PLAY ANALYSIS

MIDTERM
AREEBA ASIF GUL

This play is showing many conflicts between people even with themselves. Many
believed in the theory that they are right and what they are doing is right.
Meanwhile, everyone is in the run to win the race for their benefit there seems a
man who is willing to leave everything behind and on the line just to do the right
thing, and while doing that it seems like every character seems to change their
sides to stand against the doctor. Even when Mayor seems all-powerful with the
support of people the audience might not cheer up for him as they would find him
self-centred and someone who wants to be the centre of attention. Then it shows
the attack on the basic right of information showing Doctor helpless in bursting
emotions that it is the fault of corrupted that amazing thinker and unique mind like
himself are always kept away to reveal the truth to those who has the right to know
it. Yet he stands alone to fight the hierarchy without any help just to spread the
truth in people to a point where doctor wife was worried about their future yet he
shows how a man must never turn his face from what’s right.
In this scene where mayor visit before that Hovstad just faced a backlash from
petra where his image of a good man was shattered before her eye where he reveals
that how they should print something which was not right. Giving us a peak in
Hovstad character better that he is just a mask but underneath it he is something
else who wants to benefit even if he has to use lies to do that. As he was just
recovering from this backlash in conversation with Petra, Aslaksen inform him that
mayor was here to see him. Now the mayor got problems of his own and he is
there to solve on of those problem, which is the article that Doctor wrote about
bath which can save lives of people/tourist who visits this town for its bath but it
would also make the town suffer as the big part of revenue was generated through
it and closing the bath would mean stopping that revenue and spending alot to fix
the problem. As mayor talks to Hovstad the expected behaviour from him would
be the anger and blackmail yet he keeps his cool and use mind games against him.
Saying how it would make the poor suffer in the town as bath closes using element
of fear to influence the mind of both man making up their mind and showing them
the destruction if that paper was published which puzzled Aslaksen and Hovstad as
they though they were doing some good thing and at this point something happens
which was unexpected to the viewer. That both men decided to change sides and
line themselves with the winning side immodestly clearing their name from
alliance of Doctor.
As the whole story is seen turned and in favour of mayor and he is in calm
behaviour knowing that now odd are in his favour he seeks the paper which was
being printed, just at that moment Doctor arrives. Upon which Mayor hides while
Three men engage in a conversation. Viewers will feel bad for the man who is
standing alone without even knowing he is alone. Doctor is impatient and full of
emotions as he walks in to talk how important this work is, he is doing for the
greater good of people. As Aslaksen tries to tell him something he interrupt with
the imagination of his own about how people will greet him, showing the joy he is
full of and happiness he is carrying after knowing that he was right after all this
time with so much thinking that at one point he thinks that everyone has arranged a
parade for him which creates somewhat an awkward situation for both Hovstad
and Aslaksen including the mayor who can hear him while hiding. But all this time
he somewhat interrupted both men to ask what they wanted until his wife stepped
in. And from here a new conflict starts where husband and wife start arguing about
what they would lose if the paper got printed. Wife has seen the time where they
had nothing and they were hardly living without basic things the burden of kids
worries her which can create a sympathetic idea in mind of viewers that she is
standing right on her points too yet Doctor is not much moved, according to him a
person must not be selfish to think of just his own better but others too. Showing
again how much strongly he holds his principle together and won’t be moved by
anyone, even his wife and kids. While speaking he discover hat and stick of mayor
and somewhat display a change behaviour as he takes the hat and stick with him
saying he is mayor while everyone looks at him in disbelieve that what happened
to him. It was the power he thought he had along with the upper hand which he
could use to show the reality to people and even with all the forces of government
with the mayor the people would side up with him and no one could stop him but
his dream crushed when he realized that he is standing alone that both Hovstad and
Aslaksen have abandoned him and he is alone.
Here the changing character of both men is also heart-breaking and annoying for
viewers because they will now think that Doctor lost the battle against the system,
he was so ready to fight. Mayor refuses to give him any place to spread his
message and newspaper abandon him but when all seem lost for him Doctor’s wife
showed how it would be someone in the world who would stand with you even
when you would have the whole world against you. Both husband and wife
become happy as they realize that they haven’t lost just yet and that there is still
something that they could do showing how little it takes to light up the hope again
in the darkness.
Throughout the play the characters were playing to an extent and did what they
though to be right. Along the way developing their character which was the
character of Doctor. And prominently the development his wife had in the end
which made the audience awe in surprise on taking such a brave and courageous
action to stand with her husband.