Literary Criticism Paper Example: An Enemy of the People by Ibsen

An Enemy of the People, offer a presentation of a complicated analysis of class and society. In the story known to be a social revolt drama, Dr. Stockman is viewed to be a rebellious character that is able to force his will to gain power, with the aim of protesting against institutionalized ways of individuals. In the play, Ibsen demonstrates how much impact and energy of the play is generated from the confrontation that is existing between Dr. Stockman. As a result of the wealthy social class using the majority to reject minority and even oppresses real change in the society, Dr. Stockman faces serious opposition and isolation in his quest to free the ignorant majority who is oppressed through bad governance.

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He is perceived as one of the social situation and larger than a life comic character who dominates up to the ends of the play, which is potentially dangerous in its implications and unregenerate serious. Dr. Stockman has a strong perception that in this kind of the society, freedom of actions, expression and thoughts doesnt exist; in the long run, he is unable to make a decision on his rights. Through the play struggle rebellion prevails through the mention that; The majority of those in control do not allow individuals both freedom of expression and freedom of faith. His view is contrary to what is taking place in the society of the play; he has a firm conviction that in a modern public life the press and the government require nobility and without nobility, real freedom is not being recognized. Additionally, Dr. Stockman has undeviating conscientiousness and firm will; this is expressed through his illustration that, unselfish man of science who wants to be viewed as a friend to the community is howled as a foe.

In the play by Ibsen, the great danger taking place in human situation is when individuals are not able to move forward and are trapped or even moving backward. The great challenge is expressed through the defeat of legends in the hands of myths based on gods and the tradition modern man's frustration, which is experienced through inhumanity from one generation to the next generation. Ibsen portrays anti-majority and authority interest which is misleading men in identifying the difference between appearance and reality that can create limitation when it comes to souls and potentiality. Human beings are in this case perceived as victims of the outside forces and viewed as majority rules and social conventions. Individuals in the society are considered as a dangerous and irrational object in the community at any time can cause destruction and to the society when they get out of hand, and they are supposed to be kept under a tight surveillances to prevent such occurrences. Therefore in the play, forces that are supporting majority are working in the direction of imposing conformity on the individuals to make them submit.

An Enemy of the People can be viewed as a fierce criticism that is contrary to the impact of the press and the ignorant compact majority. In the play, Ibsen can rebel against the convention and morals of the social organization.Dr. Stockman plays individualistic rebel hero; the hero comes out in him through the courageous steps in his discovery where he goes through the conversion process of a naive individual to a revolutionary person. I was like one of the cider-ducks brooding on its nest, and what I hatched was the plans for these Baths." The doctor rejects the dirty baths which are viewed to be contaminated though the public doesnt realize. He is able to achieve all the odds of becoming superior to all confining political, moral and social imperatives finding his purpose in making his personal truth. Dr. Stockman is driven towards the exposure to the diseased root of the modern life in revealing the conflict towards the rebellious character through the democratic community.

In the play, Ibsen is a playwright who is portraying a great truth in a society which is rotten by selfish behaviors of a modern lifestyle. He is able to express the danger in which the community can lead to when they allow themselves to go through an exclusive influenced based on self-influence. Rebellion and non-conformity have been expressed as the solution to the existing problems. This is shown by the fights opposing ideas raised by Dr. Stockman to counter attack the rich in the society. Ideally, in the modern society, the future and the present life of an individual are under control the majority and the ruling class. As stated by the statement, For me freedom is the first condition of life and the highest. In the society where almost everybody is against him, he is striving to make the social order better though everybody is against him and being rejected by all.

In conclusion, the majority in the play doesnt provide respect to individual freedom dignity and liberty. The ignorant mass views right to change as a destroying factor and rebel against the minority who are after the real changed. Stockman who is after the modification is surrounded by events which have the great impact on him; he is viewed as an outcast, making him face isolation and loneliness.