An Enemy of the People, pg 1; Apotheosis

The first act of...
An Enemy of the People
by Henrik Ibsen

Page 1 of 4

CHARACTERS

DR. TOMAS STOCKMANN, physician at the Baths
MRS. KATRINE STOCKMANN, his wife
PETRA, their daughter, a schoolteacher
EJLIF & MORTEN, their sons, aged thirteen and ten
PETER STOCKMANN, the doctor's elder brother; Mayor and Chief of Police; Chairman of the Board at the Baths
MORTEN KIIL, owner of a tannery; Mrs. Stockmann's foster-father
HOVSTAD, editor of The People's Monitor
BILLING, his colleague on the paper
CAPTAIN HORSTER
ASLAKSEN, a printer
Citizens of various types and standing; some women and a number of schoolboys.
The action takes place in a town on the South Coast of Norway.

ACT
ONE

SCENE: Evening. DOCTOR STOCKMANN'S living room. It is decorated and furnished simply but neatly. In the side wall right are two doors, the upstage door leading to the hall and the one downstage to the doctor's study. In the opposite wall, facing the hall door, a door leading to the other rooms of the house. Against this wall, in the center of it, stands the stove: further downstage a sofa, above which hangs a mirror, and in front of it an oval table: on this table is a lighted lamp with a shade. In the back wall, an open door leads to the dining room. The table is laid for supper and a lighted lamp stands on it.
BILLING is seated at the supper table; he has a napkin tucked under his chin. MRS. STOCKMANN stands by the table and places a dish of cold roast beef before him. The other seats round the table are empty; the table is in disorder, as though a meal had recently been finished.

MRS. STOCKMANN: I'm afraid you'll have to put up with a cold meal, Mr. Billing; you were an hour late, you know.
BILLING (Eating): Never mind. It's delicious--absolutely delicious.
MRS. STOCKMANN: Stockmann is very strict about having his meals on time.
BILLING: It doesn't matter a bit. In fact, I think food tastes even better when one's alone and undisturbed.
MRS. STOCKMANN. Well--as long as you enjoy it--(Turns toward the hall door, listening) That may be Mr. Hovstad--perhaps he's come to join you.
BILLING: Very likely.
(THE MAYOR, PETER STOCKMANN, enters. He wears an over-coat, and the gold-braided cap of his office. He carries a cane.)
THE MAYOR: Good evening, Sister-in-law.
MRS. STOCKMANN: Well! Good evening. (She comes forward into the living room) So, it's you! How nice of you to look in.
THE MAYOR: I happened to be passing by, and so--(With a glance toward the dining room) Oh--you have company, I see.
MRS. STOCKMANN (Slightly embarrassed): No, no--not really. Mr. Billing just happened to drop in. Won't you join him for a bite to eat?
THE MAYOR: No, thank you--nothing for me! I never eat hot food at night--not with my digestion.
MRS. STOCKMANN: Oh, just for once! It surely couldn't hurt you.
THE MAYOR: I'm much obliged--but, no! I stick to my tea and bread and butter; it's much better for you--and it's more economical too.
MRS. STOCKMANN (Smiling): I hope you don't think Tomas and I are extravagant
THE MAYOR: I know you're not, my dear; far be it from me to think that of you. (Points to the doctor's study) Is he home?
MRS. STOCKMANN: No. He went for a little walk after supper--with the boys.
THE MAYOR: Is that good for one's health, I wonder? (Listens) Here he comes now.
MRS. STOCKMANN: No, I don't think it can be he. (A knock at the door) Come in!
(HOVSTAD comes in from the hall) Oh, it's Mr. Hovstad.
HOVSTAD: You must excuse me; I was held up at the printer's. Good evening, Mr. Mayor.
THE MAYOR (Bowing rather stiffly): Good evening. You're here on business, I presume?
HOVSTAD: Yes, partly. It's about an article for the paper.
THE MAYOR: I thought as much. I hear my brother has become quite a prolific contributor to The People's Monitor.
HOVSTAD: He's kind enough to write a piece for us now and then; whenever he has anything particular on his mind.
MRS. STOCKMANN (To HOVSTAD): But don't you want to--? (She points toward the dining room.)
THE MAYOR: It's natural, I suppose, that he should want to reach the kind of people, who understand his point-of-view. Not that I have any personal objection to your paper, Mr. Hovstad--you may rest assured of that.
HOVSTAD: No--of course not.
THE MAYOR: We have a fine spirit of mutual tolerance here in our town, I'm glad to say; a truly co-operative spirit; it comes, of course, from the great common interest we all share--an interest that naturally concerns all right-thinking citizens.
HOVSTAD: The Baths, of course.
THE MAYOR: Precisely. Those splendid Mineral Baths of ours! You mark my words, Mr. Hovstad; the whole life of our community will center more and more around the Baths--there can be no doubt of that!
MRS. STOCKMANN: That's just what Tomas says.
THE MAYOR: The way the town has grown in these past two years is quite extraordinary. People are prosperous; housing-developments are springing up; the value of property is soaring; there's life and activity everywhere!
HOVSTAD: And far less unemployment too.
THE MAYOR: That's true, of course; and that's a great load off the upper classes; taxes for home-relief have already been reduced--and they will be reduced still further if we have a really prosperous summer; a good rush of visitors--plenty of invalids to give the Baths a reputation--
HOVSTAD: I hear there's a good chance of that.
THE MAYOR: Every day inquiries about living quarters--apartments and so forth--keep pouring in. Things look highly promising.

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