Hedda Gabler's Character Flaws Lead to Tragedy

Hedda Gabler Faults
To what extent do Hedda Gabler's character faults lead to her death? The play Hedda Gabler, written
by Henrik Ibsen, discusses the journey of the protagonist Hedda Tesman, formerly known as Hedda
Gabler, in her dissent to suicide. Reaching a point where she is entrapped by the misery that has
encapsulated all aspects of her life and the feeling that death is the only escape. This journey of poor
decision making is largely caused by Hedda's character faults with her inability to fit into 17th
century Norwegian society, her self–insecurities and her flirtatious behaviour. However, these
character faults are accentuated by the constrictive time and setting in which Hedda lives. Overall
Ibsen aims to show the audience the difficulties that face ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Hedda's class upbringing and the sexual stereotypes placed upon her enable the character flaws she
possesses to heighten leading to disastrous results. Being brought up as the daughter, and only child,
of the "the great General Gabler" means Hedda would have been brought up in a household of quite
extensive freedom. The General would have wanted a son, to inherit his title, wealth as well as to go
sporting with, and when he did not have one, he is likely to have treated Hedda rather like a son. She
would often be seen "her riding down the road along with the General" and the repetition of her
using guns throughout the play shows that she was accustom to the use of guns as a child. As such,
she found shifting into Tesman's traditionalist views of a wife difficult, as she aimed for success and
independence. Due to the social expectations of Ibsen's setting Hedda is unable to follow a career of
her own as she is expected to stay at home looking after children. This means that she is forced to
reap any feeling of success from her husband's "wretched professorship". Along with this, her
dislike of having children and taking her husband's name would have been more acceptable in a
further modernised setting yet are scorned upon in her setting. As such the ensuing
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Hedda Gabler By Henrik Ibsen
Women have always been a point of interest in the eyes of many readers in all time periods. They
are seen by society as mysterious, beautiful, sometimes outspoken, and so much more. However,
women of today 's day and age don 't hold a candle next to the Victorian Era's Hedda in the play
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. Hedda Gabler, although a heinous person at heart, is an extremely
powerful woman who uses that power to mask her own fears. So why is it that Hedda Gabler
displays herself in such a manner? Within this essay the reader will learn how Hedda acts, the forms
in which she controls those around her, in what ways she gets exactly it is that she wants, when and
how she wants it, as well as what her fears are and where they may have stemmed from. In the play,
the author, Henrik Ibsen, describes Hedda as a women caught up with only the aesthetic aspects of
life. She cares not for the feelings or well–being of those around her, but rather how those same
people view her. As any woman in this time period would desire, especially a prestigious one being
born from a general, a spotless and well rounded reputation is essential in obtaining respect , gaining
power, and going on about simple day to day living. As described by one scholar, "Their work
ranged from the grand sweep of politics to the minutiae of everyday life" (Maitzen). Often, Hedda
would put aside responsibility and other tasks to focus on her beauty and how she was viewed. Her
beauty was one of the many

Agency Of Punishment And Hedda Gabler
Name
Professor
Class
Date
Agency in Punishment and Hedda Gabler.
In Rabindranath Tagore's short story "Punishment," Chandara, an 18–year old lower caste woman in
India, seeks her freedom from cultural and familial oppression by allowing herself to be executed. In
Henrik Ibsen's play Hedda Gabler, the protagonist, an aristocratic woman from prosperous 19th
century Norway, asserts her freedom from societal oppression by killing herself.
Considering the socio–economic and cultural differences of these female characters, how could their
ends be so similar? In this essay, we'll discuss why these late 19th century, early 20th century
authors chose to make suicide, or the desire for death (or other drastic behavior), agency for their
female characters in these two texts. We'll do this by analyzing the feminist themes of Tagore and
Ibsen, in light of the realist/naturalist literary movement at the time; as well as discussing the ways
the authors allow for autonomy with their characters –– as well as the ways they restrict their
options –– in these works.
Tagore and Ibsen shared similar literary and philosophical ideas, which helps to explain their
realistically conflicted –– oppressed, yet courageously challenging –– female characters.
Naturalism/realism was the dominant literary trend in the late 19th century, and Tagore and Ibsen
featured elements of realism and naturalism in their work. Their stories and plays contained ordinary
people in realistic–seeming scenarios – realism ––

Hedda Gabler Essay
Ibsen's Hedda Gabler provides insight into issues inherent to 1890's Norwegian society. Hedda
Gabler, released at the culmination of the first wave of feminism in Norway, has been celebrated for
facilitating the societal change achieved by the movement. Whilst the concept of femininity is
explored extensively, other, more subtle, themes are often overlooked because of the historical
importance of the text's commentary on women's rights. Namely, Ibsen criticises how Norwegian
society promotes materialistic dependencies and overinflates the value of keeping up appearances.
Ibsen, by emphasising the relationship between wealth and social position, intended to challenge the
prevailing materialistic attitude in Norwegian society. The characterisation of Judge Brack ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Specifically, the hyperbole "can't thank you enough" epitomises Tesman's submission to Brack, who,
because he had loaned money for the purchase of the house, is considered relatively more powerful.
This positions the audience to acknowledge the relationship between power and wealth, a
relationship that is pivotal to understanding Ibsen's holistic critique of Norwegian society. Although
not belonging to the rarefied atmosphere of the upper class, Tesman actively perpetuates their
materialistic inclinations. Tesman, believing that he "couldn't possibly ask her (Hedda) to live in
some little suburban house", endeavours to enhance his social status and, consequently, satisfy
Hedda. Ibsen constructs Tesman as an allegorical depiction of the bourgeoisie's desire to appear
affluent and of a higher social class. However, Ibsen implies that the underlying intent of this
façade, to impress the wealthy, is ultimately futile, seen through the character dialogue when
Tesman is talking about the couple's

