Finding the "Americanism" in Čapek's Work

Scholar Jana Horaková gave the lecture “Americanism of Čapek's Play about Robots” at the Embassy of the Czech Republic on October 6, 2015. An intimate audience gathered to hear her discuss the world premiere of Čapek's renowned play R.U.R. in Prague and the first stage production of the play in the U.S., utilizing a rich collection of historical photos and reviews. She followed the discussion with a short report on the literary and cultural context which the play entered into on the American continent. Her lecture paid particular attention to the position of Karel Čapek in science fiction, with examples of Isaac Asimov’s satirical references to Čapek’s play in his work.