An Enemy of the People (Penguin Plays)

Customer Reviews:

it was fine.......2007-02-11

took a litttle longer than i expected but recieved evrything a ok

Majority Rules.......2007-02-08

In his own words, Arthur Miller never intended to rewrite "An Enemy of the People", Miller only wanted to revise or Americanize what was lost in the original translation. Ibsen is often verbose to a point where readers may lose a relevant point. In overcoming this problem, Miller may have perfected this play.

When Dr. Stockmann discovers a poison in the town's water supply, he believes he will be seen as a hero. However his brother Mayor Peter Stockmann sees things differently. Seeing the potential for an unpopular tax hike, Peter rallies the people against Dr. Stockmann's "irresponsible research". This comes to a climax at a town meeting at which Dr. Stockmann is labeled an enemy of the people. Even with seemingly factual research, the majority of the population spurns Dr. Stockmann as a liar.

Dr. Stockmann has one last chance to "clear his name". With a donation, the newspaper believes they can clear his name. With a family that suffers the same label as him, Dr. Stockmann begins a new life. Yet his new beginning is somewhat unexpected.

Much of the plot must be creditted to the work of Isben. In its original form, "An Enemy of the People" was not one of Isben's better known works. With Miller's polish, this work of Isben now shines.

great play.......2006-11-17

This adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's play is great. Probably relevent at any time in history, it seems to directly corrolate with current situations world wide.

Great Read.......2006-11-10

If you're looking to discuss ethical issues, this is an excellent book to read!

Not the best of Ibsen.......2006-01-05

This play is surely not Ibsen's most well-written play. Of course, the language is superb, but at the same time, that is not what makes this play memorable. Ibsen's characters, theme, and satire are truly what makes this play a worthwhile read. This is not his best, but it is still a truly exceptional classic read. Buy this play, you will not be disappointed.

Four Major Plays: A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, The Master Builder (Oxford World's Classics)

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Masterful Ibsen
old but still good
A translation to beat all others
Four classic plays from Ibsen

Four Major Plays: A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, The Master Builder (Oxford World's Classics)
Henrik Ibsen
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0192833871

Book Description

Taken from the highly acclaimed Oxford Ibsen, this collection of Ibsen's plays includes A Doll's House, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, and The Master Builder.

Customer Reviews:

Masterful Ibsen.......2007-07-27

Rather predictably, the first play offered here is "A Doll's House", the most famous of Ibsen's works. Strangely enough, this ended up NOT being my favorite of the four plays provided in this small collection, but I'll get to that in a moment. Next we have "Ghosts", "Hedda Gabler", and finally "The Master Builder".

"A Doll's House", 86 pages long, is also provided here with the alternate German ending. The ending was deemed so scandalous that Ibsen was forced to write up another ending, in which things go slightly differently. "A Doll's House", a play about a woman who rather does the unthinkable (in that time, at least) to help her husband and then once again to herself, is remarkably interesting. Ibsen plays are generally extremely fun to analyze, simply because there's always something there. Nobody would read dull plays, after all. The alternate ending provided is actually the most interesting part of all. It shows us what the impact of this play was on society at the time that it came out. Perhaps we find these things somewhat more "normal" (though they're actually not, and are still considered rather scandalous) and acceptable, so this ending really reminds us of WHY this play was so impressive and WHY Ibsen was such a strange character for his time. An intriguing play, though not my favorite.

No, that falls to "Ghosts". A play that once again touches on difficult subjects that are most intriguing, "Ghosts" chilled me from beginning to end. It was a more interesting play, overall, because it seemed to me more human. That's not to say that "A Doll's House" wasn't human (it definitely is), but there was something about "Ghosts" that touched me more than the other plays. At 73-pages and with fewer characters, "Ghosts" is an easier play to really read, and certainly an enjoyable one.

"Hedda Gabler" changes things a bit. The plot suddenly becomes a bit more interesting with a touch more mystery and intrigue. There are moments that positively creeped me out ("I'm burning your child") and moments where I just shivered. The ending is a bit more intense than in the previous plays, though less surprising. The play felt very different from "Ghosts" or "A Doll's House", though it was still clearly an Ibsen "morbid but interesting" play.

