Summary

Directed by Fritz Lang and his wife, Thea von Harbou, "Metropolis" takes place in the year 2000 in the mythical setting of Metropolis. This German story is a utopic vision of a Marxist society that goes too far. The protagonist, Jon Frederson (John Masterman in the English version) and his son Freder Frederson are members of the wealthy class, living high above the proletariat of yeoman workers who are crowded together in the urban squalor of Metropolis. Despite the dictatorial demands of his father, Freder Frederson moves among the masses and falls in love with an outspoken woman of the working class named Maria. However, Jon Frederson does not approve of the association. With the guidance of the evil scientist Rotwang, Jon vies to gain control of the working class. To accomplish this, Rotwang kidnaps Maria and designs a robot in her image. According to plan, the robot Maria introduces chaos into the world of the workers. But, ultimately, both the robot Maria and Rotwang are destroyed; Freder Frederson rescues Maria and they live happily ever after; and Jon Frederson even learns to like the workers. Within the context of the film, the robot Maria is important as a catalyst that institutes anarchy into the structured world of the working class. Considering the prolificness of Fritz Lang and the international popularity of "Metropolis," the robot Maria stands the first major robot in the history of film.

Questions

1. What is the role/function of robot? Why was it created?

The robot Maria is designed Rotwang initially with his dead wife, Hel, as a model. However, Jon Fredersen convinces him to create the robot to replicate Maria in order to cause chaos and to undermine Maria's influence over the workers. The robot Maria is a model of "the workers of the future," who would be mechanical slaves. In addition to being a prototype of an ideal proletarian automaton, the robot Maria is highly sexualized. She functions to seduce, corrupt and destroy.

2. How human is it? How human is it meant to be?

Though metalloid, the robot Maria physically resembles a woman. Her body has the full mobility of the human form, enabling her dance with serpentine litheness. Yet, it is the very convincingness of the pseudo-sexuality of this mechanical temptress that gives her power to control.

3. How does it act in society? How do humans react to it?

The robot Maria is designed to tantalize and annihilate. The men, including Rotwang and Jon Fredersen, almost fall for her lures, especially since the robot looks like Rotwang's dead wife as well as the live heroine Maria.

4. What are the consequences within the context of the world of the work?

Ultimately, the robot Maria is seized by the people of the underworld. Her punishment is reminiscent of witch hunts and ritual sacrifice: she is burned at the stake for her crimes. "It is an effective image--of a technological power mocking the human for being so easily seduced by its attractive packaging, its seemingly human features."(Telotte, p.67)

5. Does it introduce a new idea or aid in the evolution of the robot? i.e. What's its contribution?

The robot Maria is more a psychological and socio-political statement than an actual scientific innovation. Her scorching fate reveals the fear of a modern industrialized society in regards to the rapid acceleration of technology. Also, the fact the robot Maria's creators choose to make her female suggests that the combination of sexuality and science, especially in a woman, is both powerful and destructive. In all, Fritz Lang uses the image of a Marxist society threatened by anarchy to show the hazards of technology when it is the projection of human desires. The robot Maria represents how humans try to "reformulate god in their own image" but "in the process effectively eliminate him."(Telotte, p.111)

Furthermore, "aside from the legendary 1910 Edison verson of Frankenstein, no American film had examined the idea of manufacturing human life which motivated German films.... To the German film-makers the idea of man challenging God and making artificial life was one which reflected the prevailing mood of the country.... American audiences were more pragmatic and sceptical,and it was not until 1931, when the German born Carl Laemmle at Universal made Frankenstein, that this dark stream of German fantasy touched the United States...." (Science Fiction in the Cinema, John Baxter: p.40-41)