When Dr. Stockmann discovers that the water in the small Norwegian town in which he is the resident physician has been contaminated, he does what any responsible citizen would do: reports it to the authorities. But Stockmann's good deed has the potential to ruin the town's reputation as a popular spa destination, and instead of being hailed as a hero, Stockmann is labeled an enemy of the people. Arthur Miller's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic drama is a classic in itself, a penetrating exploration of what happens when the truth comes up against the will of the majority. This edition includes Arthur Miller’s preface and an introduction by John Guare.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Winner of the National Book Award Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters
"The McCarthy nightmare had begun. . . . Miller was under suspicion for Communist activities. . . . The blacklist seeps into the core of his adaptation. . . . It's a skillfully crafted work . . . a reminder of what has happened, what can happen, and what must never happen again." -John Guare, from the Introduction
"Miller has released the anger and scorn of the father of realism." -Brooks Atkinson, The New York Times
When Dr. Stockmann discovers that the water in the small Norwegian town in which he is the resident physician has been contaminated, he does what any responsible citizen would do: reports it to the authorities. But Stockmann's good deed has the potential to ruin the town's reputation as a popular spa destination, and instead of being hailed as a hero, Stockmann is labeled an enemy of the people. Arthur Miller's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic drama is a classic in itself, a penetrating exploration of what happens when the truth comes up against the will of the majority. This edition includes Arthur Miller’s preface and an introduction by John Guare.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
Praise
Winner of the National Book Award Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters
"The McCarthy nightmare had begun. . . . Miller was under suspicion for Communist activities. . . . The blacklist seeps into the core of his adaptation. . . . It's a skillfully crafted work . . . a reminder of what has happened, what can happen, and what must never happen again." -John Guare, from the Introduction
"Miller has released the anger and scorn of the father of realism." -Brooks Atkinson, The New York Times
