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Stockmann seems to come pretty easily for Hovstad. Aslaksen hides under his principle of moderation when in actual fact he
is fear the authorities. Hovstad lies to the Mayor that he knows nothing about the bath report and behaves in a fearful manner when he sees the Mayor.
Dr.Stockmann says that Hovstad never has the courage to admit in public that he is a free thinker.
This trait in the pressman inhibits the doctor’s mission. They know the truth but chose to kill it due to their fear of the
Mayor. The result is the baths are not fixed due to cowardice. All in all, Hovstad appears to be Ibsens representative of the liberal
media of which the playwright had a pretty low opinion. In a letter to a critic Ibsen wrote, What are we to say of the attitude taken up by the so-called
Liberal press – by those leaders who speak and write about freedom of action
and thought, and at the same time make themselves the slaves of the supposed opinions of their subscribers? Ibsen, 1882: 155.
This is exactly what Hovstad does in Public Enemy. Though he claims to be true to his ideals, he feels it
necessary to compromise what he prints based on public opinion. Hovstad has good life because he has important position at the town as the
only one editor at the town. So, many people come to him to create an article or just talking about someone. For Hovstad, he has unique ways to pursue his goal.
He wants to get the advantage from all situations and from all sides, he will do anything to get the advantage. So he always talks about someone behind
with the others. There are three frequent visitors to the doctor’s house. When the play
opens, Billing is seen having roast beef. Aslaksen comes to pledge his support for the doctor having heard from Billing that the Dr. Stockmann would bring
about a new water supply. However their true nature is soon revealed. The three quickly side with the Mayor without verifying the fact of the time and the costs
involved. Consequently the doctor is barred from addressing the issue of the baths at the meeting. It is Aslaksen who proposes that the meeting declare Dr.
Decree Stockmann an enemy of the people. Billing lies about the doctor. Further turn the people away from Dr. Stockmann, this culminates in the doctor
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being roughed up and his house. Hovstad has big dream but he is just lower people, because of that fact, so
it can increase his spirit and his wish to make his dream will come true. Although he must make bad action, like treachery. He betrays to other people because he
wants to get the advantage for himself, like when he betrays Dr. Stockmannn because he thinks that Dr. Stockmann doesn’t have any money.
Hovstad is the people who wants to get the advantage from all situations and from all sides, he will do anything to get the benefit. So, he
does it to increase his relationship with the other, he will talk to someone privately although in their conversation is just talking the badness of
someone. With that way, Hovstad will get the trust from all sides, so he will get the advantage of that people’s trust.
In spite of the hypocrisy of his lifes work, to gather power in order to establish equality for all, Hovstads betrayal of Dr. Stockmann is perhaps the
bitterest of any character; he was once treated as a son in the Stockmanns home, yet abandoned him once he no longer became convenient. However, the deceit
precedes the hysteria and blackmail generated by this corrupt editor: even before the emergency Hovstad supports Dr. Stockmann only to gain the favor of
Petra. A true wolf in sheeps skin, Hovstad is a vile liar. The press has the important function of disseminating information to the
public. The press should never be partisan or take sides. They therefore have a dutyobligation to inform the public about the baths but they fail due to their
negative character of hypocrisy, opportunism, cowardice and cruelty. The doctor is denied an opportunity to correct a health issue due to a negative press.
The media has fulfilled the mediator role only to a limited extent until now. It is true that criticism and the exposure of problems is an important duty of
journalists; but in the future journalists should also endeavour to provide balanced reporting of the technical world and to provide the public with a
perspective of their world of tomorrow. Hovstad’s bad habitation appears because he also has partner that has the
same habitation like him. Billing and Aslaksen, they are Hovstad’s colleague at
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People’s Herald paper. Finally, the happiness has come to Hovstad because of his hard work
over the years and because of his action. Hovstad is just lower class people in the town but he has big dream. But because of the people around him who have
supported him, Hovstad gets many advantages as his dream together with his colle
ague at People’s Herald. By his treachery, Hovstad has a tremendous spirit. His efforts yields good results. Finally, he is happy with his advantage like he
wants.
D. Conclusion
After analyzing the whole drama and analyzing all the facts dealing with Hovstad’s effort and his personality, the researcher comes to the conclusion that
Public Enemy is the reflection of the human trying to get his desire. The author wants to describe how human beings have many ways making his dream come
true. He also wants to show that humans are full of imagination and desire. It is shown when Hovstad has a desire and works hard to reach his dream. In this
novel, Henrik Ibsen describes Hovstad as a person who always tries to fulfill his wish by struggling and striving to make all dreams become true.