Hedda Gabler Essay
The mind and mental processes can affect and shape human behavior. Some of the subtlest actions
are outcomes of a person's emotion, treatment, and provide underlying messages unknowingly
exhibited and communicated. This occurs internally and is exposed through accidental or
unintentional conduct. Hedda Gabler is an affluent European woman living a life of nobility and
service. Pampered and easily neglected by her companions, she is unfulfilled by the amount of
praise she receives in her household. Her strange and awkward behavior reveals the lack of
foundation in her marriage. In Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen uses stage directions to portray Hedda as
a furtively vexatious, manipulative, and discontented woman trapped in marriage and in doing ...
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The judicious actions foreshadow disaster. Having no control over their relationship, she maximizes
this opportunity of diverting his life. Although she is conservative, she also tries pushing the
boundaries by continually being discontented, as opposed to what is expected of women during that
era, and thus she is a victim of society. Her curiosity towards the outside world is a result of her
being trapped indoors and explains her jealousy towards Lövborg, Thea or anybody who has
freedom. Hedda withholds and controls her emotions; nonetheless this gives the audience an
impression that she is mysterious and secretive.
Similarly, she longs to manipulate others due to her lack of independence. Forcing her to stay for a
cup of tea, Hedda "drags Mrs. Elvsted almost by main force towards the archway" (Ibsen). Blatantly
rude, she belittles Thea physically and almost sadistically, making the latter feel powerless and
trapped to release her anger and to use this as a replacement for the dissatisfaction in life. Her mind
and demeanor is thus an outcome of her past. Hoping to gain attention to substitute her isolation and
emptiness, she automatically responds bitterly. Lacking dominance, she reciprocates physically for
authority over Mrs. Elvsted's fate. When Brack visits, she greets him by "raising and aiming the
pistol" (Ibsen 35). Envying his ability to determine others' destiny as a lawyer, she imagines
deciding that of his for a moment. The pistol

Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
The play "Hedda Gabler" revolves around the life of a socially deprived woman living in the late
1800s. Hedda Gabbler's crippled emotionally draining life is the epicenter of the entire body of
work. As Ibsen wrote of Hedda's emotional state and life he revealed the distinct role women played
in the late nineteenth century. Manipulation and the reputation of the protagonist, Hedda Gabler
reveals the message Henrik Ibsen was trying to send out. Hedda Gabler lived in a world of repressed
feelings and dissatisfaction to say the least. She wanted what was utterly unattainable to her. Hedda
wanted life and became extremely psychologically distressed that her own reality began to not
matter. Life became an idea instead of a reality for her. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The enclosed space brought about feelings of loss and worthlessness in Hedda. She felt as if the
room was all she truly had, just a small space to wonder and live within. A portrait of her father, the
general, hangs on the wall constantly eyeing her as if judging her. She wants out of the world she
lives in yet she surrounds herself with coverage and a small space to be in at all times. She slowly
creates this world of confinement within her confinement in society. She 'nests' and readies herself
for her death as if it were the plan all along. If she were psychologically stable, this may be
believable but considering that she isn't, it's not rational to think she knew she would die from the
beginning as no rational person would kill themselves.
Hedda is extremely dominant and strong willed in many ways. She wants what she wants and
doesn't seem to ever take 'no' for an answer. Her relationship with Judge Brack proves this. Both
characters are much more alike than either would like to admit most likely. Both are determined and
domineering. While Hedda is confined to her life as a housewife and can't control things in the
outside world, she can control people, everyone except Brack that is, demonstrating their likeliness
and similar demeanors and attitudes. The social boundaries thrust upon Hedda aren't there for Brack
as he is a man of society and holds power. When the two characters converse with one another
Brack acts as a mentor of sorts though

Hedda Gabler Essay
Henrik Ibsen's play Hedda Gabler focuses on the life of a strong willed woman named Hedda
Tesman. Act one of Hedda Gabler introduced Hedda's newlywed husband George Tesman. Hedda
and George married after Hedda's father, General Gabler passed away. It could be possible that
Hedda only married George Tesman because she needed security in her life while adjusting to the
loss of her father. On the other hand, was a secure and stable life, what Hedda really wanted? Hedda
Gabler's upbringing, the death of her father, and the unhappiness and dissatisfaction all played a role
in the lack of passion she had to genuinely connect with other be people.
As a young girl Hedda's life had been centered on social statuses and the recognition that one
receives ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Unfortunately, Hedda did not have a mother around and was never taught the domestication of
womanhood and wifehood. Instead of learning how to cook, clean, and run a household Hedda was
taught to ride horses and shoot guns. When Tesman broke the news to Hedda that he no longer had
enough money for her to own a horse, she enjoyed shooting her pistols. The two pistols that Hedda
inherited from her father was one of the last few things that left her with a connection to her former
life. Hedda used the pistols her father gave her as a release when she was angry. But she also viewed
them as a toy that she used for fun and scared other people with. In Act 2 when Judge Brack arrived
at the Tesman's, Hedda began firing her pistol at him as he walked down the back way to get to the
house. As Judge Brack dodged the bullets coming from Hedda's pistol he questioned Hedda on what
exactly she was shooting at. Hedda replied with a nonchalant, "Oh, I just stand here and shoot at the
sky" (800). General Gabler used his pistols to protect his life and most importantly Hedda's. A
General's pistols help him to maintain control and authority. And for pistols with such a powerful
meaning to be put in the hands of such a reckless woman, only meant destruction for anyone who
came within her range. As if using people for target practice isn't bad enough Hedda did not stop
with the pistols

Themes In Hedna Gabler And Hedda Gabler
Setting and tone are both very significant within a play. With setting you're able to know the time
and place of the events that are taking place, and what influences the character`s actions and
behaviour. With the information regarding the setting you can determine how the play specifically
reflects on the society that it takes place in, and what influence it has over the characters. The reader
should be able to visualize the play with the reference of the setting. In addition, tone helps set the
mood which is an crucial effort to determine the language of the character. The tone justifies the
attitude of the narrator or the character's viewpoint. The play Hedda Gabler takes place in a singular
setting, whereas The Wild Duck has ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His mother–in–law Magdalene Thoresen, was an influence for the majority of his work, Thoreson
was a leader of the feminist movement in Norway. Lady from the Sea was written while on a
vacation in Sæby, that's off the coast of Denmark accompanied by his wife, Susannah, and his
mother–in–law. The play is based off of a woman's unhappiness towards a man, which resembles
Magdalene Thoresen experience when she was younger. Elida's (the character that resembles
Magdalene) has a love affair with Finn. A similar experience that Magdalene had with an Icelander
during her young age. She had influenced him through the connections she felt with the sea, the
daily swims that Ellida would take beyond the Fjord are a direct habit of Thoresen. Clearly Ibsen
was influenced by his mother–in–law, given her experience of the Fjord waters (Glydel Collection
University). Many of Ibsen's plays contain criticism regarding marriage, which portrays a dominant
and complex female character that are generally trapped in unhappy and unsatisfied marriages due
to the Victorian era traditions (Richard Chang and Richkie Chiu). Hedda Gabler (1890) is one of his
well known plays, that contains a family's character with that role. Hedda plays the role of the
primary female character, she struggles to find her spot in her new life, and adjusting to her
dominant side, due to that she will never become

