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232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1882
鈥溌緿e qu茅 sirve tener raz贸n cuando no se tiene el poder?鈥�De las cuatro que llevo le铆das del autor noruego esta es mi obra preferida, y ello a pesar de lo problem谩tico de sus planteamientos, nada menos que un duro ataque a los principios democr谩ticos, y a algunos aspectos un tanto inveros铆miles de la trama, pero es un texto con mucha fuerza dram谩tica que me ha hecho sentir toda la rabia con la que debi贸 ser escrita (dicen que fue su respuesta al recibimiento que tuvo su anterior obra, Espectros). Pero no nos adelantemos, empecemos por el principio.
鈥淓l hombre m谩s fuerte del mundo es el que est谩 m谩s solo.鈥� (tan parecido a la famosa cita de Nietzsche: 鈥淟a val铆a de un hombre se mide por la cantidad de soledad que es capaz de aguantar鈥�)Solo ante el peligro, el Doctor Stockmann pronuncia su famoso discurso ante las autoridades y la masa expectante de su ciudad. En 茅l critica el nefasto poder de las mayor铆as, el que se supone que es el gran logro de la democracia resulta que es tambi茅n su mayor peligro.
鈥淟a mayor铆a nunca tiene la raz贸n. 隆Nunca, digo! 鈥� Entre los habitantes de un pa铆s, 驴qui茅nes son mayor铆a? 驴Los sabios o los tontos?鈥�No fue el autor noruego el primero en se帽alar las dificultades que pueden encontrar las minor铆as para que se tengan en cuenta sus ideas e intereses y los peligros que puede acarrear una 鈥渢iran铆a de la mayor铆a鈥�. No podemos olvidar que Hitler lleg贸 al poder tras llevar a su partido a ser el m谩s votado en dos elecciones democr谩ticas consecutivas, o, m谩s recientemente, lo que significa Trump o Putin. No, la mayor铆a no siempre tiene la raz贸n de su parte (鈥漬unca鈥� es quiz谩 un pel铆n exagerado). Como tambi茅n es cierto que las masas son en general bastante reacias a las nuevas corrientes, miedosas, d茅biles ante las adversidades, dispuestas al sometimiento servil a qui茅n ha mandado siempre y predispuestas a las doctrinas simples y con una fuerte carga sentimental. Unas masas que, por esos mismos rasgos, son manejables, d煤ctiles a la presi贸n, al miedo, a la propaganda y a la demagogia, reacias a los cambios, a la duda y a la reflexi贸n.
賮乇丿 亘丕蹖丿 蹖丕丿 亘诏蹖乇賴 讴賴 亘賴 丕乇丕丿賴鈥屰� 噩賲毓... 蹖丕 亘賴 毓亘丕乇鬲蹖 亘賴 賲賯丕賲丕鬲蹖 讴賴 賲爻卅賵賱蹖鬲 禺蹖乇 噩丕賲毓賴 乇賵 丿丕乇賳 鬲賳 亘丿賴.
賲乇丿賲 丕賮讴丕乇 賳賵 賱丕夭賲 賳丿丕乇賳. 賲乇锟斤拷賲 亘蹖卮 丕夭 賴乇 趩蹖夭蹖 丕夭 丕賮讴丕乇 禺蹖乇 賵 賲賯亘賵賱蹖 賲賳鬲賮毓 賲蹖鈥屫促� 讴賴 丕賲鬲丨丕賳 禺賵丿卮賵賳 乇賵 倬爻 丿丕丿賳 賵 丕夭 賯丿蹖賲 亘丕賴丕卮賵賳 丿賲禺賵乇 亘賵丿賳.
賴賲蹖賳 丕讴孬乇蹖鬲 亘夭乇诏 噩丕賲毓賴鈥屸€屰� 賲丕爻鬲 讴賴 丌夭丕丿蹖 乇賵 丕夭 賲賳 爻賱亘 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁囏� 賵 賲蹖鈥屫堌ж� 賳诏匕丕乇賴 讴賴 丨賯蹖賯鬲 乇賵 亘诏賲.
丨賯 賴蹖趩鈥屬堎傌� 亘丕 丕讴孬乇蹖鬲 賳蹖爻鬲. 鬲兀讴蹖丿 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁呚� 賴蹖趩鈥屬堎傌�!
