Discussion Questions for
Henrik Ibsen's Enemy of the People

 

 

1. In this play some of the characters deal with the moral question of the town's responsibility for polluting the waters in a teleological manner and others in a deontological manner. Choose one character from each side and explain how they exemplify their moral approach.
   
   
2. Provide a title for each scene in the play (two scenes in act one, two in act two and one in act three)
   
   
3. What are some of the more important human rights standards that, in your judgment, seem to be at issue in this drama?
   1. Explain how you see those rights being dealt with in this drama.
   2. Do you think any rights are being compromised? If so, which rights?
   3. If some rights are compromised, how do you think the characters should have dealt with those rights.
      
      
4. This play also says something about obstacles faced by environmental activists.
   1. How would you describe the main obstacle(s) faced by activists in this play?
   2. Have you seen anything like this in the environmental situation you are studying for your project?