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Petra Stockmann
Dr. Stockmann’s brother, the town mayor, and one of the play’s major antagonists. The town’s scion of conservatism, Peter uses his power to uphold traditional norms at all costs; he’s actually a canny politician adept at using the power of the majority to advance the interests of the wealthy elite. Even at the beginning of the play, the brothers’ strained relationship is illuminated by their inability to work together on the baths; Peter accuses his brother of taking more than his share of credit for their inception, while Dr. Stockmann is pleased about his discovery of contamination partly because it proves him right in an earlier quarrel with Peter. In order to save his own reputation and the money of those who have invested in the baths, Peter quickly turns on Dr. Stockmann, engineering not just the defeat of his ideas but his social humiliation. His behavior indicates the corruption and greed of those who have traditionally held power but, contrary to Dr. Stockmann’s frequent assertions, it doesn’t prove his own stupidity; in fact, he’s often much wiser than his brother and easily outmaneuvers him. At the end of the play, Peter secures his political victory but emerges as morally bankrupt.
Peter Stockmann Quotes in An Enemy of the People
The An Enemy of the People quotes below are all either spoken by Peter Stockmann or refer to Peter Stockmann. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act I
Quotes
Peter Stockmann (lowering his voice a little): It is a curious thing that these farmers’ sons never seem to lose their want of tact.
Mrs. Stockmann: Surely it is not worth bothering about! Cannot you and Thomas share the credit as brothers?
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Peter Stockmann: You have an ingrained tendency to take your own way, at all events; and that is almost equally inadmissible in a well-ordered community. The individual ought undoubtedly to acquiesce in subordinating himself to the community – or, to speak more accurately, to the authorities who have the care of the community’s welfare.
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Act II
Quotes
Dr. Stockmann: You will see he won’t like it’s having been I, and not he, that made the discovery.
Katherine: Aren’t you a little nervous about that?
Dr. Stockmann: Oh, he really will be pleased enough, you know…
Katherine: I will tell you what, Thomas – you should be good-natured, and share the credit of this with him. Couldn’t you make out that it was he who set you on the scent of this discovery?
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Act III
Quotes
Peter Stockmann. The proprietors of the Baths are not in a position to incur any further expense.
Aslaksen. Is that absolutely certain, Mr. Mayor?
Peter Stockmann. I have satisfied myself that it is so. If the town wants these very extensive alterations, it will have to pay for them.
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Dr. Stockmann. You dare not? What nonsense!—you are the editor; and an editor controls his paper, I suppose!
Aslaksen. No, it is the subscribers, Doctor.
Peter Stockmann. Fortunately, yes.
Aslaksen. It is public opinion—the enlightened public—householders and people of that kind; they control the newspapers.
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Act IV
Quotes
Dr. Stockmann. The kind of common people I mean are not only to be found low down in the social scale; they crawl and swarm all around us—even in the highest social positions. You have only to look at your own fine, distinguished Mayor! My brother Peter is every bit as plebeian as anyone that walks in two shoes…
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Act V
Quotes
Peter Stockmann. A man with a family has no right to behave as you do. You have no right to do it, Thomas.
Dr. Stockmann. I have no right! There is only one single thing in the world a free man has no right to do. Do you know what that is?
Peter Stockmann. No.
Dr. Stockmann. Of course you don’t, but I will tell you. A free man has no right to soil himself with filth; he has no right to behave in a way that would justify his spitting in his own face.
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Peter Stockmann Quotes in An Enemy of the People
The An Enemy of the People quotes below are all either spoken by Peter Stockmann or refer to Peter Stockmann. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act I
Quotes
Peter Stockmann (lowering his voice a little): It is a curious thing that these farmers’ sons never seem to lose their want of tact.
Mrs. Stockmann: Surely it is not worth bothering about! Cannot you and Thomas share the credit as brothers?
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Explanation and Analysis:
Peter Stockmann: You have an ingrained tendency to take your own way, at all events; and that is almost equally inadmissible in a well-ordered community. The individual ought undoubtedly to acquiesce in subordinating himself to the community – or, to speak more accurately, to the authorities who have the care of the community’s welfare.
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Act II
Quotes
Dr. Stockmann: You will see he won’t like it’s having been I, and not he, that made the discovery.
Katherine: Aren’t you a little nervous about that?
Dr. Stockmann: Oh, he really will be pleased enough, you know…
Katherine: I will tell you what, Thomas – you should be good-natured, and share the credit of this with him. Couldn’t you make out that it was he who set you on the scent of this discovery?
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Act III
Quotes
Peter Stockmann. The proprietors of the Baths are not in a position to incur any further expense.
Aslaksen. Is that absolutely certain, Mr. Mayor?
Peter Stockmann. I have satisfied myself that it is so. If the town wants these very extensive alterations, it will have to pay for them.
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Dr. Stockmann. You dare not? What nonsense!—you are the editor; and an editor controls his paper, I suppose!
Aslaksen. No, it is the subscribers, Doctor.
Peter Stockmann. Fortunately, yes.
Aslaksen. It is public opinion—the enlightened public—householders and people of that kind; they control the newspapers.
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Act IV
Quotes
Dr. Stockmann. The kind of common people I mean are not only to be found low down in the social scale; they crawl and swarm all around us—even in the highest social positions. You have only to look at your own fine, distinguished Mayor! My brother Peter is every bit as plebeian as anyone that walks in two shoes…
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Act V
Quotes
Peter Stockmann. A man with a family has no right to behave as you do. You have no right to do it, Thomas.
Dr. Stockmann. I have no right! There is only one single thing in the world a free man has no right to do. Do you know what that is?
Peter Stockmann. No.
Dr. Stockmann. Of course you don’t, but I will tell you. A free man has no right to soil himself with filth; he has no right to behave in a way that would justify his spitting in his own face.
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