An Enemy of the People — Vocabulary
Henrik Ibsen
translated by: R.F. Sharp
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And every prudent man too, I hope?†5 more

A good conscience, too, I hope.†5 more

But truths as aged as that are always worn frightfully thin, and nevertheless it is only then that the majority recognises them and recommends them to the community as wholesome moral nourishment.†1 more

A capable physician ought to know what measures to take—he ought to be capable of preventing injurious influences or of remedying them if they become obviously persistent.†2 more

That is, the doctrine you have inherited from your forefathers and proclaim thoughtlessly far and wide—the doctrine that the public, the crowd, the masses, are the essential part of the population—that they constitute the People—that the common folk, the ignorant and incomplete element in the community, have the same right to pronounce judgment and to, approve, to direct and to govern, as the isolated, intellectually superior personalities in it.†2 more

Yes—and in my opinion a journalist incurs a heavy responsibility if he neglects a favourable opportunity of emancipating the masses—the humble and oppressed.†3 more

Luckily I shall have all my time at my disposal; because I have been dismissed from the Baths, you know.2 more

But as a subordinate member of the staff of the Baths, you have no right to express any opinion which runs contrary to that of your superiors.†1 more

Believe me, before long we shall all be pagans.†3 more

Bookcases and cabinets containing specimens, line the walls.†3 more

I propose to raise a revolution against the lie that the majority has the monopoly of the truth.†1 more

I have investigated the matter most conscientiously.†2 more

Dr. Stockmann (brandishing the umbrella).†1 more

Young and vigorous standard-bearers—those are what we need and must seek, my friends; we must have new men in command at all our outposts.†2 more

And all that infernal weak tea wash that he pours into himself!†4 more

It seems to me that this would be the most opportune moment.†2 more

So it will be necessary for you to refute them publicly.†

From it you will see that the main result of the Medical Officer's proposals—apart from their constituting a vote of censure on the leading men of the town—would be to saddle the ratepayers with an unnecessary expenditure of at least some thousands of pounds.†

You have no conception what an amount of harm you do yourself by your impetuosity.†

For I cherish the comforting conviction that these parasites—all these venerable relics of a dying school of thought—are most admirably paving the way for their own extinction; they need no doctor's help to hasten their end.†