It has been so long since I read the original play, I can't comment on how true Miller's adaptation is to Ibsen's original, but it certainly packs a powerful punch and is particularly relevant to the current phony "debate" about global warming. The insidious levels of corruption that are unearthed and exposed throughout the play are frightening as well as plausible. Modern parallels abound, but the most obvious are the so-called "debates" about the dangers of smoking that took place a half century or so ago, and the global warming scream fest that is going on today, as science continues to conflict with the economic gains of a rapacious and powerful few. The mayor's threat to force the taxpayers of the community to pay for the misdeeds of his business has its parallels in today's world as well. The motives of the good doctor appear to be completely altruistic (if a little too self congratulatory) at the start of the play, but even they come under enough fire by the end to leave some doubts. And of course, the doctor's faith in human nature as it relates to the thirst for science and knowledge is shattered. This story captivates in a way that is almost impossible to put into words. If the doctor were a politician, he would have known how to better act under the circumstances, but if he were a politician, would he by necessity have been as corrupt as his brother? Is there an inherent corruption even in acquiring the skills? What if doing the right and noble thing brings ruin upon your family and friends?
Review of An Enemy of the People
