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''R.U.R.'' is a 1920 science fiction play by the Czech writer Karel Čapek. ''R.U.R.'' stands for ''Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti'' (Rossum’s Universal Robots). However, the English phrase Rossum’s Universal Robots had been used as the subtitle in the Czech original.〔Kussi, Peter. ''Toward the Radical Center: A Čapek Reader.'' (33)〕 It premiered on 25 January 1921 and introduced the word "robot" to the English language and to science fiction as a whole. ''R.U.R.'' quickly became famous and was influential early in the history of its publication. By 1923, it had been translated into thirty languages.〔 The play begins in a factory that makes artificial people, called ''roboti'' (robots), out of synthetic organic matter. They are not exactly robots by the current definition of the term; these creatures are closer to the modern idea of cyborgs, androids or even clones, as they may be mistaken for humans and can think for themselves. They seem happy to work for humans at first, but that changes, and a hostile robot rebellion leads to the extinction of the human race. Čapek later took a different approach to the same theme in ''War with the Newts'', in which non-humans become a servant class in human society.〔Roberts, Adam "Introduction", to ''RUR & War with the Newts''. London, Gollancz, 2011, ISBN 0575099453 (pp. vi–ix).〕 ''R.U.R.'' is dark but not without hope, and was successful in its day in both Europe and the United States.〔Jarka M. Burien, "Čapek, Karel" in Gabrielle H. Cody, Evert Sprinchorn (eds.) ''The Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama'', Volume One. Columbia University Press, 2007. ISBN 0231144229, (p.224-5).〕 ==Characters== Parenthesis indicate differences in translations. Humans〔On the meaning of the names see (Ivan Klíma, ''Karel Čapek: Life and Work'', 2002 ), p. 82〕 * Harry Domin (Domain) — General Manager, R.U.R. * Fabry — Chief Engineer, R.U.R. * Dr. Gall — Head of the Physiological Dept, R.U.R. * Dr. Hellman (Hallemeier) — Psychologist-in-Chief * Jacob Berman (Busman) — Managing Director, R.U.R. * Alquist — Clerk of the Works, R.U.R. * Helena Glory — President of the Humanity League, daughter of President Glory * Emma (Nana) — Helena's maid Robots and Robotesses * Marius, a Robot * Sulla, a Robotess * Radius, a Robot * Primus, a Robot * Helena, a Robotess * Daemon (Damon), a Robot 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「R.U.R.」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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