Corruption In All The King's Men By Henrik Ibsen

Literature’s Compulsory Corruption Corruption is a theme that is commonplace amongst the countless literary pieces that have been produced throughout the ages. Corruption can take many forms in literature, which can be emphasized through the embodiment of characters in the story.These characters gain their corruptive ways through their granted power, whereas this power can become strong enough to influence the plot, or be subtle enough to dictate other character’s actions. This corruption can also change the way we view characters, such as corruption or corrupted people stealing away one’s innocence or moral being. An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen is a play where a doctor by the name of Thomas Stockmann tries to save the town and society

All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren was a novel that discussed the events of the political uprisings of a corrupted politician by the name of Willie Stark through the eyes of the morally ambiguous Jack Burden. Willie Stark’s public actions are seen as acts of God to save the people of Louisiana, whereas the truth is shown through Jack Burden, which shows that Willie will do anything to win. Macbeth by William Shakespeare was a play written about the corruption that is wrought upon a person who desires the power of another, with determination and ambition plaguing one’s morals. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth go through great lengths in order to keep their corrupted power, but this throws their conscience into maligned beliefs of what they had now known. The play Death of a Salesman was written by Arthur Miller, who used this book to emphasize the corruption of the American Dream. Willy Loman had believed in the American Dream throughout his life, passing it on through his children. However, he had not known that his vision of the American Dream had not only corrupted himself and his children,

The morals of the once proud and supportive people became corrupted once they had learned how to target their anger caused by the distress of the current public outcry. Thomas Stockmann became the scapegoat for Peter’s corruption, who was influenced into become an outlier in the community after he spoke against the mayor and public paper; he was now an enemy of the people. The people had begun to act out against Thomas, with some breaking his windows with rocks, and other vandalizing his house. “There is the physical filth and there is the moral pollution. Indeed, one is tempted to see the biological poison as a symbol for moral corruption. The lack of honesty and of moral responsibility decomposes the community itself” (Roshwald). Although the people were once for the decontamination of municipal bath, they had begun to question their choices once the mayor had planted the seed of doubt within them. Either the public baths could be corrected, or they would have to be pushed under harsh taxes and the possibility of mass