Henrik Ibsens Enemy of the People essays

Henrik Ibsen's Enemy of the People essays In Henrik Ibsen's play, Enemy of the People, Peter Stockmann is the real enemy of the people because he is primarily motivated by greed. He is a man with power and who does no mind using his influence to get what he wants despite who he has to hurt to get it. This paper will examine how Peter 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 fellow citizens than he is for himself comes from his reaction to his brother's news 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 such news could keep people from visiting the Baths. He asks Thomas, "Have you taken the trouble to consider what your proposed alterations would cost'" (II.155). Peter tells him that it would take nearly two years to complete the work and asks, "what are we to do with the Baths in the meantime' Close them' Indeed we should be obliged to. And do you suppose any one would come near the place after it had got about that the water was dangerous'" (II.156). These statements illustrate that Peter is more concerned with business than with the health of the community. Peter is also very arrogant. He does not think the people of the community deserve to know anything is they don't have to know it. He tells Thomas that "not a single word" (II.157) of the condition of the water should reach the public and that everything should be repaired in time in secret. When Thomas asks him if it is not the "duty of a citizen to let the public share in any new ideas" (II. 158), he tells him, "the public doesn't require any new ideas. The public is best served by the good, old established ideas it already has" (II.158). These statements indicate that Peter does not have much faith in the intelligence of the community. It also seems to reinforce hi...