Character of the Press Hypocritical opportunistic unreliable

Highlight the character of the pressmen and show how it has impacted on Dr. Stockmann’s mission.

Introduction:
In an enemy of the people, the men of the press include Hovstad, Billing and Aslaksen who run .  the people’s Messenger.  Dr. Stockman is a medical officer who discovers that the town’s water supply is contaminated hence is on a mission to correct the situation.  However, the pressman prove to be a stumbling block to the doctor due to their negative character.

i)    Hypocritical/Liars;
In the beginning, all three congratulate the doctor on his discovery.  They even toast to his health Pg. 20.  They pledge their support pg 48 and Aslaksen and Billing call Dr. Stokmann a friend of the people.  Aslaksen assures him of the support of the Householders’ association.
They press refuse to publish Dr. Stockmann’s article and instead publishes the mayor’s. The effect is that the doctor loses his arsenal, the people’s Messenger, and the compact majority.  He is denied a venue for the meeting and is branded an enemy of the people
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ii)    Opportunistic/selfish
Hovstad uses Petra to translate the English story for his own selfish interests.  Billing thinks of approaching Dr.  Stockman to finance the paper because he’s bound to come by money from Morten Kiil Pg. 50. Aslaksen and Hovstad return to convince the Dr. to take over The people’s Messenger because they think he now has money from the Bath’s shares.  Give that Hovstad correctly observes that the press is supposed to liberate the masses; this selfish/opportunistic nature hinders the doctor’s mission.  They do not believe in his mission and are ready to jump ship as long as it suits them.

iii)    Cowards/fearful
Aslaksen hides under his principle of moderation when in actual fact he fears the authorities. Hovstad lies to the Mayor that he knows nothing about the bath report and behaves in a fearful manner when he sees the Mayor pg. 55. Dr.Stockmann says Hovstad has never had the courage to admit in public that he is a free thinker.  This trait in the pressman inhibits the doctor’s mission.  They know the truth but chose to kill it due to their fear of the Mayor.  Hovstad refuses to back the doctor yet he’s a freethinker lie Dr. Stockman. The result is that the baths are not fixed due to cowardice.

iv)    Ruthless/callous/unreliable
These three are frequent visitors to the doctor’s house.  When the play opens, Billing is seen having roast beef.  Pg. 1 Hovstad too pg.5 Aslaksen comes to pledge his support for the doctor having heard from billing that the Dr. would bring about a new water supply.  Their true nature however is soon revealed.  The three quickly side with the Mayor without verifying the fact of the time to e take and the costs involved.  Consequently the doctor is barred from addressing the issue of the baths at the meeting.  It is Aslaksen who proposes that the meeting declare Dr. Decree Stockmann an enemy of the people.  Billing’s lies about the doctor pg. 85. Further turn the people away from Dr. Stockmann.  This culminates in the doctor being roughed up and his house. Stoned.

Conclusion
The press has the important function of disseminating information to the public. The press should never be partisan or take sides.  They therefore have a duty/obligation to inform the public about the baths but they fail due to their negative character of hypocrisy, opportunism, cowardice and cruelty. The doctor is denied an opportunity to correct a health issue due to a negative press.