The Graphic Novel as Mediation of the Anthropocene
Allegory, Ignorability, and Pedagogy in Javi Rey's Adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People
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Abstract
This article presents a comparative analysis of Henrik Ibsen's play En folkefiende [An Enemy of the People, 1882] and its adaptation into a graphic novel by Javi Rey (2022). The plot revolves around Dr Tomas Stockmann's discovery that the water of the touristic baths of his hometown is polluted and his futile attempt to convince his fellow citizens to take action. I argue that this can be read as an allegory of specific aspects of the Anthropocene. Moreover, while both works address the production of ignorance about human environmental change, the graphic novel possesses medium-specific ways of depicting the gap between knowledge and action. Finally, while the play is a black comedy, the graphic novel conveys a stronger faith in democratic pedagogy, adapted to twenty-first-century discourses on climate.
Contributor Notes
Per Esben Svelstad is professor of Norwegian at the Department of Teacher Education, NTNU in Trondheim. He holds a PhD in comparative literature. His research interests include ecocriticism, graphic narratives, and literature pedagogy. Currently, Svelstad is working on how to integrate sustainability in literature education, from theoretical and practical perspectives. Postal address: Department of Teacher Education, NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.