History Theatre / AnEnemyOfThePeople

Creator/ArthurMiller adapted the play into English in 1950, for a Broadway production that starred Creator/FredricMarch as Dr. Stockmann. Miller's version was in turn adapted into a 1978 feature film directed by George Schaefer. Creator/{{Steve McQueen|Actor}} starred as Dr. Stockmann, with supporting roles played by Creator/BibiAndersson, Creator/CharlesDurning, and Creator/MichaelCristofer.

The main character is Dr. Thomas Stockmann, who has recently become popular in his small, unnamed coastal town in Norway for working with Peter Stockmann - his brother, and the town's mayor - to develop and build public baths. Dr. Stockmann discovers that the baths are being dangerously contaminated by the local tannery, and sends a detailed report and proposed solution to Peter. At first, the town supports him, but Peter turns it against him and he is declared [[TitleDrop an enemy of the people]].

Ibsen's message in this play is that [[TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong The Complainer Is Always Right]], or, in Dr. Stockmann's words, "a minority may be right, [but] a majority is always wrong." The play has many comedic elements, but at its core, it was meant to be an AuthorTract and a TakeThatAudience in response to an earlier work, ''Ghosts'', being considered scandalous.

An American film adaptation of the play was released in 1978, with a translated script by Creator/ArthurMiller. Creator/SteveMcQueenActor played Dr. Stockman, with supporting roles played by Bibi Andersson, Creator/CharlesDurning, and Creator/MichaelCristofer.

An American film adaptation of the play was released in 1978, with a translated script by Creator/ArthurMiller. Creator/SteveMcQueenActor played Dr. Stockman, with supporting roles played by Bibi Andersson, Creator/CharlesDurning, and Michael Cristofer.

* HeroicBSOD: Dr. Stockmann has a short one in Act V when Morten Kiil, Stockmann's father-in-law and the owner of the tannery, [[MoralEventHorizon invests his own grandchildren's inheritance in the baths]] to force him to tell the public he was wrong.

!! ''An Enemy of the People'' provides examples of the following tropes:

* JerkassHasAPoint: Dr. Stockmannm, obviously, though how much of a jerk he actually is depends on which character you're talking to.

** To top this, the teacher of Stockman´s sons is none other than Rørlund, last seen in ''theatre/ThePillarsOfSociety''. Thus, all three plays are set in the same town.

* PeriodPiece: Downplayed, but the 1882 tensions in Norwegian politics play its part in the dramatic background. Norwegian politics were going critical, and the "old regime" was about to collapse. When Hovstad talks about the "old men" running the town and keeps everyone else out, he speaks on behalf of the growing political tension from the leftists.

** Stockman seems to be an even more obvious SpiritualSuccessor of Stensgaard (the main character in ''The League of Youth'') when you consider that both of them has a brilliant idea, and are being pushed too far by the wild cards. Aslaksen makes it difficult for both of them.

** Stockman seems to be an even more obvious SpiritualSuccessor of Stensgaard (the main character in The League of Youth) when you consider that both of them has a brilliant idea, and are being pushed too far by the wild cards. Aslaksen makes it difficult for both of them.

* AGodAmI: During Dr. Stockmann's AuthorTract in Act IV, he slips into this territory. [[BlasphemousBoast This is what ends up turning his audience into]] [[TorchesAndPitchforks an angry mob]].

''An Enemy of the People'' (Norwegian: ''En folkefiende'') is an 1882 play in five acts by Norwegian playwright HenrikIbsen.

* KarmaHoudini: Every single character other than Dr. Stockmann, his immediate family, and Captain Horster wrongs the Stockmann family somehow and gets away with it. [[CompleteMonster Kiil]] stands out in particular.

* KarmaHoudini: Every single character other than Dr. Stockmann, his immediate family, and Captain Horster wrongs the Stockmann family somehow and gets away with it. Kiil stands out in particular.

* KarmaHoudini: Every single character other than Dr. Stockmann, his immediate family, and Captain Horster. Morten Kiil, Dr. Stockmann's father-in-law and the owner of the tannery, stands out in particular; he [[MoralEventHorizon invests his own grandchildren's inheritance in the baths]] to force Dr. Stockmann to tell the public he was wrong, and gets off completely scot-free.

* KarmaHoudini: Every single character other than Dr. Stockmann and his immediate family. Morten Kiil, Dr. Stockmann's father-in-law and the owner of the tannery, stands out in particular; he [[MoralEventHorizon invests his own grandchildren's inheritance in the baths]] to force Dr. Stockmann to tell the public he was wrong, and gets off completely scot-free.

Ibsen's message in this play is that [[TheComplainerIsAlwaysWrong The Complainer is Always Right]], or, in Dr. Stockmann's words, "a minority may be right, [but] a majority is always wrong." The play has many comedic elements, but at its core, it was meant to be an AuthorTract and a TakeThatAudience in response to an earlier work, ''Ghosts'', being considered scandalous.