Henrik Ibsen's Enemy of the People
In Henrik Ibsen's play, Enemy of the People, Peter Stockmann is the realenemy of the people because he is primarily motivated by greed. He is aman with power and who does no mind using his influence to get what hewants despite who he has to hurt to get it. This paper will examine howPeter Stockmann's words and actions prove him to be the real enemy of the Our first indication that Peter might be less concerned with his fellowcitizens than he is for himself comes from his reaction to his brother'snews that the Bath establishment is a "permanent supply of poison" (I.143). Peter is very calm and seems to be only disturbed by the fact that suchnews could keep people from visiting the Baths. He asks Thomas, "Have youtaken the trouble to consider what your proposed alterations would cost'"(II.155). Peter tells him that it would take nearly two years to completethe work and asks, "what are we to do with the Baths in the meantime' Closethem' Indeed we should be obliged to. And do you suppose any one wouldcome near the place after it had got about that the water was dangerous'"(II.156). These statements illustrate that Peter is more concerned withbusiness than with the health of the comm
He tells Thomas, "As an officer under theCommittee, you have no right to any individual opinion . His primary reason for action lies "in the name of truth and for the sakeof my conscience" (III. Aslaksen, "Doyou suppose we shall have a single visitor in the town, if we go aboutproclaiming that our water is polluted, that we are living over a plaguespot, that the entire town'" (III. Thomas is not concerned about public opinion nor does he care about money. Forexample, Aslaksen and Billing seem eager to support Thomas and agree toprint his article. They illustrate Peter's power of persiasion. Peter also refuses to accept the fact that any of the reports thatThomas has obtained are true. He says matter-of-factly, "Ihave satisfied myself that it is so.
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