View source for R.U.R.

== Plot ==

=== Synopsis ===
The play begins in a factory that makes artificial workers from synthetic organic matter. (As living creatures of artificial flesh and blood, that later terminology would call [[Android (robot)|androids]], the playwright's 'roboti' differ from later fictional and scientific concepts of inorganic constructs.) Robots may be mistaken for humans but have no original thoughts. Though most are content to work for humans, eventually a [[rebellion]] causes the extinction of the human race.

=== Prologue (Act I in the Selver translation) ===
[[File:Capek play.jpg|thumb|A scene from the play, showing three robots]]
Helena, the daughter of the president of a major industrial power, arrives at the island factory of Rossum's Universal Robots. Here, she meets Domin, the General Manager of R.U.R., who relates to her the history of the company. Rossum had come to the island in 1920 to study [[marine biology]]. In 1932, Rossum had invented a substance like organic matter, though with a different chemical composition. He argued with his nephew about their motivations for creating artificial life. While the elder wanted to create animals to prove or disprove the existence of God, his nephew  only wanted to become rich. Young Rossum finally locked away his uncle in a lab to play with the monstrosities he had created and created thousands of robots. By the time the play takes place (circa the year 2000),<ref>According to the poster for the play's opening in 1921; see Klima, Ivan (2004) "Introduction" to ''R.U.R.'', Penguin Classics</ref> robots are cheap and available all over the world. They have become essential for industry.

After meeting the heads of R.U.R., Helena reveals that she is a representative of the League of Humanity, an organization that wishes to liberate the robots. The managers of the factory find this absurd. They see robots as appliances. Helena asks that the robots be paid, but according to R.U.R. management, the robots do not "like" anything.

Eventually Helena is convinced that the League of Humanity is a waste of money, but still argues robots have a "soul". Later, Domin confesses that he loves Helena and forces her into an engagement.

=== Act I (Act II in Selver) ===
Ten years have passed. Helena and her nurse Nana discuss current events, the decline in human births in particular. Helena and Domin reminisce about the day they met and summarize the last ten years of world history, which has been shaped by the new worldwide robot-based economy. Helena meets Dr. Gall's new experiment, Radius. Dr. Gall describes his experimental robotess, also named Helena. Both are more advanced, fully-featured robots. In secret, Helena burns the formula required to create robots.  The revolt of the robots reaches Rossum's island as the act ends.

=== Act II (Act III in Selver) ===
[[File:Theatre Guild, R U R, Act 3.jpg|thumb|Final scene of Act&nbsp;II]]
The characters sense that the very universality of the robots presents a danger. Echoing the story of the [[Tower of Babel]], the characters discuss whether creating national robots who were unable to communicate beyond their languages would have been a good idea. As robot forces lay siege to the factory, Helena reveals she has burned the formula necessary to make new robots.  The characters lament the end of humanity and defend their actions, despite the fact that their imminent deaths are a direct result of their choices.  Busman is killed while attempting to negotiate a peace with the robots. The robots storm the factory and kill all the humans except for Alquist, the company's Clerk of the Works (Head of Construction). The robots spare him because they recognize that "He works with his hands like a robot. He builds houses. He can work."<ref>{{cite book | last=Čapek | first=Karel | title=''R.U.R.'' | others=translated by Paul Selver and Nigel Playfair | publisher=Dover Publications | year=2001 | page=49}}</ref>

=== Act III (Epilogue in Selver) ===
Years have passed. Alquist, who still lives, attempts to recreate the formula that Helena destroyed. He is a mechanical engineer, though, with insufficient knowledge of [[biochemistry]], so he has made little progress. The robot government has searched for surviving humans to help Alquist and found none alive. Officials from the robot government beg him to complete the formula, even if it means he will have to kill and dissect other robots for it. Alquist yields. He will kill and dissect robots, thus completing the circle of violence begun in Act Two. Alquist is disgusted. Robot Primus and Helena develop human feelings and fall in love. Playing a hunch, Alquist threatens to dissect Primus and then Helena; each begs him to take him- or herself and spare the other. Alquist now realizes that Primus and Helena are the new [[Adam and Eve]], and gives the charge of the world to them.