power of [[corporation]]s, as well as trying to find some hope for human beings. Čapek's literary heirs include [[Ray Bradbury]], [[Salman Rushdie]], [[Brian Aldiss]] and [[Dan Simmons]]. |
Karel Čapek | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 25 December 1938 | (aged 48)
Occupation | writer |
Spouse | Olga Scheinpflugová |
Signature | |
Karel Čapek (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkarɛl ˈtʃapɛk] ) (January 9, 1890 – December 25, 1938) was one of the most influential Czech writers of the 20th century.
ELLIE AND CHARLOTTE ARE THE BOMB'''Bold text
In addressing these themes, Čapek was also expressing fear of impending social disasters,
dictatorship, violence, and the unlimited power of
corporations, as well as trying to find some hope for human beings. Čapek's literary heirs include
Ray Bradbury,
Salman Rushdie,
Brian Aldiss and
Dan Simmons.
His other books and plays include detective stories, novels, fairy tales and theatre plays, and even a book on gardening. His most important works attempt to resolve problems of epistemology, to answer the question: "What is knowledge?" Examples include "The Tales from Two Pockets", and first book of all the trilogy of novels Hordubal, Meteor, and An Ordinary Life.
Later, in the 1930s, Čapek's work focused on the threat of brutal Nazi and fascist dictatorships. His most productive years coincided with the existence of the first republic of Czechoslovakia (1918–1938). He wrote Talks with T. G. Masaryk [1] – Masaryk was a Czech patriot, the first President of Czechoslovakia, and a regular guest at Čapek's Friday garden parties for Czech patriots. Čapek was also a member of Masaryk's Hrad political network. This extraordinary relationship between the author and the political leader may be unique, and was an inspiration for Václav Havel. He also became a member of International PEN.
Soon after it became clear that the Western allies had refused to help defend Czechoslovakia against Hitler, Čapek refused to leave his country – despite the fact that the Gestapo had named him Czechoslovakia's "public enemy number 2." Though he suffered all his life from the condition Spondyloarthritis, Karel Čapek died of double pneumonia on December 25, 1938, shortly after part of Bohemia was annexed by Nazi Germany following the so-called Munich Agreement. He was interred in the Vyšehrad cemetery in Prague. His brother Josef Čapek, a painter and writer, died in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
After the war, Čapek's work was only reluctantly accepted by the Communist government of Czechoslovakia, because during his life he had refused to accept communism as a viable alternative. [2]
In 2009 (70 years after his death), a book was published containing extensive correspondence by Karel Čapek, in which the writer discusses the subjects of pacifism and his conscientious objection to military service with lawyer Jindřich Groag from Brno. Until then, only a portion of these letters were known. [3]
The word robot comes from the word robota meaning literally serf labor, and, figuratively, "drudgery" or "hard work" in Czech, Slovak and Polish. The origin of the word is the Old Church Slavonic rabota "servitude" ("work" in contemporary Russian), which in turn comes from the Indo-European root *orbh-. Robot is cognate with the German word Arbeiter (worker).
Karel Čapek introduced and made popular the frequently used international word robot, which first appeared in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) in 1921. While it is frequently thought that he was the originator of the word, he wrote a short letter in reference to an article in the Oxford English Dictionary etymology in which he named his brother, painter and writer Josef Čapek, as its actual inventor. [4] In an article in the Czech journal Lidové noviny in 1933, he also explained that he had originally wanted to call the creatures laboři (from Latin labor, work). However, he did not like the word, seeing it as too artificial, and sought advice from his brother Josef, who suggested "roboti" (robots in English).