''Metropolis'' is a 1925

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

novel by the German writer

Thea von Harbou Thea Gabriele von Harbou (27 December 1888 – 1 July 1954) was a German screenwriter, novelist, film director, and actress. She is remembered as the screenwriter of the science fiction film classic ''Metropolis'' (1927) and for the 19 ...

. The novel was the basis for and written in tandem with

Fritz Lang Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...

's 1927 film ''

Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...

''.

Premise

The story is set in a technologically-advanced city, which is sustained by the existence of an exploited class of labourers who live underground, far away from the gleaming surface world. Freder, the son of Joh Fredersen, one of the city's founders, falls in love with Maria, a girl from the underground. The two classes begin to clash for lack of a unifying force.

Publication

The novel was serialised in the magazine ''Illustriertes Blatt'' in 1925, accompanied by screenshots from the upcoming film adaptation. It was published in book form in 1926 by

August Scherl August Scherl (24 July 1849 – 18 April 1921) was a German newspaper magnate. Life August Hugo Friedrich Scherl founded a newspaper and publishing concern on 1 October 1883, which from 1900 carried the name August Scherl Verlag. He wa ...

. An English translation was published in 1927.

Reception

Michael Joseph of '' The Bookman'' wrote about the novel: "It is a remarkable piece of work, skilfully reproducing the atmosphere one has come to associate with the most ambitious German film productions. Suggestive in many respects of the dramatic work of Karel Capek and of the earlier fantastic romances of

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells"Wells, H. G."
Revised 18 May 2015. ''

expressionist Expressionism is a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Northern Europe around the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it rad ...

literature. ..''Metropolis'' is one of the most powerful novels I have read and one which may capture a large public both in America and England if it does not prove too bewildering to the plain reader."

Film adaptation

The book was written with the intention of being adapted for film by Harbou's husband, the director

. Harbou collaborated with Lang on the script for the film, also titled ''

''. Shooting began before the novel was published. The film omits certain parts of the book, especially references to the

occult The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic and mysticism a ...

(of which a small hint exists in the film), as well as the moral motivations given for certain actions of the main characters.

References

{{Authority control 1925 German-language novels 1925 science fiction novels Dystopian novels German novels adapted into films German science fiction novels Metropolis (1927 film) Novels by Thea von Harbou Novels first published in serial form Novels set in the 2020s Books about cities 1925 German novels

Premise

Publication

Reception

Film adaptation

See also

References