For me, "The Master Builder" is the odd play out. It's the one that, a. Bored me the most, b. Seemed to take the longest (though only barely longer than "A Doll's House, at 88 pages, and shorter than the 97-paged long "Hedda Gabler"), and c. Seemed the least realistic. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the ending wouldn't seem to work on stage. I felt like at some point Ibsen kind of forgot that he was writing a play and mentioned things that wouldn't really work (unless they have a complex blue screen, but those didn't exist in his time...). There are ways around it, certainly, and it's a minor flaw, but I found that "The Master Building" just didn't have that spark that the other plays seemed to have. No, it's not a BAD play, but it's not my favorite among these either.

While there are many options out there for buying Ibsen plays, this one is certainly a good buy. While the Signet edition also gives us four plays for a few dollars cheaper, instead of the incredible "Ghosts", we get the reasonable "The Wild Duck". For those few dollars, I'd opt for "Ghosts". Also, the book type itself is better in this edition as opposed to the Signet Classics one.

Highly recommended to anyone interesting in a good play to analyze and enjoy. Enjoy!

old but still good.......2007-01-10

it was an older book, but it was in good shape. good plays too.

A translation to beat all others.......2001-06-21

James McFarlane's and Jens Arup's translations of Ibsen have long been classics and are arguably the best. Although they were published in England almost forty years ago, they still sound remarkably fresh and will be in print for many years to come.

In "A Doll's House" (1879), Ibsen casts us into the world of Nora Helmer, a young Norwegian housewife and Nordic Madame Bovary. Highlighting the restricted position of women in male-dominated society, the play sparked such an uproar in Scandinavia when it appeared that "many a social invitation during that winter bore the words: 'You are requested not to mention Ibsen's Doll's House!'" In fact, Hedwig Niemann-Raabe, the actress who was to play Nora on tour in Germany, was so appalled at the ending of this play -- at this female "monster" -- that she demanded Ibsen write an alternative one in German, which he did (a "barbaric outrage", in his words). McFarlane has appended this German-language ending (and a translation in English).

Based on the theme, "The sins of the fathers shall be visited on the children," "Ghosts" (1881) is one of Ibsen's most riveting plays. Like "A Doll's House", it, too, was denounced on its début ("crapulous stuff", "an open drain", one London reviewer called it -- certainly a Victorian exaggeration). As in most of his plays, Ibsen probes the hypocrisies of patriarchal society, which he deems to be rotten at its core, and stultifying provincial life ("Doesn't the sun ever shine here?"). Typically, he also casts women in a favorable light.

"A Doll's House" and "Ghosts" established Ibsen's reputation as one of the finest playwrights in Europe, but his next two plays -- "Hedda Gabler" (1890) and "The Master Builder" (1892) -- gave him undisputed international fame. As McFarlane points out, the 1890s "were the years when the publication of a new Ibsen play sent profound cultural reverberations throughout Europe and the world." "Hedda Gabler" marks Ibsen's shift away from highly controversial dramas primarily concerned with social and sexual injustice to "domestic" plays that addressed the struggle of individuals to control each other, people who "want to control the world, but cannot control [themselves]." "Hedda Gabler" is a thoroughly electrifying drama about a married woman's devouring sense of decay and confinement. "The Master Builder", which Ibsen coupled with "Hedda Gabler", is his riveting look into sexual potency and the domination of youth by age.

These plays are not as dark and dirty as they might seem. Whatever reviewers may have said about them when they came out and whatever gloomy stuff psychiatrists have written about them since, if you're at all familiar with prime-time television, they won't offend you -- in fact, you probably wont even lift an eyebrow. Still, I found myself glued to them for hours and I've read them before. Find a copy for your shelf!

Four classic plays from Ibsen.......1996-10-31

Actually, I've only read two of these plays before but I did
want to list the names of the four included in this volume:

Product Description

This Prestwick House Literary Touchstone EditionTM includes a glossary and readers notes to help the modern reader contend with Ibsens approach to complex human interactions and the relationship between the sexes. Norwegian-born Henrik Ibsens classic play about the struggle between independence and security still resonates with readers and audience members today. Often hailed as an early feminist work, the story of Nora and Torvald rises above simple gender issues to ask the bigger question: "To what extent have we sacrificed our selves for the sake of social customs and to protect what we think is love?" Noras struggle and ultimate realizations about her life invite all of us to examine our own lives and find the many ways we have made ourselves dolls and playthings in the hands of forces we believe to be beyond our control.

Customer Reviews:

Ladies Be Carefull.......2007-09-25

Ladies, if you're unhappy at home, this book is definately for you. Timeless, controversial, and very telling about the said plight of overly self-sacrificing women. It saddens me every time like the painful struggle of some sick child.
Guys, think you have a good perspective of women? Read this book and find out. A must have for any strongly introspective individual, be it man or woman. Enjoy!

if you like plays.......2007-01-06

I had to read this play for a class and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The play was very interesting and had a lot that one could think about after reading. With a controversial ending (because of the time this play was written)I would recommend this for anyone to read, even more than once.

