The Mother (Matka)

The Mother (Matka in Czech) is an anti-war drama written by Czech novelist and playwright Karel Capek, in 1938. The play is influenced by the Spanish civil war and portrays the difficult relationship between men who wanted to fight, and their mothers and loved ones who did not want them to go. It also shows the fight against fascism, and the emotional turmoil and suffering that war brings. The play emphasizes the unnecessary difficulties of war and the complex relationships during war, emphasizing that although wars are bad, sometimes we have no choice but to fight them to protect our freedoms.