Public Enemy tells about the era that the lower class of people must obey the high class, and they should not to protest or refuse the commands. Public
Enemy is a story which describes changes that happen to society where some of community from society in that town won’t support the changes. So the society
won’t to be changed although it comes from Dr. Stockmann. He is a man of
science and kind person in the town. In Public Enemy, Ibsen portrays a society where people are over-influenced by the politicians. The authorities are very
powerful, and under the shelter of their power and authority, they manipulate the facts in the society. In such a society people are not able to decide and tells the
truth. Consequently, they prefer to listen authorities because they claim to do their best for people but unfortunately, finally people who suffer the aftermath.
In Public Enemy, Henrik Ibsen creates the main characters, such as, Dr. Stockmann, and Peter Stockmann as the Mayor. He puts Dr. Stockmann in a
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setting, which permits him to interact with other. In his drama, Dr. Stockmann has conflicts with other characters. The conflict makes the changes of Dr.
Stockmann view about his brother, Peter Stockmann, and mindset which is false. In this story, the Mayor does not like the changes that is brought by Dr.
Stockmann that he wants to close the Baths. Peter Stockmann, Hovstad and Aslaksen are experts in manipulation. On the other hand, Dr. Stockmann is a
symbol of responsibility. Because of that, theme of responsibility and manipulation in Public Enemy is considered as the center point of this study.
At the beginning, his discovery is praised by many people, newspapers and city inhabitants. Moreover, he also gets assurance of support of different
responsible persons, particularly, newspapers’ editors, chairman of householders’ association and the civil community. This support makes him
courageous and happy. He is happy because of the sense of his community’s
feelings of brotherhood. But, when it becomes very clear to the city authority that the improvement of the baths will cost high amount, then they turn to
against his position. Dr Stockmann is willing to publish the truth of his findings. The political factors give different consequences in the life of Stcokmann. The
city mayor read the test-report and has shown doubt about the findings. City Mayor requests to Dr. Stockmann to refuse the result of findings because if the
city going to repair the problem, it expenses more money, and this extra expenses have to be shouldered by the inhabitants of the city. But, Dr.
Stockmann refuses to refute the result. On the other hand, the newspapers also consider the impact of this news over the reader which would have a negative
impact of their newspaper, and then he takes decision that he will not publish the report.
In the Public Enemys drama, it is found a very inspiring figure and vigorously named Hovstad. He is an editor at the newspaper. He is a man who
comes from humble folk. Because of that fact he hasn ’t many money although
he had worked so hard a long time. Hovstad isn’t ambitious man and his
opportunity is just like the lower classes want. But actually, Hovstad has big dream that he wants to get many money and makes his self is so comfort.
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Hovstadwants to get the advantage from all situations although he must make a cheat like treachery or betrayal to someone. That is t
he goal of Hovstad’s life Hovstad seems like the Mayor. At first he seems like a good enough guy.
He is a farmers son who is pulled himself up by his bootstraps to become the editor of The Peoples Herald, the local newspaper. He claims to be true to his
roots, and wants to use his position at the paper to further the cause of the lower classes. Even if you dont agree with his politics, in the beginning of the play he
does seem like a straightforward guy who is true to his principles. As the play progresses, it sees that Hovstad isnt as straightforward as we
might have thought. When he learns of Dr. Stockmanns discovery that the Baths are contaminated, his first instinct think to manipulate the situation to his
advantage. Quickly, it becomes suspicious that his support for the Doctor doesnt stem from truly believing that the people have a right to the truth. When
he says things like, When I took over the Peoples Messenger my idea was to break up this ring of self-opinionated old fossils Ibsen, 1882: 131,
it becomes obvious that he just wants to further his own political agenda.
Hovstad appears to be Ibsens representative of the liberal media which the playwright had a pretty low opinion. In a letter to a critic Ibsen wrote, What
are we to say of the attitude taken up by the so-called Liberal press – by those
leaders who speak and write about freedom of action and thought, and at the same time make themselves the slaves of the supposed opinions of their
subscribers? Ibsen, 1882: 155. This is exactly what Hovstad does in Public
Enemy. Though he claims to be true to his ideals, he feels, it necessary to compromise what he prints based on public opinion.
Finally, the happiness has come to Hovstad because of his hard work and his action. Hovstad is just lower classes people in the town but he has big
dream. Because of the people around him who has supported him, Hovstad gets many advantages as his dream together with his colleague at People’s Herald. By
his treachery, Hovstad has a tremendous spirit. His efforts yield good results. Finally, he is happy with his advantage like he wants.