Visceral Response Hedda Gabler
As I viewed Hedda Gabler, I had two visceral responses during two very important scenes. My first
visceral response occurred when Hedda Gabler was being questioned by Commissioner Brack about
the death of Ejlert Løvborg. This scene made me feel very uncomfortable. As I watched the
commissioner push and throw Hedda around, I started thinking about domestic violence. It was a
scary thing to watch, and it must be terrifying to experience. When the commissioner spit his drink
on Hedda, I felt physically sick. Prior to this, I really did not like Hedda, but as Hedda began to
realize that she had no power to stop the commissioner, my heart softened toward her. At the end of
the play, I experienced another visceral response when Hedda committed suicide in order free
herself from the power of the commissioner. I watched this play just three weeks after a family
member committed suicide. He was in extreme physical pain, and there was nothing that doctors
could do for him. He took his own life in order to free himself from this physical pain. Watching
Hedda take her own life really made me sad for my own loss. I really wanted to leave the play, but
since I really needed to view the final moments, I sat glued to my seat, hoping something else would
happen that would make me feel better. When that did not occur, I was actually mad. This really was
a difficult play for me to watch.
Throughout the play, I noticed that I felt a connection with Berte. Berte, the maid in this story, sat in
the corner for the entire play and was not really significant to the storyline. Her job was to inform
Hedda Gabler and Jorgen Tesman who is entering the apartment. In a recent production of A Time to
Kill at my community college, I played the part of Norma Gallo, the court reporter. During the
scenes in which I was present, I sat typing on a typewriter and, like Berte, I was not very significant
to the storyline. For the duration of the production, Berte is more or less a people watcher. I, too, am
somewhat of a people watcher; when I am in a group of strangers, I think about who they might be
and make up stories about their lives. I enjoy watching from a distance, but not being a part of what
is happening. Another reason, that I

A Literary Analysis of Hedda Gabler
A Literary Analysis of Hedda Gabler Hedda Gabler is a text in which jealousy and envy drive a
woman to manipulate and attempt to control everyone in her life. The protagonist, Hedda, shows her
jealousy in her interactions with the other characters in the play, particularly with Eilert Loveborg
and Thea Elvsted. Because Hedda is unable to get what she wants out of life because of her gender
and during the time of the play, her age, she resorts to bringing everyone else down around her.
Hedda lets her jealousy get the best of her and because of this she hurts many of the people around
her as well as ultimately hurting herself. When the play was written, Hedda, being a woman, did not
have many rights and had to do what was expected of a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the next example of Hedda's jealousy, one can see how she is willing to go to extremes to hurt
people and how malicious she can be. At the end of Act III, on page 699, Hedda burns the
manuscript that Eilert and Thea worked so hard on. It was so precious to them that it could be
considered their child. As she is burning it, Hedda says, "Now, I'm burning your child Thea–You
with your curly hair. Your child and Eilert Loveborg's. Now I'm burning–burning the child." By
saying this Hedda sums up many of the reasons why she is jealous of Thea. She mentions Thea's
hair, proving that even though she dismissed it earlier in the play, she did remember being jealous of
Thea's hair and still is. She is jealous of Thea because Thea is with Eilert who is the only man that
Hedda has ever loved and wanted to be with. She is jealous that they were able to have a "child"
together because she wishes it could have been her. In this one quote, Hedda shows her true
emotions. She burns the manuscript as a way to hurt Thea and Eilert because she is jealous of them.
She is malicious and jealous and this is the only way she knows how to react. Hedda tries to say that
she burns the manuscript for George. George had that morning said that he envied Eilert's
manuscript and Hedda tells him that she burned it so that no one would overshadow George. When
Hedda says this she

Feminism In Hedda Gabler
To what extent can the work you have studied be considered a work of protest?
Henrik Ibsen uses his play "Hedda Gabler" to delve into the difficulties women faced in a Victorian
society. Written in 1890, and arguably set in 1860's Norway, the play can effectively explore the
limitations of these Victorian values, as they were as prevalent as ever in the setting. The play
follows a young and dissatisfied general's daughter, Hedda Gabler, as she and other women around
her attempt to deal with their gender's limited and pre–established lifestyle. In Victorian society,
women were their husbands' wives; they existed to help their husbands, raise their children, and
eventually, pass away. To really create an effective argument against this pre–determined ... Show
Due to the previously explained difficulty of finding meaning by leading a woman's 'pre–
determined' life–style, Hedda Gabler strays from the norm, as she tries to live through other men
(Lovburg in particular) to find amusement and quests in life. Manipulative as she is, Hedda is able to
control Lovburg. In search for drama, she convinces Lovburg that Mrs. Elvsted is dubious in his
abilities to keep from consuming alcohol, and eventually leads him to begin drinking again. She
begins to destroy his life from here onwards, as he loses his life's work, and ultimately kills himself.
Hedda considers this kind of cruel manipulation as an art than anything. When she gives him a pistol
for him to kill himself, she explains that he should "let it happen...beautifully." This not only
emphasises the lack of meaning in a woman's life in Victorian settings as Hedda must resort to
finding artfulness in murder, but also highlights the comparatively much greater prospectus for
interest, action, and adventure in a man's life than in a

