Enemy of the People

A five-act play by Norwegian playwright Ibsen. Published in 1882. The author responded to the harsh criticism from conservatives of his works A Doll's House (1879) and Ghosts (1881). The protagonist, Dr. Stockmann, is a doctor who discovers mineral springs on the Norwegian coast, which bring prosperity to a town, but when he discovers that the baths are full of disease bacteria, he proposes major renovations. However, fearing that this fact will become known to the public, the town authorities try to bury it in the dark. The doctor holds a public lecture to appeal to the public, but the people, incited by the authorities, heckle the doctor and throw stones at him instead. The doctor realizes that the people are unreliable and that truth and justice belong only to a minority, and challenges the authorities by shouting, "He who stands alone is strongest," which ultimately leads to him being driven out of town. The author leaves his traditional democratic stance and turns to radical aristocracy.

[Yamamuro Shizuka]

"The Enemy of the People" (translated by Michio Takeyama) (Iwanami Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ノルウェーの劇作家イプセンの五幕戯曲。1882年刊。『人形の家』（1879）と『幽霊』（1881）への保守派からの非難があまりに激しかったのに対して作者が答えた作品。主人公ストックマン博士は医師で、ノルウェーの海岸に鉱泉を発見、それが町を繁栄させるが、浴泉に病菌が多いことを発見して大改造を提案する。しかし町当局はこの事実が世間に知られることを恐れて、これを闇(やみ)に葬ろうとする。博士は公開講演会を開いて世間に訴えるが、当局者に扇動された民衆はかえって博士をやじって投石する。博士は民衆が頼りにならず、真理と正義は少数者のものでしかないことを痛感、「ただ1人で立つ者がもっとも強い」と叫んで当局者に挑戦、ついに町を追われるに至る。作者は従来の民主的立場を去って、急進的貴族主義に転じている。

［山室　静］

『竹山道雄訳『民衆の敵』（岩波文庫）』

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