How is imagery used in an enemy of the people by henrik ibsen?

Answer 1

There are several uses of imagery in An Enemy Of The People, a lot of different kinds too! A good example of some would be animal imagery, along with war (links to war metaphors), pollution, corruption, etc. But all of these are used to describe or present different things. For example, in terms of pollution: the pollution of the water in the baths can be seen as a symbolic link to the ultimate corruption of the town and the overall greed of the public majority, as they refuse to pay for the repairing of the baths (which is later justified by the clear setting of the Peoples Messenger office as shabby and dingy, showing that the towns people really and truly are quite poor). Another example of pollution that is referred to in the play, but is a different element to water, would be the lack of oxygen (symbolising the lack of new ideas and progress within the conservative town) as the Dr quotes in act IV: "

In a house which does not get aired and swept every day-my wife Katherine maintains that the floor ought to be scrubbed as well,

but that is a debatable question-in such a house, let me tell you, people will lose within two or three years the power of thinking or acting in a moral manner. Lack of oxygen weakens the conscience. And there must be a plen- tiful lack of oxygen in very many houses in this town, I should think, judging from the fact that the whole com- pact majority can be unconscientious enough to wish to build the town's prosperity on a quagmire of falsehood and deceit."