Scene In Hedda Gabler
Act 5
(The scene takes place in General Gabler's mansion. Hedda is seen ascending down the
stairs wearing a long flowy white dress. Her eyes are no longer cold, in fact the look brighter
and slightly contended. She is running one of her hands through her hair, humming a soft
tune. She stares at her father's portrait for a moment, and moves towards the living room.
The room is lavishly furnished, with the curtains drawn wide. Hedda sits on the sofa and
reads, footsteps are heard coming from the hallway. Hedda turns her head expectantly)
(Eilert Lovborg enters)
(Lovborg is wearing a soiled white suite. He looks very pale and ruffled. A bloody patch is
seen around his abdomen. He has difficulty in walking and staggers into the living ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
I did not expect to see you here so soon!
Hedda: Well look at your audacity! Nothing can stop me from coming back to my home,
where I am true to myself and I finally feel like I have some purpose in life. At least I am not
going to bore myself to death HERE!
Lovborg: Nothing Hedda? (Looking towards her now flat belly) Don't you think that you
decision was a little too rash?
Hedda: It may seem rash to you. But you will never understand Eilert. The single thought of
raising that child... It brought back eerie memories of my mother. I feel as if my entire life

was a reflection of hers; especially from the moment I got married. The pregnancy just made
it too real for me to handle.
Lovborg: Your mother Hedda? You have never told me much about her...
Hedda: (calmly) Ah, what do you know about my mother eilert? In fact, what does anyone
even know about her? I have always been known as General Gabler's daughter. My mother
was just a shadowy figure that no one ever acknowledged.
She had dreams Eilert; and she was very capable of achieving them too. However, once she
got married, everything changed. Everything. As each day passed by, her spirit began to

Ibsen's Hedda Gabler Essay
Ibsen's Hedda Gabler portrays the societal roles of gender and sex through Hedda as a character
trying to break the status quo of gender relations within the Victorian era. The social conditions and
principles that Ibsen presents in Hedda Gabler are of crucial importance as they "constitute the
molding and tempering forces which dictate the behavior of all the play's characters" with each
character part of a "tightly woven social fabric" (Kildahl). Hedda is an example of perverted
femininity in a depraved society intent on sacrificing to its own self–interest and the freedom and
individual expression of its members. It portrays Nineteenth Century unequal relationship problems
between the sexes, with men being the independent factor and ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
With no focus on Hedda's mother we can imagine that the general did little to prepare his daughter
for wifehood or motherhood. Hedda inherited his pride, coldness, and an authoritative attitude
toward others of a lower rank. She lacks compassion for weak and submissive characters like Thea
and Aunt Julia but has admiration for power and freedom, qualities she finds in Brack and Lövborg.
Even after marrying Tesman, she keeps her father's portrait and guns, which signifies her desire for
masculine control as well as her personal form of mourning of the power she has lost by marrying
Tesman. This perverse behavior can be attributed greatly to the era in which Hedda lives, because
her choices are highly influenced by the male dominated society. Hedda tears down everyone
throughout the play, with Lövborg and Brack as the only exception. After being born to a high
standing family, her expectations of power are high, but due to her biologic form as a woman she is
trapped and unable to take control, "because Hedda has been imprisoned since girlhood by the bars
of Victorian propriety, her emotional life has grown turbulent and explosive" (Embler). However,
after succumbing to marriage with Tesman, whom she only marries for money and respect, she loses
her place in society as she, as a mere woman, cannot retain it. This slowly unwinds Hedda and
eventually leads her on to her fatal path. By

Hedda Gabler Analysis
Hedda is a play written by Carol Brown and adapted by Max Hunter. The play is set in a dark room
centered around five characters, depicting how they react and communicate with each other through
their individual dark fantasies. The play was produced as an adaptation of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler in a
modern day and age version. It portrays an absurd and darkly comedic perspective of playwright and
actress Carol Brown, disrupting the conventional assumptions about classic theatre while injecting
the familiar with spontaneity and vitality, "bridge" the divide between the plays of "then" and the
audiences of "now". As such, it dismantles and exploits an audience's expectations of mundane
theatre. By restructuring and reimagining scripts, utilizing mixed media, and blurring genre and
theme, the play creates an experience that is visceral, stimulating, and immediate. Each character
embodies a certain emotional and inner psychological struggle that is triggered by one another,
pertaining to themes of perverted self–love, suicide, self–destruction, deprivation, angst, desire for
freedom, desire to be loved, women in society, wealth and success, sexuality, manipulation and
borderline mental illness. Hedda, the daughter of General Gabler and married to George Tesman,
seems to be miserable, craving entertainment through unremorseful manipulation of Eilert Lövborg,
Thea Elvsted and Judge Brack. As far as costume design, each character's outfit portrays its
personality. Hedda, is dressed

Hedda Gabler Research Paper
Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler is the play by Henrik Ibsen that is based on the deceptive power of rich social class,
as it led the protagonist to not only pursue her former interest to commit suicide but she shot herself
by the end of the play, leaving many questions in viewers' minds. Thus, the central theme of the
novel is the illusion created by social class conflict by reflecting its contrasting impacts on society
and individual. In addition to this, the other themes include art of manipulation, courage and hopes,
dreams, and the beauty. The paper talks about these three themes in the novel by discussing them in
the light of the context of the play.
Hedda Gabler is the maiden name of Hedda Tesman, who is married to Mr. Tesman, an aspiring
writer ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Such as, Tesman aspires to be a professor at a university and to fulfill this dream, he neglects his
personal life. Hedda lives a life full of manipulative acts on the basis of her hopes of becoming a
rich socialite once again. She leaps every wall and hurdle in her way to success and glory. Beauty is
another theme of the play in connection with the other subjective elements such as hopes, dreams,
and inspirations found in the novel. When Hedda learns about Eilert's suicide, she assumes it to be a
suicide just as she had taught Eilert; an act of courage and beauty by shooting himself with the pistol
as, "she lures Eilert into the abyss of alcoholic and sexual excess, and instructs him on how to
conduct his suicide, commanding him to do it "beautifully"" (portillo 44). However, upon knowing
his death at the brothel, she becomes

Hedda Gabler: A Reluctant Feminist
Hedda Gabler, a Reluctant Feminist
In an introduction to Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Gosse and Archer explain that in naming the
play, Ibsen's intention was to identify Hedda as "her father's daughter" rather than as "her husband's
wife" (Ibsen 77). Ibsen's choice is peculiar because it draws attention to the fact that, whether she is
Hedda Gabler or Hedda Tesman, she lacks any real power. She will always be under the control of
man. Hedda, the spoiled daughter of General Gabler, manipulates those closest to her in order to
exert her power as a form of entertainment. Throughout the play, Hedda controls her husband
George, who bores her, his Aunt Julie, and Thea Elvsted, a former classmate who has fallen in love
with one of Hedda's past lovers. Judge Brack, a family friend, is the one person she is honest with,
but he ultimately gains control of their relationship by blackmailing her into an affair. ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hedda appears to hold some resentment for Thea that carries over from their childhood. Hedda
describes Thea as "the girl with the irritating hair, that she was always showing off" (89). While
Hedda was dependent on her father throughout her life and then driven into marriage to survive,
Thea is an independent woman, first as a governess and then as a collaborator with Loevborg on his
manuscript. When Hedda questions Thea on leaving her husband for Loevborg, asking, "what do
you think people will say of you?" (95), Thea's response, "They may say what they like, for aught I
care" shows that Thea is not able to allow the fear of gossip and scandal to dictate her life. Thea is
everything that Hedda wishes to be. Hedda's envy prompts her to extract more information from
Thea by re–writing their history as good friends when in reality, Thea says she was "dreadfully
afraid" (92) of Hedda. Hedda, pretending to be concerned, states that the two women will "renew
our new friendship"