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somaia n. A Doll's House
A pleasant surprise!
Functional edition of _A Doll's House_
Read it Aloud.
Amazing!!

A Doll's House (Dover Thrift Editions)
Henrik Ibsen
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
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ASIN: 0486270629

Book Description

One of the best-known, most frequently performed of modern plays, displaying Ibsen's genius for realistic prose drama. A classic expression of women's rights, the play builds to a climax in which the central character, Nora, rejects a smothering marriage and life in "a doll’s house." Publisher's Note. Contents. Dramatis Personae.

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Nora Helmer, the naive and pretty wife of Torvald, has no opinions or talents of her own in male-dominated 19th-Century Norwegian society. Their life is comfortable and respectable, and their ideals are conventional. But when Torvald was ill, Nora borrowed money from her father's bank with a forged signature and did not tell her husband. She is desperately trying to pay back the funds now that Torvald is well and due for a profitable career appointment. When he discovers the existence of the loan, he is shocked and angry and tells her he can no longer trust her. His attempts to control her by demanding complete obedience in opposition to her compassionate feelings and behavior forces Nora to see that her entire marriage was used for Torvald's gratification. She has no right to think for herself or make worthwhile decisions on her own. He believes there is no place of authority for her if she cannot fit easily into an unexplored life of domestic satisfaction. Even though Ibsen wrote this a hundred years ago, his assessment of women's economic and emotional dependence in marriage is intensely accurate.

Customer Reviews:

somaia n. A Doll's House.......2007-05-21

A Doll's House is an outstanding play that brings up many topics into question, topics such as gender roles, love in marriage, and self fulfillment vs. family duties and responsibility. I think that Nora's and Torvald's characters are excellently drawn out to show the extremes of what could go wrong in a seemingly normal and happy home in 19th century Europe. Gender roles, even though they have changed drastically over the century, have roots from the beginning of time that stick throughout the years. Roots such as that women are more likely to stay at home and men are more likely to be the ones to work; even though these days women and men are legally and socially equal. Nora's actions in the play were courageous and good intentioned, even though they went against her husband's wishes. I really liked how she was created to be so naive that she did not realize that she had no life of her own, but despite that naivete, she still understood that something was missing. Torvald, on the other hand, knew perfectly well that Nora was not living life as people should, but out of his selfishness, he let things be as they were; he enjoyed life that way. What I liked most about this play was Nora's decision to live and to learn and be her own person, even though that meant huge sacrifice on her part and that of her family's. Was she selfish in doing what she did? That question is hard to answer. Should one live for themselves or is that right gone once they have children? Usually, I would say that a mother's duty to her children comes before anything, even her own needs; but what made Nora's situation so difficult was that she was a child herself, she never had the choice to live her life, once she had the chance it's good that she took advantage of it. The play was definetely worth the time spent reading it.

A pleasant surprise!.......2007-05-21

This was quite an entertaining play! Very nice - I like it! In all seriousness, it's a fascinating story that revolves around the ideas of gender roles and the negativity that is associated with creating such distinctions in society. `Tis a well constructed (translated) piece, despite originating in Norway.

The characters within speak frequently and frankly, constantly interacting with one another. The simplicity with which this play is written is used to convey a broad message about how society is harsh towards those who do not live up to their associated gender roles. For example, Krogstad is seen by the other characters as a scroungy rogue, minus the charm, associated with being a divorced father of two.

While it may not be the sort of drama that can draw a sleazy crowd with a brief tagline or an action packed trailer, it entices it audience with realistically portrayed characters in a convincing setting with an invigorating premise. Oh, and it speaks for universal human efficacy.

Functional edition of _A Doll's House_.......2007-05-14

First, the content -- Ibsen's play is as powerful and -- perhaps surprisingly -- as relevant as ever in today's supposedly more gender-equalized culture. Nora Helmer's predicament as a woman who faces the seemingly impossible choice between self-development and family is treated in a masterful way by Ibsen, who in the process manages to work in connections between bourgeois domestic culture, money, and spirituality.

But this edition is very functional -- no notes and a brief intro only. I have to say that I was a bit shocked because the new copy I ordered looked like it had been pulled out from the bottom of some old craters because it even had the faint impression of a sole on it!

