Destiny Williams
2/12/2018
R.U.R Short-Essay
Karel Capek’s R.U.R delves into an early 20th century sci-fi dystopian world, where robots have become enslaved to mankind and eventually rises up to massacre humanity. In R.U.R, the characters’ negligence and heedless actions have led to the downfall of humanity in the early 1920’s. One of the character’s Helena, tries to intervene for the robots initially, but falls blind to the actions of Rossum’s Universal Robots corporation. Helena easily fell victim to the corporation because of her naive and oblivious nature.
Helena is too naive to hold a secret and oftentimes reveals her true thoughts before analyzing the situation. Domain tried to impress Helena when she first arrived to the manufacturing …show more content…
In act two, “The robot alarm signal. The attack [had begun]” (Capek 61). Instead of running or screaming for help, the act three scene opens with Helena in the “[drawing room as before. In the room on the left HELENA is playing the piano. DOMAIN enters. DR. GALL is looking out the window and ALQUIST is sitting apart in an arm-chair, his face buried in his hands]” (Capek 62). The rest of the room sets up the scene for a gloomy and disheartened mood, whereas Helena just keeps playing the piano. Even after the robot attack signal had been rung and robots began to surround the electric fence on the island. Even afterwards, Helena continues to remain oblivious even up to Berman’s horrendous demise. Fabry shouted to Berman “Get away from the railing! Don’t handle it. Quick, switch off.” But then, Dr. Gall cries out and Domain pulls Helena away from the window. Domain stated to Helena, “Don’t look.” Innocently, Helena inquires “Why, has he fallen?” and doesn’t register the severity of the situation until Fabry states, “The current has killed him” (Capek 86). Helena is far too innocent and childlike to become manipulative. Her demeanor is almost identical to that of a child. Her actions portray her to be too innocent and untouched from the …show more content…
One of the main ways she proves it is through her actions not being well thought out. Oftentimes children tend to get in trouble not because they had a necessarily bad idea, but because it wasn’t quite well planned or executed. Therefore, it leads to trouble. Just like Helena. She means well in her actions, but because she is unaware and unable to plan a good aim it leads to catastrophe. In this case, the downfall of humanity. Helena means no harm in her actions, but because she continually acts on impulse and incomplete information she is unable to establish herself as a manipulative character. Many have argued that Helena is manipulative due to her request for Doctor Gall to create emotions within the robots, but it is simply untrue. Like most upper class, spoiled children, Helena exhibits a streak of selfishness within the play R.U.R. Helena’s disposition is far too childish and innocent to actively plot any harmful plans using deceptive or exploitative
2/12/2018
R.U.R Short-Essay
Karel Capek’s R.U.R delves into an early 20th century sci-fi dystopian world, where robots have become enslaved to mankind and eventually rises up to massacre humanity. In R.U.R, the characters’ negligence and heedless actions have led to the downfall of humanity in the early 1920’s. One of the character’s Helena, tries to intervene for the robots initially, but falls blind to the actions of Rossum’s Universal Robots corporation. Helena easily fell victim to the corporation because of her naive and oblivious nature.
Helena is too naive to hold a secret and oftentimes reveals her true thoughts before analyzing the situation. Domain tried to impress Helena when she first arrived to the manufacturing …show more content…
In act two, “The robot alarm signal. The attack [had begun]” (Capek 61). Instead of running or screaming for help, the act three scene opens with Helena in the “[drawing room as before. In the room on the left HELENA is playing the piano. DOMAIN enters. DR. GALL is looking out the window and ALQUIST is sitting apart in an arm-chair, his face buried in his hands]” (Capek 62). The rest of the room sets up the scene for a gloomy and disheartened mood, whereas Helena just keeps playing the piano. Even after the robot attack signal had been rung and robots began to surround the electric fence on the island. Even afterwards, Helena continues to remain oblivious even up to Berman’s horrendous demise. Fabry shouted to Berman “Get away from the railing! Don’t handle it. Quick, switch off.” But then, Dr. Gall cries out and Domain pulls Helena away from the window. Domain stated to Helena, “Don’t look.” Innocently, Helena inquires “Why, has he fallen?” and doesn’t register the severity of the situation until Fabry states, “The current has killed him” (Capek 86). Helena is far too innocent and childlike to become manipulative. Her demeanor is almost identical to that of a child. Her actions portray her to be too innocent and untouched from the …show more content…
One of the main ways she proves it is through her actions not being well thought out. Oftentimes children tend to get in trouble not because they had a necessarily bad idea, but because it wasn’t quite well planned or executed. Therefore, it leads to trouble. Just like Helena. She means well in her actions, but because she is unaware and unable to plan a good aim it leads to catastrophe. In this case, the downfall of humanity. Helena means no harm in her actions, but because she continually acts on impulse and incomplete information she is unable to establish herself as a manipulative character. Many have argued that Helena is manipulative due to her request for Doctor Gall to create emotions within the robots, but it is simply untrue. Like most upper class, spoiled children, Helena exhibits a streak of selfishness within the play R.U.R. Helena’s disposition is far too childish and innocent to actively plot any harmful plans using deceptive or exploitative