Medea and Hedda Gabler
The materialistic wants of people often lead them to act in imprudent ways. This is especially true in
the cases of Jason and George Tesman, main characters from the plays of Medea and Hedda Gabler,
who display the folly of blindly adhering to aesthetic standards. (In this essay, an aesthetic standard
is the placement of value on worldly goods and sensationalistic feeling). Acting on such a standard
creates a tunnel vision that limits one's thoughts and prevents one from seeing anything other than
that which is directly beneficial. This tunnel vision inhibits Jason and George Tesman from
perceiving reality as it is and holds them captive to their own specious view of events. Furthermore,
it negatively affects their lives as well as those ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This suggests Tesman views Hedda to be a "trophy wife", one whom he can proudly display around
town, and that he chose to marry her for this purpose rather than for reasons of love. Moreover,
Tesman goes on to say that he has "several good friends...who would like to stand in my shoes"
(Ibsen 4). One might extrapolate from this statement that Tesman was in a competition for Hedda
and he cherished having won the race, outdoing others along the way. Both Tesman and Jason
succumb to the blinding power of aesthetic standards. They are unable to see the potentially
deleterious consequences of their actions. Jason, infatuated with his lie and desire for higher social
status, does not perceive Medea's forthcoming passionate revenge, and George, stuck to ambiguous
thoughts and material wants, cannot imagine the extent to which Hedda is controlling their marriage.
Blindfolded by their acquisitive nature, the characters fail to see that the light at the end of the
tunnel is in fact the train of their demise. The actual consequences of the characters decisions are far
worse than either can imagine. In response to Jason's deceitfulness, Medea concocts a horrific plan
to kill his newly–wedded bride, father–in–law, and two children. When all is done, only a few
survivors remain. Although Jason is among those spared, his misery is great. In grief, he reveals his
short–sightedness, caused by an insatiable thirst for power, cost him immensely: "You hateful

Essay Hedda Gabler
TITLE : People may argue that George, Eilert, and Judge Brack are responsible for Hedda's death,
but in reality it is the fault of Hedda's society.
I've chosen this statement for several reasons. Ibsen's character, Hedda Gabler, represents the
women of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Hedda stands the issues of self–worth and the
deflated value that each woman places upon her own importance as a result of male dominance.
We can see this in the play, as we read we learn more about the character of Hedda Gabler. She is
the daughter of a General who expected a life if glamour and wealth and rebels against the boredom
of a dull, narrow existence by vindictively scheming ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hedda is a powerful woman, who on the surface appeared to be confined by a dress, imprisoned in
man's house, and smothered by a male–dominated society. Hedda was a calculating "bitch" who
dared (quite shrewdly) to cross over her set in stone "boundaries", manipulate others, and stand back
and watch others lives be destroyed as a result. But when she is backed into a corner by the "new"
creative couple (George and Thea) and Judge Brack, she takes the final power into her own hand.
The irony is that the power is her late father's pistol.
In the play, we can also sense how woman felt during the times of patriarchy. Hedda is an
extraordinary and very complex character but at the same time is fairly simple to understand. Her
evil doings are somewhat erased from our minds as we justify them, we feel pity towards Hedda
because of the pitiful life she is trapped in, the distorted views on life that Hedda possesses come to
a climax toward the end and we understand a bit more about her character. However, just as we
begin to understand her actions and feel pity towards her instead of hate we sadly discover her death
at the end. How tragic is her death when it was the ultimate control of a destiny that she so strongly
desired?
The issues of greed have a stronghold in myriad literary pieces, effectively demonstrating the value
humanity places upon materialistic commodities. Money is , indeed,

Quotes From Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler: Character Analysis of Hedda Tesman Hedda Tesman is the main character in Henrik
Ibsen's play, Hedda Gabler. She is mysterious, mean, and manipulative. Most of all, she is not
content with her life. Perhaps one of the most intriguing qualities about the character Hedda Tesman
is the mystery that seems to surround her. Hedda rarely explains why she takes any of the actions
she does. Readers are able to see her actions and interpret them for themselves, but there is little
conclusiveness to her motives. The audience is left wondering what led her to do one thing or
another. Hedda admits to Judge Brack that even she does not know what causes her to behave the
way she does. She tells him, "Oh, you know–these things just come over ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Elvsted address her by her first name. Those wishing to please Hedda, such as Judge Brack, may do
so by using her maiden name, Gabler, though Brack frequently just calls her Mrs. Hedda. The fact
that the play is titled "Hedda Gabler", and not "Hedda Tesman" is another powerful indicator of
Hedda's inability to accept her role as a wife, specifically George's wife (Smith). Her role as a wife
is not the only thing Hedda finds herself unable to accept, but she also cannot accept her life as it
stands. Hedda is the daughter of the esteemed General Gabler, and is accustomed to a significantly
wealthier lifestyle than she achieves through marrying George Tesman. Therefore, she cannot have
all the luxuries she once knew. George has gone into debt just to buy her the house and furnishings,
though she did not actually want the house the way he believes (Sparks). It is possible that Hedda
also suffers from jealousy that she is not a man, and is subjected to the woman's way of life
(Schmoop). She desires freedoms that can never be hers as a woman, whose duties are to simply
compliment the life of her husband. As a woman, she feels oppressed, an idea that did not gain
substantial traction until the 19th century, making Hedda decades ahead of her time (Isherwood).
This could explain why she lives vicariously through Eilert Lovborg, a man who has gained the very
sort of

