Theme of change in An Enemy of the People
Ibsen in An Enemy of
the People is concerned with change that takes place in the society. Though
much of the change he writes about doesn’t happen during the play, the reader
is not left with doubts that change will occur.
Dr.
Stockmann, Ibsen’s protagonist invests much of his energies, materials wealth
and even hope in young people of whom he says: they are the ones to stir up
things a bit in future. (Pg6). He finds it necessary to spend time with
such people as Hovstad, captain Horster, and Bilings who have an ambition and are liberal and have
active minds.
After Dr. Stockmann
makes his discovery, he intends to use these men in agitating for change.
In
the long run, however, Hovstad, Aslaksen, and Billings, controlled and held
captive by the compact majority and the subscribers to the peoples messenger
fails him. All the forces of the compact majority, the press and the political
leaders oppose and declare him an enemy of the people.
Still focused on the
change that he finds necessary for his town, Dr. Stockmann disregarding the
humiliation he suffers, recollects himself and sets himself on a new path.
Change will soon be effected when he has made courageous high minded men in his
own school. These men will drive out all the wolves out of the country. It is
for this kind of revolution that he accepts to be called a revolutionary.
Theme of change in An Enemy of the People
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