The message of “An Enemy of the People” is to attack liberal ideas. Like most plays written by Henrik Ibsen, “An Enemy of the People” tackles the individual’s beliefs and desires that are not necessarily accepted by society. Specifically speaking, the main conflict of the play is one of the characters become an outcast just because he believes he can help the town by doing something unconventional.
It is all a matter of “free thinking” in a society that regards democracy.First and foremost, Dr. Stockmann has a duty to obey the orders of the mayor, in the level of society. In an ideal setting, the mayor is the leader. Whatever he decrees must be followed. Dr.
Stockman discovered that there was bacteria in the town baths and issuing this out to the public became a problem to the mayor Peter Stockmann, who happens to be his brother. In the first act alone, there is already the “personal” and “professional” conflict in Dr. Stockmann. As the doctor who discovered the problem, he saw it to be his duty to inform the town and to fix the problem.However, he couldn’t do this without the help of other powerful political figures, such as his brother the mayor, Hovstad, the editor of the town’s newspaper and Aslaksen, the printer of the newspaper and the chairman of the homeowner’s association. All through out the play, the views of Hovstad and Aslaksen on Dr.
Stockmann’s idea change from supporting him to plotting against him to denouncing him. ”An Enemy of the People” brings into the question whether Dr. Stockmann supersede his integrity of being a medical figure over his official duty of being a townsfolk.Dr. Stockmann also has to protect his family, who was affected by him being an outcast of society. His daughter Petra, a teacher, was fired by her supervisor because they were receiving threats.
Like her father, Petra shares Dr. Stockmann’s idealistic views. Her mother and Dr. Stockmann’s wife, Mrs. Katherine Stockmann, is the buffer. She encourages her husband’s and daughter’s thoughts on the matter but reminds them that they too must conform to what society holds to be true.
As Dr. Stockmann finds himself in a position where he is manipulated by Hovstad and Aslaksen, Petra, too, is in a predicament of “personal” and “professional” interest.For one, she finds it disheartening that the school curriculum requires her to teach lessons she personally does not believe in. Hovstad and Billings, who are both working for the newspaper and who both have interest in her, decree her in doing so. This is a foreshadowing that Petra will support her father no matter what.
Another aspect that must be looked on when reviewing the play is the goals and aspirations of each character. It is obvious that the action of everyone depend on their desired end.For one, Hovstad turned his back on his assistant and his friend Billing toward the end of the play, because he was wavering toward where Petra stood – which was for Dr. Stockmann’s best interest. Hovstad and Aslaksen seized the opportunity of supporting Dr. Stockmann with his proposal because they saw that they could gain something from this in the first act.
However, in the second act, after they were convinced by the mayor that this would create problems for the paper, both changed their minds. It is unfortunate that there is conflict between Dr. Stockmann and the mayor. They are brothers.Because of their difference, they can never see eye-to-eye.
They are exact opposites. Then there is also the manipulation of Morten Kiils over Dr. Stockman in Act 5. He proposes that the doctor retracts his letter or else the stock of the bath tubs which he left for his daughter Katherine will go down. In the scene where he makes a deal with Dr.
Stockmann, Morten looks like he is pursuing financial gain by using his son-in-law’s discoveries which is not justifiable because this is clear manipulation. What is not clear in the play, at least for me, is why Peter Stockmann rejected his brother’s advice on the baths.It was evident that Dr. Stockmann was merely concerned of the town’s health.
The mayor was more concerned with his reputation and the costs that he dismissed this discovery and even encouraged his brother to be shunned by the public and be labeled as “enemy of the people. ” Toward the end of the play, we see that there is strength in numbers. Losing the support of politics and the press, Dr. Stockmann stands alone. It is true that you will find out who your real friends are when times get tough and this is embodied by Captain Horster who was going to bring the doctor and his family to the new world.
However, the twist of the play is that right after the doctor threatened Hovstad and Aslaksen with his cane, he changed his mind and decided to embrace his nickname as “an enemy of the people. ” ”An Enemy of the People” asks us whether free speech rights can be suspended. The answer is no. Everyone must be heard especially during public emergencies.
It also helps to have members of society who are open-minded and who are not easily swayed by the majority, especially those who are seated in public office. This is what Dr. Stockmann faced in his society.He didn’t have anyone else supporting him.
Thus he stood alone. Nonetheless, you cannot blame the government for protecting the society. Too much information reaching the public might only confuse them thus the need to filter what must be known. This is where the press enters.
There must also be a balance here. Issues that concern the public such as their health and the environment must be relayed to them. This is where the stance of the mayor starts going downhill. He does not fulfill his job as the mayor early on in the play.He gives in to his personal intentions more than his professional responsibilities whereas his brother, Dr.
Stockmann, did the exact opposite. Ibsen showed the conflicts in society in his play that can still be applied today. Politics, science, economics and press often go head-to-head and the winner is often declared to be the one with the majority. This is a societal truth. This is reality.
However, once in a while, there is a radical like Dr. Stockmann who reminds us of the ideals that we lost while we are living in the real world.