Hedda Gabler Essay
Hedda Gabler, played by Rebecca Chanelle Holoptier, marries a history scholar by the name of
George Tesman, played by Stephen Cross. Hedda and George are getting back from a six–month
honeymoon. During their six–month honeymoon, George seems to spin the majority of his time in
libraries and doing research for his book, which does not make Hedda very happy because she is not
getting the attention that she wants. Thea Elvsted, played by Maggie Lehman, an old classmate of
Hedda's comes to visit her and tell her that George's old academic rival, Eilert Lovborg who was
played by T.J. Pederson, is back in town and also Judge Brack, played by Nathan Shelton, tells them
that he has written a highly respectable book. In the past, Lovborg had been ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Which lead George and Mrs. Elvsted try to piece together the manuscript and as this is happening
Hedda decides to put her life to an end and ending the play. Throughout the play several character
change in one–way or the other. Some of these changes are more prevalent than others. One of the
big changes in the play is Eilert Lovborg. He had to make a big change to get to where he was at the
beginning of the play but then he losses everything again when he drifts back to his days in a
alcoholic haze. To me he is the antagonist to Hedda, which in turn is the protagonist. Hedda is a very
bitter woman who wants everything to go her way. She goes through several changes she eventually,
in her own way, tells George that she love him and she make the ultimate change by taking her life.
George's change comes about more, as becoming more of a man and realizing there are other people
in his life. The others may have changed but their change was not a main point of the play. One of
the actors that I really enjoyed was T.J. Pederson who played Eilert Loveborg. To me he was very
convincing in his role. He makes the change of his character very dramatic. That's what really stood
out to me was when he comes back to Hedda after the night of binging and tells Hedda that his life
is over. The other actor that I enjoyed was Rebecca Chanelle Holoptier who played the lead role,
Hedda. She made her character very real by portraying her

##a As A Hero : The Tragedy Of Hedda Gabler
Tragedy is a complicated and difficult concept to define. Many literary figures have their own
unique take on what makes a story a tragedy. However, Aristotle believed it was an individual who
falls "from high to low estate", is admirable and can be identified with by readers, and through
external circumstances and internal characteristics "goes inevitably to his or her doom" (Mannani).
While perhaps not in a manner that Aristotle imagined while defining tragedy, Hedda, the
protagonist, and in some sense the antagonist of Hedda Gabler, fits the mold of what is considered a
tragedy. Due to external circumstances, the character portrayed, Hedda, a high–class and well–
respected woman, is an admirable and relatable character who was destined to initiate the peripeteia
which lead to her inevitable doom. Hedda, on the surface, appears to be a manipulative and
unpleasant woman who caused her own demise. However, due to Hedda's upbringing, and the
society she was born into, her personality became what it was in the play and is relatable to the
reader when considering her worldview. Hedda then sealed her fate as she handed the gun to Eljert,
which lead to her now inevitable demise. Hedda Gabler is set in the late 1800's, a time when society
pressured women to fit a certain mold. The societal expectation of women during this time helped
create the character of Hedda Gabler and set her on course for tragedy. Hedda was brought up in a
wealthy and high–class environment as described

Foils In Hedda Gabler
In the play Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen uses dramatic foils to criticize societal expectations of
women in 19th century Norwegian Society. Ibsen manipulates the literary devices within the play to
portray the contrasting passions, desires and goals that vary within the female characters. In turn
showing their struggle against Victorian society and seeking intellectual or even emotional
empowerment as individuals. The stage description, introduces Hedda's as an aristocratic lady who
physically embodies "breeding and distinction". Through the nouns "breeding" and "distinction",
Ibsen conveys a sense of being moulded by Norwegian society to conform to societal norms. A
depiction that positions her as being forced into proper societal etiquette ... Show more content on
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Like Hedda, Thea has entered a loveless marriage, a marriage of convenience. Both are dissatisfied
by their husband's inability to fulfil their emotional and intellectual needs. However, Thea asserts
her individuality, renounces a distasteful marriage, and gains freedom. Unlike Hedda, she has no
fear of gossip and scandal: "I have done nothing, but what I had to do," Thea is unrepentant about
leaving her husband, disregarding social norms to seek fulfilment. In doing so she finds intellectual
fulfilment within a metaphorical "marriage" with Lovborg, creating a "child". Lovborg refers to the
book as being a physical representation of Thea's "pure soul" showing that the act of destroying the
book was similar to "child–murder" as it took away the absolute joy and fulfilment that Thea had
been seeking, which is very similar to the emotions that women tend to develop when they have
their own children. In contrast, Hedda's impending pregnancy saddens her because a child will tie
her down and therefore she seeks to strip Thea of her fulfilment by "burning" Thea and Lovborg's
child similar to her desire to "burn" Thea's hair. The usage of the verb, burn shows Hedda's
destructive and vicious nature towards Thea who has found

Examples Of Manipulation In Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler, written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, represents the power of
manipulation, desire, and societal upbringing. The main character, Hedda, is the daughter of General
Gabler and what makes her such a diverse character is that she portrays how power and greed can
demolish one's humanity. As a female character, Hedda is fascinating to me as a reader because most
plays and other works of art typically hold women as a possession to be protected or simply use
them as a tool of sexual propaganda, yet Hedda is depicted as a woman of great power and control.
She uses her power of manipulation to gain control of those around her not only to achieve her goals
as a character but transition the societal expectations of women. While Hedda ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
She is a very impulsive woman and due to her incessant state of boredom, often becomes still crazy
until she fulfills the void within her. Specifically, she states " For once, I want to feel that I control a
human destiny" (Ibsen, pg. 266). Her ability to manipulate a situation can be contributed to the fact
that Hedda was not raised like most women her age. As the daughter of a famous General, she was
raised learning how to survive, operate weapons, and manipulate situations in her favor. As the main
character, Hedda is exceedingly demanding when it comes to what she desires, power. While her
newly found husband, George Tesman, is attempting to fulfill her physical desires, he continues to
fall short due to their lack of communication and altered identities within their social construct. Due
to this lack of similar desires, Tesman takes his wife on a six–month–long honeymoon and goes out
of his way to purchase a house in which they cannot afford simply because Hedda mentioned that
she would like to live in it unbeknownst to Tesman that she was simply wanting to develop the
conversation. Hedda is easily jaded and because of this, she lashes out either violently or through
whatever contributes to her

