The town meeting occurs at the home of Captain Horster, a seafaring friend of Dr Stockmann. Having called the meeting, Thomas intends to just read his report on the bacteria in the water samples to the gathered crowd. But of course, bureaucracy steps in to stymie his efforts; it is declared that the heretofore informal meeting needs to have a chairman, and the publisher Aslaksen is appointed to that role. Mayor Pete gets up and makes a speech, accusing his brother of being determined to destroy the town's main source of income, Kirsten Springs spa. Thomas tries to push back against this interpretation of his aims but is shouted down. Mayor Pete then moves that Dr. Stockmann not be allowed to speak at the meeting and Aslaksen calls for a vote on the matter, telling a protesting Thomas that he must abide by the will of the majority. Thomas says, never mind: he's seeing things a bit more clearly now. Stockmann promises that, if they let him talk, he won't mention the spring/spa waters; he wants to speak on a much more important subject now. They cautiously agree, so Thomas gets up and gives a real barn burner of a speech, castigating the town's politicians and newspapermen for their corruption and hypocrisy, and haranguing the crowd for being knuckle-dragging ignoramuses who can't think for themselves. As you might imagine, this doesn't win him any friends. He does make a few good points about the will of the majority, democracy, and truth. Unfortunately, no one's in the mood to hear them, Stockmann's former friends- and brother- denouncing him, people yelling at him to get out of town, and Aslaksen, abandoning all pretense of objectivity as moderator, moving to have him labelled an "Enemy of the People". The crowd all votes for this, except for Thomas' family, Captain Horster, and some drunk guy who's boozily shouting encouragement to the doctor. The Stockmann and his family are forced to leave before the maddened crowd becomes violent; shaken by a dark side of the town that he's never seen before, Thomas asks Horster if his family can book passage on his ship to emigrate from Norway to America. The captain says there will always be room for them on his ship. (To Be Continued...)
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