Read it Aloud........2007-04-28

Ibsen's best known play about the strictures imposed on women by society. It may be from a hundred years ago, but the plight of Nora and her world is a cautionary tale about life now.

Nora is simple and yet there is a complexity about her. Her naiveté is both her charm and her undoing. Torvald, her husband, is prominent and she is to be showy--a living doll. Nora is to be a mirror that reflects her husband beautifully.

The plot concerns financial woes in the marriage--and secrets kept and broken--in these, the story is not unlike most stressful marriages.

We can speculate about what Nora could or should have done but the die is cast.

This play is good for helping younger readers understand that assumptions about roles in marriage are still there, and have to be understood and discussed in order to help a marriage thrive.

If you have a place where you can read this aloud, try it. Plays were meant to be spoken. The translation is superb.

Amazing!!.......2007-03-04

Wow. No matter how many times I read this play, it just keeps moving me. It always has something new in it, something brilliant and thought provoking. It's so crazy to my mind that this play was written in 1879 by a man. I mean, this is a serious slap in the face to a lot of the marriage conventions of that time period. I realize that to someone raised in today's culture, it's really nothing but we live in a completely different world. The Victorians took marriage very seriously. It was so shocking that the lead actress in Germany refused to play the part of Nora, unless Ibsen changed the ending

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Amazing collection, great translation, great extras...
A Nordic chill

Ibsen: The Complete Major Prose Plays
Henrik Ibsen
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452262054

Customer Reviews:

Amazing collection, great translation, great extras..........2002-09-08

There will not be a better collected edition of these plays in English translation. For both casual readers and scholars unable to read Ibsen in the original Norwegian, Rolf Fjelde's translation and supplementary materials make this volume unbeatable.

Fjelde presents Ibsen's major prose plays (which leaves out, of course, beauties like "Peer Gynt" but includes "A Doll House," "Ghosts," "An Enemy of the People," and "Hedda Gabler," among others) in fresh new translations, often altering standard misuses. He explains, for example, that traditional renderings of "Et dukkehjem" as "A Doll's House" warp its real meaning, which is simply "A Doll House." Pedantic as it may appear, this care is necessary, and evident throughout.

Even better are the almost 100 pages of extras: detailed introductions to each play, as well as minutely researched production histories. Who knew, for example, that "Ghosts" premiered not in Denmark or Norway but...Chicago, in 1882? The production notes and introduction to the volume tell a story we don't often hear about Ibsen, a tale of difficulties in Scandinavia, followed by years of exile and, ultimately, international acclaim. Reading the plays, which seem to have become more and more specifically Norwegian in setting and theme while Ibsen himself became more and more cosmopolitan, conjures memories of another exile who only ever wrote about home: James Joyce, not coincidentally one of Ibsen's greatest admirers.

For the price, you can't do better for English translations of these pieces--many of which can't be found elsewhere--whether you're a scholar in need of the historical context Fjelde obligingly provides, or simply interested in plowing through some of the foundations of 20th century and contemporary drama.

A Nordic chill.......2000-02-28

These twelve plays, written in the last quarter of the nineteenth century, Ibsen himself often referred to as a cycle. Each is complete in itself, but regarded together, they form a remarkable artistic achievement.

The earlier works in the cycle achieved notoriety because of their themes, which were considered daring in those days. Nowadays, we can view these works with a greater objectivity. It is clear that Ibsen was still developing what was then a relatively new form - the realistic prose drama; and there are elements - e.g. the attempted blackmail and intercepted letter in "A Doll's House" - where we may still see remnants of the older type of melodrama from which Ibsen was attempting to break out. But they are very fine plays nonetheless, dealing with the individual's relationship with the wider society. Ibsen always remained aware of the extent to which human characters are moulded by the society they inhabit, but from "Rosmersholm" onwards, he focussed more on the characters' inner lives. He also found ways of saying more with less: his later plays are so concentrated, that not a word, not a gesture, is irrelevant.

Instead of re-using old myths, like Wagner or Joyce in their fields, Ibsen creates myths of his own: the white horses of Rosmersholm, for example, or the Master Builder who had defied God, but who dares not climb as high as he builds. A powerful poetic imagination is apparent in these plays, filling them with images of unforgettable intensity. The last play, "When We Dead Awaken", appears in part to forsake the realistic drama that Ibsen had so painstakingly developed, and return to the world of those earlier poetic masterpieces, "Brand" and "Peer Gynt".

