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226 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1882
“¿De qué sirve tener razón cuando no se tiene el poder?”De las cuatro que llevo leídas del autor noruego esta es mi obra preferida, y ello a pesar de lo problemático de sus planteamientos, nada menos que un duro ataque a los principios democráticos, y a algunos aspectos un tanto inverosímiles de la trama, pero es un texto con mucha fuerza dramática que me ha hecho sentir toda la rabia con la que debió ser escrita (dicen que fue su respuesta al recibimiento que tuvo su anterior obra, Espectros). Pero no nos adelantemos, empecemos por el principio.
“El hombre más fuerte del mundo es el que está más solo.” (tan parecido a la famosa cita de Nietzsche: “La valía de un hombre se mide por la cantidad de soledad que es capaz de aguantar”)Solo ante el peligro, el Doctor Stockmann pronuncia su famoso discurso ante las autoridades y la masa expectante de su ciudad. En él critica el nefasto poder de las mayorías, el que se supone que es el gran logro de la democracia resulta que es también su mayor peligro.
“La mayoría nunca tiene la razón. ¡Nunca, digo! … Entre los habitantes de un país, ¿quiénes son mayoría? ¿Los sabios o los tontos?”No fue el autor noruego el primero en señalar las dificultades que pueden encontrar las minorías para que se tengan en cuenta sus ideas e intereses y los peligros que puede acarrear una “tiranía de la mayoría”. No podemos olvidar que Hitler llegó al poder tras llevar a su partido a ser el más votado en dos elecciones democráticas consecutivas, o, más recientemente, lo que significa Trump o Putin. No, la mayoría no siempre tiene la razón de su parte (”nunca” es quizá un pelín exagerado). Como también es cierto que las masas son en general bastante reacias a las nuevas corrientes, miedosas, débiles ante las adversidades, dispuestas al sometimiento servil a quién ha mandado siempre y predispuestas a las doctrinas simples y con una fuerte carga sentimental. Unas masas que, por esos mismos rasgos, son manejables, dúctiles a la presión, al miedo, a la propaganda y a la demagogia, reacias a los cambios, a la duda y a la reflexión.



فرد باید یاد بگیره که به ارادهی جمع... یا به عبارتی به مقاماتی که مسئولیت خیر جامعه رو دارن تن بده.
مردم افکار نو لازم ندارن. مردم بیش از هر چیزی از افکار خیر و مقبولی منتفع میشن که امتحان خودشون رو پس دادن و از قدیم باهاشون دمخور بودن.
همین اکثریت بزرگ جامعهی ماست که آزادی رو از من سلب میکنه، و میخواد نگذاره که حقیقت رو بگم.
حق هیچوقت با اکثریت نیست. تأکید میکنم، هیچوقت!
در سراسر دنیا اکثریت وحشتناک و سرکوبگر سفها اطرافمون رو گرفتن. هرگز درست نیست که سفها بر عقلا حکومت کنن. حق همیشه با اقلیته.
هیچ اشکالی نداره که یه جامعهی ریاکار و دروغگو نابود بشه!
لیبرالها بدترین دشمنای آدمهای آزادهن.
قویترین آدم توی دنیا اونیه که از همه تنها تره.
“Public opinion is an extremely mutable thing […] The most dangerous enemy of the truth and freedom amongst us is the compact majority […] I am in revolt against the age-old lie that the majority is always right.”
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.
“Oh, 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.”
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.
“You see, the point is that the strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone.”
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.
“The 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?”
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.
“You should never wear your best trousers when you go out to fight for freedom and truth.”
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.
“The idol of Authority must be shattered in this town.”
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.
“The right? Ah, what does it help to be in the right if you don't have any power?”
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.
“There 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.”