Enemy Of The Women

In Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People, Petra distinguishes herself by abandoning the traditional facets of women. It is her perseverance and self-sufficient attitude that make her the true embodiment of the modern woman. Impressionism on the other hand, reveals realistic depictions of modern life. Modernity in Impressionism however, has a different meaning in comparison to Ibsen’s modernity; this style of art simply reflecting modern life does not in any way display anything unconventional. The women in these paintings are modern in the sense that they maintain characteristics of their nineteenth century society, but do not in any way reflect liberality in the way that Petra does, but do share similarities to Mrs. Stockmann. Unlike the women in Paris Street, Rainy Day, Interior, and …show more content…
Initially when coming home from her teaching job, Billing kindly offers to make Petra a drink in which she declines, stating “Thanks, I’ll do it myself” (Enemy, Act I, 98). Rather than accepting this polite offer, Petra gets up to make herself a drink instead of letting another man make her one. Petra begins to establish this division between her and other women of that time by showing her self-reliance. Further into the play, Petra reveals her eagerness to start her own school where she can teach in the way that she pleases and as a result, Captain Horster replies by saying that he will “gladly provide [her] the facilities” (Enemy, Act I, 101). Petra in turn rejects his help as she says “Oh, thank you! But nothing’ll come out of it, I’m sure” (Enemy, Act I, 101). Instead of accepting this opportunity to be able to teach what she believes, Petra refuses Captain Horster’s help. Part of what makes her a new kind of woman is her lack of dependence on men to bring her satisfaction; she recognizes that she does not need them to bring her the things that she so desires, and rather prefers to get these things through her own