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Morten Kiil
The editor of the town’s liberal newspaper, The People’s Messenger, and Dr. Stockmann’s onetime friend. From a humble background but now an educated professional, Hovstad cultivates a reputation as the town’s liberal voice and dreams of starting a “revolution.” At first he seems to have genuine ideological convictions, and his offer to publish Dr. Stockmann’s controversial findings seems courageous; however, it soon becomes apparent that he wants to use the report to help his own political party, rather than effect real social change. Moreover, he immediately turns on Dr. Stockmann when Peter shows him how unpopular his ideas are going to be with the public. Hovstad changes his beliefs, and the opinions of his newspaper, whenever public opinion changes; this trend not only demonstrates his personal hypocrisy but suggests that media can never be an impartial commentator on political events.
Hovstad Quotes in An Enemy of the People
The An Enemy of the People quotes below are all either spoken by Hovstad or refer to Hovstad. 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:
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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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Act II
Quotes
Hovstad: The idol of Authority must be shattered in this town. This gross and inexcusable blunder about the water-supply must be brought home to the mind of every municipal voter.
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Act III
Quotes
Hovstad. You are perfectly right; but an editor cannot always act as he would prefer. He is often obliged to bow to the wishes of the public in unimportant matters. Politics are the most important thing in life—for a newspaper, anyway; and if I want to carry my public with me on the path that leads to liberty and progress, I must not frighten them away. If they find a moral tale of this sort in the serial at the bottom of the page, they will be all the more ready to read what is printed above it; they feel more secure, as it were.
Petra. For shame! You would never go and set a snare like that for your readers; you are not a spider!
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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
Hovstad: And, in the matter before us, it is now an undoubted fact that Dr. Stockmann has public opinion against him. Now, what is an editor’s first and most obvious duty, gentlemen? Is it not to work in harmony with his readers? Has he not received a sort of tacit mandate to work persistently and assiduously for the welfare of those whose opinions he represents? Or is it possible I am mistaken in that?
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Hovstad Quotes in An Enemy of the People
The An Enemy of the People quotes below are all either spoken by Hovstad or refer to Hovstad. 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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Act II
Quotes
Hovstad: The idol of Authority must be shattered in this town. This gross and inexcusable blunder about the water-supply must be brought home to the mind of every municipal voter.
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Act III
Quotes
Hovstad. You are perfectly right; but an editor cannot always act as he would prefer. He is often obliged to bow to the wishes of the public in unimportant matters. Politics are the most important thing in life—for a newspaper, anyway; and if I want to carry my public with me on the path that leads to liberty and progress, I must not frighten them away. If they find a moral tale of this sort in the serial at the bottom of the page, they will be all the more ready to read what is printed above it; they feel more secure, as it were.
Petra. For shame! You would never go and set a snare like that for your readers; you are not a spider!
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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
Hovstad: And, in the matter before us, it is now an undoubted fact that Dr. Stockmann has public opinion against him. Now, what is an editor’s first and most obvious duty, gentlemen? Is it not to work in harmony with his readers? Has he not received a sort of tacit mandate to work persistently and assiduously for the welfare of those whose opinions he represents? Or is it possible I am mistaken in that?
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