How we cite our quotes: (Act.Paragraph)
Quote #4
No! Please! Let go of me. You're c-r-r-rushing me! (prologue.393)
Domin expresses his love for Helena by grabbing her, hurting her, and marrying her against her consent. Does the play think this is sexy? Funny? Cool? The way things should be? No wonder the robots have such trouble with love when their creator, the playwright, seems to be unclear on the concept as well.
Quote #5
My God, how can she be so beautiful with no capacity to love? I look at her and I'm horrified that I could make something so incompetent. Oh Helena, Robot Helena, your body will never bring forth life. (1.283)
Dr. Gall is upset because he tried to give Robot Helena a soul and failed. But he moves instantly, from "you can't love" to "you can't have a baby." The play insistently conflates the two—love means children; children mean the ability to love. Of course this isn't true; people often love each other without being able to have kids (or without wanting to have kids). The play though doesn't seem to like that idea; it wants very traditional domestic roles and families, which may be why the robots (who aren't made in traditional familial ways) seem so scary.
Quote #6
Yes. Because he loves you—like everyone else. (2.145)
Dr. Gall agreed to try to give the robots a soul because he loves Helena, supposedly. But why do they all love her? Is it just because she's the only woman in the play? Again, it seems like, in the play, it's not only the robots who are confused about this love business.