Karel Čapek (1890–1938): A Writer for Our Times

Abstract

Karel Čapek is regarded by many literary historians as one of the most important authors of the interwar Czechoslovak Republic. Despite this designation, he continues to be controversial, particularly in the Anglophone world, as some critics believe that Čapek never actually comprehended the character of evil. On the occasion of the 120th anniversary of Čapek's birth, this article re-examines some of the most important themes of Čapek's writing from the vantage point of current events and well-known literary scholars. As one of the first European authors to experiment with multi-perspective approaches, Čapek echoes Lacan in some of his early work, while anticipating existentialism and postmodernism. These approaches will be investigated alongside Čapek's own analyses of society and politics, particularly topical today.