Hedda Gabler Essay
Henrik Ibsen's play, Hedda Gabler, introduces a variety of characters that are all inevitably and
unknowingly controlled by one ruler: Hedda Gabler herself. Held in orbit by the intense gravity of
Hedda's words and divisive actions, nearly all supporting characters are negatively impacted by
being associated with the seemingly devilish woman. Her husband, George Tesman falls victim to
Hedda's allure and wrongfully devotes his time and prospective money toward pleasing her while
Judge Brack, Berta, and Miss Tesman similarly find their attempts to satisfy Hedda to be in vain and
are only met with criticism and sheer acrimony. Furthermore, Mrs. Elvsted is ruined by the death of
Eilert Løvberg, which Hedda herself provoked by enticing him with ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Hedda grew up in affluence and august stature thanks to her famous father who was a respected
military general, and this social standing attracted both fear and admiration from her peers. This
simultaneous glorification and consternation brought about by "the beautiful Hedda Gabler... [with]
so many admirers" caused everyone around her to do everything they could to please her [Ibsen
225]. Since Hedda Gabler was so diabolically intelligent, she took full advantage of these devotees
and got every possession and confession she could ever hope to obtain by utilizing her masterful
control of language. This control is evident when she swiftly and easily convinces Eilert Løvberg to
kill himself by handing him her prized pistol and requesting that he "arrange that – [the suicide] is
done beautifully" [Ibsen 288]. Through her obsession with the beautiful, her ability to evoke feelings
from people, and her intelligence, her status as a romantic character is produced despite her many
shortcomings with morality. This romanticization causes the reader to look at Hedda through rose–
colored glasses and, like many of the characters, admire her by overseeing her worst faults;
therefore, when Hedda's self–induced plight surfaces, the reader feels much more sympathetic
toward her than they should (given her callous

Characterism In The Play Hedda Gabler
A brutal mix of manipulation, affairs, fear, and death, the play Hedda Gabler is a fine example of
unhappiness in marriage and self. The author, Henrik Ibsen, creates a scenario which highlights the
faults of his main character, Hedda Tesman, showing the audience where her true priorities lie.
Throughout the play Hedda's character begins to regress, obsessively trying to gain control over
those around her by plotting characters against each other and skillfully manipulating them.
Devolving into a caged manic when she is unable to get her ways, she becomes trapped in a
marriage that brings out her worst attributes. Ibsen brings about Heddas instability slowly, using
character Judge Brack to show how an already unhappy woman can become a ticking bomb under
marital restrictions. Putting her into more and more precarious situations , until, inevitably, she
explodes. Ibsen's use of literary foils highlights Heddas weaknesses, revealing her true nature of
cowardice. Building to her ultimate demise, brought about between the collision of [her lack of]
control and fear. As in trying to gain control of others, you'll lose control of yourself. Hedda Tesman
has many visitors over the couple of days that we see of her life, but a frequent visitor that leaves a
lasting impression is Judge Brack; an older man that is held with high respects by all. He has power
in the community and is able to pass through people's lives without much talk, judging those who he
saw fit to judge. His

The Role Of Women In Hedda Gabler
English Lit Written Assignment
Through the characterization of Hedda, Ibsen explores the oppression of woman in the Victorian
Era.
Introduction:
In Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen portrays the hopeless struggle of woman in the Victorian era through
the protagonist, Hedda. From 1837 to 1901 in England, women experienced unrestrained
oppression, were expected to follow the orders of their husbands, and were believed to be unwise. In
the play, the newly wed Hedda has just arrived to her new husband, Tesmun's home town, and her
whole world seems to be shrinking inch by inch, expressed mainly through elements of stagecraft.
The play is mostly focused around the main character, Hedda, a tragic heroine. Her need to
manipulate others grows ever stronger as her boredom and despair increase, due to the new middle
class atmosphere she is forced into. At last, she frees herself from all of the social restrictions
society has imposed on her, by completing the act of suicide. Through the characterization of Hedda,
Ibsen explores the oppression of woman in the Victorian Era.
In the first Act, Ibsen portrays the oppression ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even after her success of scandals, Hedda realizes that Judge Brack is still the one, who holds the
upper hand in all affairs, and to express her "freedom" or at least want for freedom, she states "I am
exceedingly glad to think–that you have no sort of hold over me" (p. 55). Her words foreshadow the
ending of the play as it prepares the audience for unexpected and uncontrolled actions taken by
Hedda. Furthermore, the ultimate outcome of her actions is Tesmun and Thea working together to
re–create the manuscript, which Hedda was unprepared for. Tesmun and Thea take over her last
place of comfort, as she removes her belongings from the drawing room and the writing

Hedda Gabler Insecurity
One might be tempted to believe that Hedda Gabler was born into the world with a purpose and with
freedom that only God could grant. Even if she were, the cruel hands of men took her gifts for
themselves on the day of her birth, leaving her with little to nothing to live for. Within this play,
Hedda's insecurity and uncaring demeanor reveal the tragic truth that Hedda, a beautiful young
woman, was born with only one inalienable right: to live for nothing. Upon close inspection, one
can see that Hedda's irrational actions are caused largely by her own insecurity. Albeit, if one was
not careful, they might throw insecurity out the window and simply call Hedda Gabler the
embodiment of Satan himself. After all, what kind of person would go ... Show more content on
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Most of the time, yes, they do. In this play, Hedda attempts to convince others that she is
emotionless. She makes it seem as though Lovborg's death will not have any but a positive effect on
her. However, we can see quickly that she cared greatly about the circumstances of his death. Her
true emotions are revealed when Judge Brack tells her, "This whole Eilert Lovborg business didn't
come off exactly the way I described it" (Ibsen 1535). Hedda immediately becomes worried after
hearing this. Is Eilert Lovborg even dead? Instead of courageously killing himself, was he brutally
murdered? Hedda doesn't know, and the value she places on Lovborg's death is immense. In fact, to
her, it's worth her life. Hedda's "uncaring" demeanor is important because it gives us a glimpse of
her true character. It shows us that she's been hiding behind a disguise throughout the entire play. It's
hiding the fact that she's hurting deeply on the inside because others like Thea and Lovborg have
found happiness while she has not. Also, it tells us that she is just another human being who wants
nothing more than to be fulfilled. Sadly, fate has determined that she will live without this feeling of

