An Enemy of the People Themes

An Enemy of the People Themes

Society and Class

An Enemy of the People presents a complex analysis of society and class. The play doesn't seem to champion one class over another. It doesn't present the woes of the upper class as they try to rule...

Principles

An Enemy of the People tells the story of one man's quest to stick to his principles no matter what the cost. The protagonist, Dr. Stockmann, sacrifices everything for his beliefs. The Doctor's fie...

Wealth

Money and the pursuit of wealth is a major theme in An Enemy of the People. Ibsen's play highlights the incredible power that monetary concerns have in society. All of the characters in the play ar...

Rules and Order

The established rules and order of society are a constant topic of conversation in the play. Some characters thrive on the current system and fight to maintain it. Others deeply desire its destruct...

Politics

The conflict of An Enemy of the People is a tense political battle. The tug and pull of political turf wars help drive the action of the play. Though all the politics we see represented in the play...

Pride

Many of the play's characters seem to be guilty of pride. They tend think very highly of themselves and are concerned about maintaining face in public. Often in literature, pride is shown as a dest...

Hypocrisy

Hypocrisy runs rampant throughout An Enemy of the People. We see characters compromise themselves for a host of reasons. Power, money, and public image all play a part. Dr. Stockmann, the play's pr...

Power

An Enemy of the People is one long power struggle. Whether it's the intense sibling rivalry at the core of the play, or the petty maneuverings of the play's secondary characters, everybody is const...