An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen
Published 1882 · 31,719 words · about 2 hours at an average pace · Drama, Political Fiction, Social Commentary
How hard is An Enemy of the People to read?
An Enemy of the People scores 62 out of 100 for difficulty on ReadingRate, making it quite demanding. The score is a weighted composite of nine measures: four of how hard the prose is to parse, five of how hard the meaning is to extract.
- Vocabulary: 68 out of 100
- The 1900 translation employs a formal and somewhat elevated vocabulary, including terms like 'cantankerous,' 'inexorable,' 'acquiesce in subordinating,' 'pestiferous,' and 'plebeian.' While not as obscure as 'Finnegans Wake,' it presents more challenges than contemporary fiction, placing it above '2666' in this regard.
- Sentence structure: 60 out of 100
- The play features numerous long, multi-clause sentences, particularly in the characters' rhetorical speeches and formal pronouncements. Although much of the text is dialogue, the 1900 translation style often results in grammatically intricate constructions that demand careful reading, exceeding the directness of '1984' but not reaching the extreme hypotaxis of Henry James.
- Abstraction: 72 out of 100
- An Enemy of the People quickly transcends its concrete plot of contaminated baths to explore profound abstract themes such as truth, individual integrity versus societal conformity, the nature of democracy, and the 'compact majority.' Dr. Stockmann's monologues delve into philosophical and political arguments, making it more abstract than 'The Great Gatsby' and aligning with the 'philosophical debates in drama' seen in 'Brothers Karamazov.'
- Information density: 70 out of 100
- The play is rich with rapidly developing ideological conflicts, shifting character allegiances, and complex rhetorical arguments, especially in Dr. Stockmann's impassioned speeches. Readers must track multiple viewpoints and infer motivations, requiring sustained attention to grasp the intricate social and political commentary, making it more demanding than a straightforward narrative.
- Narrative indirection: 45 out of 100
- The play is a drama, primarily driven by explicit dialogue where characters clearly state their positions and motivations. While the audience can infer hypocrisy or self-interest in characters like Hovstad and Aslaksen, the core conflict and Dr. Stockmann's ideals are directly articulated, leaving little room for deep inferential work regarding plot or character intent. This directness is more akin to '1984' (35) than 'The Great Gatsby' (65).
- Symbolic density: 70 out of 100
- The contaminated Baths serve as a potent central symbol, evolving from a literal health crisis to an allegory for the 'poisoned sources of our moral life' and the 'pestiferous soil of falsehood' within the community. Dr. Stockmann's pronouncements about 'wolves' and 'curs' further layer the text with meaning beyond the literal events. This significant symbolic weight, while not as pervasive as in 'Finnegans Wake' (99), aligns with works like 'Heart of Darkness' (65) where key elements carry deep allegorical resonance.
- Ironic distance: 78 out of 100
- The play is rich in dramatic and situational irony, particularly in the swift betrayal of Dr. Stockmann by the 'liberal' press and community leaders who prioritize self-interest over truth. Dr. Stockmann's initial naive belief in the public's support creates a strong ironic contrast with his eventual isolation. This gap between stated ideals and actual behavior, and the audience's awareness of it, creates a significant ironic distance, comparable to the layered critique found in 'Lolita' (75).
- Resolution withholding: 72 out of 100
- The play concludes with Dr. Stockmann isolated and financially ruined, yet defiantly embracing his role as 'the strongest man in the world' because he 'stands most alone,' planning to educate a new generation. This ending offers no conventional plot resolution for the town's problems or his personal circumstances, instead providing a thematic, albeit bleak, statement on individual integrity versus societal corruption. This places it higher than 'The Great Gatsby' (60) but not as fundamentally open-ended as 'Waiting for Godot' (95).
- Structural complexity: 30 out of 100
- An Enemy of the People adheres to a highly conventional five-act dramatic structure, presenting events in a strictly linear chronological order. The narrative is delivered through direct dialogue and stage directions, without shifts in point of view, unreliable narration, or experimental formal elements. Its straightforward presentation makes it structurally simple, much like 'Beach Read' (28) or 'War and Peace' (40) rather than complex works like 'Ulysses' (98).
How An Enemy of the People is regarded
An Enemy of the People holds a literary regard score of 86 out of 100, weighing its place in the canon, its critical reception, its influence on other writers, and the standing of its author. Regard is measured separately from difficulty: a demanding book is not necessarily an admired one.