"Hedda Gabler", "The Master Builder", "Little Eyolf", "John Gabriel Borkman" - these late plays are worthy to stand alongside the tragic masterpieces of Shakespeare or the Greeks. But a Nordic chill runs through them.

Book Description

In the history of modern theater Ibsen is one of the dominating figures. The sixteen chapters of this Companion explore his life and work. The plays are grouped and discussed chronologically; among the thematic topics are discussions of Ibsen's comedy, realism, lyric poetry and feminism. Substantial chapters account for Ibsen's influence on the international stage, including an interview with ex-RSC director John Barton and an essay by Arthur Miller exploring Ibsen's challenge to contemporary theater and film. Essential reference materials include a full chronology, list of works, and essays on twentieth-century criticism and further reading.

Casa De Munecas Hedda Gabler / Doll House Hedda Gabler (Literatura / Literature)

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Casa De Munecas Hedda Gabler / Doll House Hedda Gabler (Literatura / Literature)
Henrik Ibsen
Manufacturer: Alianza
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An Enemy of the People (Dover Thrift Editions)

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One of Ibsen's most militant plays!
An Enemy of the People
Ibsen on the conflict between idealism and practicality
I Cannot Lie - I Didn't Understand It...
Science versus politics

An Enemy of the People (Dover Thrift Editions)
Henrik Ibsen
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
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ASIN: 0486406571

Book Description

When Dr. Thomas Stockmann learns that the famous and financially successful baths in his home town are contaminated, he insists they be shut down for expensive repairs. Ridiculed and persecuted by the townsfolk for his honesty, he is declared an "enemy of the people." A powerful drama by the "father of modern drama."

Customer Reviews:

One of Ibsen's most militant plays!.......2006-06-11

Ibsen is often revered as the father of modern drama, and his influence has been compared to that of Shakespeare's influence in 16th century England. This particular play is a treatise on Ibsen's ideology. In it Ibsen is putting forth his very liberal ideas and he does not spare anyone. Both liberals and conservatives are blasted in this play that points out clearly that any individual does not stand a chance if he tries to go public with his ideas, especially if those ideas go against the majority opinion. Yes, it is a militant play, but it is also a comedy that shows real pathos and warm humour.

An Enemy of the People.......2005-07-10

Dr. Stockman is portrayed as the protagonist who champions himself as the herioc individual who makes a bleak discovery about the community. He thunders to announce the new discovery against the wishes of his opposition Mayor Peter Stockman. Dr. Stockman is characterized as the man of nobility at the beginning of the play and as the plot begins to unfold the townspeople denounce him as an enemy of the people. Mrs. Stockman's character is portrayed as submissive. Will she patiently await the distruction of her entire family? Will Dr. Stockman sacrifice his personal beliefs for the welfare of his family?

Ibsen on the conflict between idealism and practicality.......2005-04-25

Henrik Ibsen is the father of modern drama and his 1882 drama "An Enemy of the People" ("En folkefiende") was one of his more controversial works. In the play Dr. Stockmann discovers that the new baths built in his town are infected with a deadly disease that requires they should be closed until they can be repaired. However, the mayor of the town (the Burgomaster), who is Stockmann's brother Peter, rejects the report and refuses to close the baths because it will bring about the financial ruin of the town. When Dr. Stockmann tries to make his case to the people of the town, the mayor counters by pointing out how expensive it would be to repair the baths and dismisses the doctor for having wild, fanciful ideas. At the public meeting Dr. Stockmann is declared "an enemy of the people" by the Burgomaster.

To really appreciate this particular Ibsen play you have to look at it in the context of his previous dramas, because they all represent a conflict between the playwright and his critics. In 1879 Ibsen's play "A Doll's House" ("Et dukkehjem") was produced, wherein the character of Nora pretends to be a silly little wife in order to flatter her husband, who is revealed to be a hypocritical fraud. The idea that a woman would leave her husband and children was seen as being outrageous and basically obscene. Ibsen upset his audience and critics even more in his next play, "Ghosts" ("Gengangere"), an 1881 drama that again attacks conventional morality and hypocrisy. The topic is of congenital venereal disease but the true subject is moral contamination. Mrs. Alving has buried her husband, a degenerate who has left behind a son dying from syphilis and an illegitimate daughter who is probably going to end up being a prostitute. The play ends with Mrs. Alving having to decide if she should poison her son to put him out of his misery or let his agonies persist.