丿乇 爻乇丕爻乇 丿賳蹖丕 丕讴孬乇蹖鬲 賵丨卮鬲賳丕讴 賵 爻乇讴賵亘诏乇 爻賮賴丕 丕胤乇丕賮賲賵賳 乇賵 诏乇賮鬲賳. 賴乇诏夭 丿乇爻鬲 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 爻賮賴丕 亘乇 毓賯賱丕 丨讴賵賲鬲 讴賳賳. 丨賯 賴賲蹖卮賴 亘丕 丕賯賱蹖鬲賴.
賴蹖趩 丕卮讴丕賱蹖 賳丿丕乇賴 讴賴 蹖賴 噩丕賲毓賴鈥屰� 乇蹖丕讴丕乇 賵 丿乇賵睾诏賵 賳丕亘賵丿 亘卮賴!
賱蹖亘乇丕賱鈥屬囏� 亘丿鬲乇蹖賳 丿卮賲賳丕蹖 丌丿賲鈥屬囏й� 丌夭丕丿賴鈥屬�.
賯賵蹖鬲乇蹖賳 丌丿賲 鬲賵蹖 丿賳蹖丕 丕賵賳蹖賴 讴賴 丕夭 賴賲賴 鬲賳賴丕 鬲乇賴.
鈥淧ublic opinion is an extremely mutable thing [鈥 The most dangerous enemy of the truth and freedom amongst us is the compact majority [鈥 I am in revolt against the age-old lie that the majority is always right.鈥�
I had to go back to my notes for this review, requested by a friend. Apologies in advance if every aspect is not covered!
"An Enemy of the People" is a play that explores the consequences of speaking out against the status quo. The story revolves around a dedicated scientist who discovers that the public baths, a popular tourist attraction in his town, are contaminated and pose a serious health risk to the people who use them. Despite his initial excitement at the prospect of being hailed as a hero for uncovering the truth, he soon realizes that his discovery is not welcome news for the town's leaders. They are more concerned with the financial implications of shutting down the baths than with the health and safety of the public.
鈥淥h, yes! You can shout me down, I know! But you cannot answer me. The majority has might on its side, unfortunately; but right it has not.鈥�
As the protagonist becomes more and more isolated in his fight for the truth, he begins to question his own motivations and the righteousness of his cause. The play delves into the themes of individual vs. collective responsibility, the dangers of groupthink, and the power dynamics between those in authority and those who challenge them.
鈥淵ou see, the point is that the strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone.鈥�
Ibsen's writing is sharp and incisive, and he creates complex, multi-layered characters who are both sympathetic and flawed. The protagonist is at once heroic and self-righteous, and his journey from enthusiastic truth-seeker to disillusioned outcast is both tragic and thought-provoking.
鈥淭he majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help rebelling against. Who are the people that make up the biggest proportion of the population; the intelligent ones or the fools?鈥�
Henrik Ibsen lived during a time of significant social and political upheaval in Europe, when many countries were experiencing the effects of the Industrial Revolution, which brought about rapid urbanization, economic growth, and significant changes in social and cultural norms.
鈥淵ou should never wear your best trousers when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.鈥�
Norway was also undergoing a period of significant political and cultural transformation, seeking a renewed sense of national identity and pride. This led to a cultural renaissance, with artists, writers, and thinkers like Ibsen seeking to establish a unique Norwegian cultural identity. There was also growing interest in social and political issues, including workers' rights, women's suffrage, and democratic reform.
鈥淭he idol of Authority must be shattered in this town.鈥�
Ibsen's work reflects these social and political concerns, as he often explored issues of power, authority, and individual freedom. His plays were known for their criticism of social conventions and the status quo, and he was unafraid to challenge the prevailing beliefs of his time.
鈥淭he right? Ah, what does it help to be in the right if you don't have any power?鈥�
Overall, "An Enemy of the People" is a timeless play that still resonates today, as it explores issues of corruption, censorship, and the consequences of speaking truth to power. It is a powerful critique of the problems of industrial capitalism, a reflection of the struggle for political rights and freedoms, and an exploration of the tension between reason and tradition.
鈥淭here is so much falsehood both at home and at school. At home one must not speak, and at school we have to stand and tell lies to the children.鈥