THE LIFE OF INSECTS or THE INSECT PLAY
Comedy in Three Acts with
Prelude and Epilogue
by
Josef and Karel Capek
Published in 1923, this play is a remarkable allegory which examines the oddities and emotions of mankind. The brothers Capek use a vagrants immersion into a dream world of insects to investigate the socio-political structure of our world. The play examines four major themes:
The insects wear human clothing. The butterflies have drawing room attire, the Marauders are dressed as citizens, the Ants are dressed in black or yellow close fitting workman garb with belts, the Moths are in gauze veils. The insect characteristics are expressed chiefly by pantomime.