Review of Henrik Ibsen"s Play, Entitled "An Enemy of The People"

Introduction

Henrik Ibsen’s play, entitled “An Enemy of The People,” deeply stresses the essence of having characters in a play, which is notably considered as the second most important element of tragedy. A character is said to be a genuine one if it has four certain qualities, which the characters of the play certainly possess, highlighting the consistency one needs in order to play a particular role. Characters in a tragedy are known as an extended verbal representation of a human being, wherein through their thought, diction, and action, one can assess some interactions of that specific character, primarily Dr. Stockmann, who many believe is Ibsen’s most one-dimensional character.

Characterization in Ibsen's Play

One of the successful methods of characterization Ibsen uses in his play, “An Enemy of the People,” is through the usage of dialogues in describing the traits of others. This is evident in his characterization of Dr. Stockmann, who is regarded as the main character in the play. On page 9, where Peter Stockmann is seen talking to Dr. Stockmann, he says, “You have an ingrained tendency to take things into your own hands, at least, and, that is almost equally undoubtedly inadmissible in a well-ordered community, the individual ought undoubtedly to subordinate himself or herself to the community or to be more accurate, to the authorities who have the care of the community’s welfare” (Ibsen, 1882, p. 9). Through this statement alone, one can assess the said individuality Dr. Stockmann possesses. Notice how he briskly moves along the play, through oppositions and rallies alike, yet he still manages to keep his beliefs of individualism affirmed, as he seemingly believes that the strongest man in the world is he who stands alone, a sentiment echoed by Henrik Ibsen himself.

Idealism in Dr. Stockmann

Idealism, which Merriam-Webster describes as the practice of pursuing ideals, especially unrealistically, is another trait Dr. Stockmann possesses. An idealistic person is said to be somebody who dreams of perfection. Notice how idealism simply deprives him of the common procedures of everyday tasks. One can also observe how being too idealistic can lead to drastic decisions and measures, one of which is being too impetuous. An example would be how he immediately spreads the news after receiving a letter stating that the sanitary condition in the baths was poor, with faulty pipes and leakages (Ibsen, 1882). His idealism isn’t always met, as seen in the play, with one scene depicting how he envisions an ideal state as one where everybody constantly shares new ideas with other citizens. This ideal is not really achieved, which makes it coherent with the character's struggles.

Dr. Stockmann's Resoluteness

A character is said to be good in some way, no matter who they are; this leads to the last two traits he possesses, which are his resoluteness. A resolute person is somebody who is firmly determined in achieving a certain goal, which Dr. Stockmann clearly displayed when he was steadily being stripped of his position in society, as he refused to be silent about the town’s contaminated baths. As seen in the play, there were several instances made to change his decision; however, he didn’t give up, continuously retaliating in the process. There was also a scene where he was seen giving a speech amidst protests, yet he wasn’t deterred at all in his stand (Ibsen, 1882).

Conclusion

Overall, his characterization is said to be one-dimensional, mainly due to the fact that Dr. Stockmann lacks depth and is considered a flat character till the very end, as he didn’t change both his idealistic and individualistic beliefs. It is rare that the main character is described as one-dimensional, as the writer or playwright often gives changes to that certain character’s role as the play progresses. Even if he is said to be a one-dimensional character, there is nothing to take away from him being an amazingly crafted character, able to channel both good and bad traits. Truly, he is an amazing concoction of both positives and negatives.

References

• Ibsen, H. (1882). An Enemy of the People.
• Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Idealism. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved October 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idealism