War with the Newts

by Karel Čapek

R.U.R. Čapek’s play is where we get the word ‘robot’ from, surely the most widely disseminated pieces of SF terminology ever coined—although Čapek always gave credit for the term to his brother, not himself.

What these means is that the word robot carries within it more than simply an allusion to work, drudgery or slavery (although it is for mere drudgery that Rossum’s ‘roboti’ are originally made); it carries within it, in nascent semiotic form, the larger narrative of the play: serfdom on the road to liberation. Even in the early stages of the drama, Čapek’s robots are never mere automata.

Then Abe did something obvious and nonsensical, like Schiller’s knight who went into the lion’s cage to get his lady’s glove. What of that: there are some obvious and nonsensical things that men will do as long as the world turns round.

Submarine monsters are usually well received by the reading public.

might be possible to cut down expenses connected with the maintenance of the Newts very considerably and by that means increase the profits of their enterprise. (Loud applause.)

interested in business myself as an artist. Without a certain amount of art, sir, you will never devise anything new. We must be poets if we are to keep the world turning.’

Six million. Have you got that? Multiply it by fifty. That makes three hundred million. Multiply that again by fifty. That makes fifteen milliards, doesn’t it?

S. Weisberger, as a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, hoped that future sales of Newts would be carried out as humanely as possible and in a manner that would not offend human feelings.

It was also stated that the females accept this impersonal sexual relation far more realistically and as more self-evident than the males, who apparently from instinctive male vanity and eagerness for conquest desire at least to maintain the illusion of sexual conquest, and for that purpose they go through the actions of amorous wooing and conjugal ownership.

if left to Nature, without a doubt it would drag on for hundreds and thousands of years; well, Nature is not and never has been as enterprising and systematic as human industry and commerce.

I lost that game. It suddenly struck me that every move in chess was old and had already been played by someone. Perhaps our history has already been played too, and we shift our figures with the same moves to the same checks as in times long past.

‘If civilization is to continue, it must be civilization for everybody. We can’t enjoy in peace the fruits of our civilization or of our culture as long as we are surrounded by millions and millions of unhappy and lowly creatures kept down by force in the animal state.

what else is civilization but the ability to make use of things that somebody else has invented?

In nothing can we see so clearly the march of time as in children.

‘The question runs: Is and has man ever been capable of happiness?

The Chinese delegate rose to speak, but unfortunately no one could understand him.

The comedy of this book shows again!

For instance, the price they ask now for coffee. It’s true Brazil has also disappeared below the sea. No doubt it makes a difference to business when part of the world sinks into the sea!

‘We must go home. That’s the end.’ ‘What end?’ ‘A Newt. So they’ve got here too. We must go home,’ he repeated, packing up with uncertain hands his fishing rod. ‘That’s the end.’

As simple as this quote is, it was a quite emotional moment in the book, surprisingly so.

but then I thought perhaps that captain might give me a tip. And, you see, he didn’t. All for no purpose we ruin the whole world.’

The earth will probably sink and drown; but at least it will be the result of generally acknowledged political and economic ideas, at least it will be accomplished with the help of the science, industry, and public opinion, with the application of all human ingenuity! No cosmic catastrophe, nothing but state, official, economic, and other causes. Nothing can be done to prevent it.’

Please tell me how can I not be sorry for mankind! But I was most sorry when I saw how of its own will and at all costs it rushed to its ruin.

Must Nature always be asked to straighten out the mess that man has made?

Do you know who lends them money, do you know who finances this End of the World, all this New Flood?’ ‘Yes, I do. All the factories. All the banks. All the different states.’ ‘So you see. If only the Newts were fighting-men, then perhaps something might be done; but men against men – that, my friend, can’t be stopped.’