Again, Ibsen was attacked for outraging conventional morality. The following year after "Ghosts" the playwright responded with "An Enemy of the People" and the character that is most identified with representing Ibsen on stage in Dr. Stockmann. The allegory is quite plain when the play is considered within the context of Ibsen's work during this period, although while Stockmann is portrayed as a victim there is a sense of destructiveness to his behavior. At the end of the play Stockman has decided to leave the town, but then changes his mind to stay and fight for those things he believes are right.

As is the case with most of Ibsen's classic works, "An Enemy of the People" speaks to larger issues than those in conflict in the play. The debate is over the bad water pipes at the new baths, but the true conflict is over the clash of private and public morality. Dr. Stockmann is by far the most idealistic of Ibsen's characters, and that fact that he is opposed by his own brother, the Burgomaster, harkens back to Genesis and the fight between Cain and Able. As was the case with "Ghosts," there is an ambiguous ending where what happens next can be seen as going either way given your own inclinations as a member of the audience.

Both of the Stockman brothers are flawed. Dr. Stockman's idealism is at odds with the practical realities of the world in which he lives while the Burgomaster ignores ethical concerns. Ultimately, Ibsen is not forcing us to choose between the two but rather to reject both in terms of some middle ground. The Burgomaster is certainly old school, believing those in authority get to make all the decisions and that the people must subordinate themselves to the society. But he was the one who made the mistake of putting the new water pipes in the wrong place, so even his claims that he is looking out for the welfare of the community are dishonest. Dr. Stockman argues for individual freedom and the right of free expression, but his attempt to fix the problem ignores any effort at persuasion or building public support. He also seems to take pleasure in be able to show that his brother made a mistake. Still, in the end we have to favor the doctor over the mayor because his integrity is clearly stronger, while still recognizing that his idealism is tragically flawed.

I Cannot Lie - I Didn't Understand It..........2003-04-15

Have you ever watched a movie or play, and at the end of it you say, "I don't get it"? ---> But everyone around you says it was the greatest thing they have ever seen... well, I will not pretend to be a pseudo-intellectual. Ibsen was way over my head with this book.

Superficially the book was extremely interesting from the standpoint of: will one man be willing to stand up to a city when he knows what is right? In our story, the protagonist has discovered that the Norwegian baths are filled with a poisonous organism. However, when he voices this, the entire town goes against him because it will cost them economically, and they put the pressure on him to refute that which he knows is correct. From that standpoint - the book is excellent... and we are held to find the outcome.

Where it lost me personally was when Ibsen went on his political diatribe. He further alienated me via his pages of discussion on liberalism in a manner that seemed conservative to me. Nevertheless, I enjoyed these speeches as well, and they admittedly felt more contemporary Republican than Liberal Democrat.

In the end, I would have to recommend this book, but say "Feel free to not understand." It is okay to embrace that not everything is clear, and at times his points are lost on minds as dull as mine. Embrace your ignorance, and enjoy it for what it is

Science versus politics.......2002-10-01

"An Enemy of the People," by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, has been published as part of the Dover Thrift Edition series (that's the version I read for purposes of this review). The Dover edition is a republication of an anonymous translation. The back cover data notes that the play was first staged in 1883.

"Enemy" tells the story of Dr. Thomas Stockmann, a medical officer for his town's public baths. When he discovers that the baths are contaminated and pose a health hazard, he is led into conflict with his brother Peter, who is the town's mayor. The tension increases as the drama moves towards its conclusion.

"Enemy" is an intriguing piece of literature. While reading it I was struck by how similar the story is to that of the classic film "Jaws": in both stories, a political leader is at odds with an idealistic public servant who is concerned about a danger involving public waters!

The play contains much thought-provoking dialogue. Ibsen looks at the interrelationships among politicians, the press, science, and the general public. His characters question issues of truth, authority, and majority rule. Dr. Stockmann begins as a noble character, but I thought he becomes too over-the-top and in some scenes is reduced to a shrill, dogmatic cartoon (especially when he delivers a bizarre rant about poodles and hens). I honestly wasn't sure what Ibsen was trying to accomplish in some of the doctor's more outrageous dialogue.

Book Description

Great critic and dramatist's commentary on Ibsen's aims and methods, including evaluations of plays: Brand, Peer Gynt, Ghosts, Hedda Gabler, others.

Customer Reviews:

The Quintessance of Ibsenism.......2000-02-19

This is an astounding book really outlining Fabian Socialiam as seen in the plays of Henrik Ibsen. It has profound implications even today. It is a very interesting, enlightening, and literate book. One of Shaw's best works.

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