Hedda Gabler Role In Society
In the play Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen has clearly shown the audience how the end of the 19th
century has influenced his own portrayal of his characters and their role in society. It is important to
take into consideration the expectations placed upon women at that time and to understand the
limited roles they had to play in society. However in Ibsen's play, he has decided to show an ideal
society by giving a greater amount of freedom to women by showing them to be more independent.
These ideologies have been shown through the character of Hedda Gabler and the play is a reaction
to how society would react to a woman with such 'liberties'. Through the setting of the play, the
feeling of entrapment of Hedda Gabler is going to be explored: a feeling ... Show more content on
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When Mrs. Elvsted leaves a bouquet of flowers on the piano, it's a symbol of gratitude. I believe that
the flowers depict relationships that Hedda has with people. However by the end of act 2 most of the
flowers have been removed showing that her relationships with other characters have become
limited. This is further brought across through to the audience because they are placed in glasses and
vases which are very fragile objects; ones that can easily be broken just like Hedda's relationships
with other people. This could be one of the reasons why she decides to take her own life with the
pistol. Her relations with other people gradually dissipate and she believes that no one understands
her as she has different perspectives. The feeling of frustration and anger could have been the root
emotions that took her

Criticism Of Hedda Gabler
5.1) Brief Summary:
Before this chapter, this research comprises of four chapters. The first chapter, consist of the
introduction of the problem and a brief background of the research. At the end of the first chapter,
brief biographies of both the figures are given. The body of works has done on the same problem by
other writers is compiled in the second chapter. There is also a detailed account of the criticism done
on Hedda Gabler as well. In the third chapter, methodology and data collection are discussed. The
fourth chapter contains the collected and analyzed data to get all the research questions, answered.
Now, here the entire research is going to be concluded.
5.2) Conclusion:
The present research has been contrived to explore Psychoanalysis ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
She has no significant role in the play but the relation of other characters with Bertha reveals their
psychological insights of mind.
The third character is Miss Tesman(Aunt Juju), who has devoted herself to Tesman. She tries a lot to
get along with Hedda, but the difference in their class backgrounds is painfully apparent. These two
sisters are also shown with an isolated background, who cannot enjoy any kind of love ; whether
fatherly, motherly, brotherly or by husband.
The fourth is Mrs. Elvsted , who is showing modern psychological traits in her attitude. She has
abandoned her husband and her whole life aside in order to fulfill her passion. She blatantly
verbalizes her emotion and desires. Like Hedda, her slips of tongue prove her to be a victim of
bipolar disease and personality disorder.
The fifth one is Loevborg, vigorous character, but shows the symptoms of psychological disorder.
He has shown optimistic, enthusiastic, brilliant, man of present in the start of the play but his
suicidal attempt proves him to be a man of fear. His weakness is easily spoiled by Hedda with her
manipulative tactics, which shows him incapable of keeping his

Character Analysis Of Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler is a play in which the author, Henrik Ibsen, demonstrates the heavy shackles of
society and the burden it impinges on women through the words and actions of the protagonist,
Hedda Tesman. Hedda is a woman living for her own pleasure. At twenty–nine–years–old and
having been recently married, she is under enthused with her surroundings and yearns for titillating
experiences. Obsessed with the aesthetics of the world, she wants to lead a poetic life filled with lust
and luxury, yet is too frightened by what her Victorian values deem proper, to do so. Ibsen
constructed a brilliant character that simultaneously arouses both sympathy and scorn from the
reader through Hedda's own words and actions. Hedda arouses sympathy from the readers through
her own personal conflicts. She is a woman trapped by herself in a loveless marriage to an
"ingenuous creature" (52 Ibsen) named George Tesman. Tesman is a simple soul with very little to
offer. Not only is he an entire social class below Hedda, but he is oblivious, insecure due to his own
banalities, and overly reliant on his Aunts', despite being thirty–three–years–old. Hedda married
George due to a "bond of sympathy. . ." (31 Ibsen) formed between them and she "took pity. . ." (31
Ibsen) on George. This brings a sense of sincerity to Hedda that was not turned to such a high
magnitude preceding this discussion between Judge Brack and herself. Hedda is a lonely, yet
independent, soul that wants sexual freedom without

Hedda Gabler Naturalism Essay
Hedda Gabler and John are two plays whose characters are not the average hero. Hedda, the main
character in Hedda Gabler, comes off as a detestable woman, and in John, Jenny and Elias are
equally dysfunctional in their own ways. These characters are rich and multifaceted, a common trait
in the naturalism movement. Naturalism is a movement in theater that is essentially realism; it's goal
is to depict events and scenes as they would happen in the real world with characters who behave
like real people. It began in the late 19th century, but has prevailed through history (Styan).
Naturalism shapes the way people watch theater today, and these two plays are excellent examples
of this movement. By utilizing dialogue, stage directions, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Additionally, John embodies naturalism in it's own way, by including seemingly unimportant
information in dialogue. This is another display of naturalism, because in real life people do include
information that is irrelevant to the larger story. The characters, mostly Mertis, seem to ramble on
about things that don't always connect directly to the matter at hand. But Mertis does this in a way
that is familiar; like most real old people, she tends to get lost on a tangent. This extraneous dialogue
furthers the realistic feel of the play, but also shines light on the deeper psychology of the characters
in an almost sneaky way. For example, when Mertis talks about the hospital she worked in, and how
she ran into the doctor and got the chance to tell him she was doing well for herself now, we see
Mertis rambling on just like any older person talking about the past. But this dialogue also reveals
Mertis' insecurities and need for validation. She wanted the doctor to know she was doing "quite
well" (Baker). Dialogue like this is important because it reveals the intricacies of the characters and
their complex nature.
Stage directions play a huge part in both of these plays as well, specifically in how the stage
directions affect dialogue. Naturalism was actually controversial when it was introduced due to long
pauses and lulls in dialogue, which at the time were perceived as boring. Stage directions that call
for long pauses are very common in Hedda Gabler and

Women Oppression in Hedda Gabler
Women Oppression in Hedda Gabler In Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, the oppression of women in
the Victorian era is shown through Hedda's resistance of those societal norms that limit her to a
domestic life. It is fitting that the title of the play is Hedda's maiden name, Hedda Gabler, for the
play largely draws upon the idea that Hedda views herself as her father's daughter rather then her
husband's wife. Throughout the play Hedda struggles to satisfy her ambitious and independent
nature within the narrow role society allows her. Unable to be creative in the way she desires,
Hedda's passions become destructive both to others and to herself. Although she strives for
independence with her masculine traits, Hedda also internalizes the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
A new responsibility, Mrs. Hedda?" (2, 262–264) She does not want to hear anything of the sort and
again avoids the conversation of the possibility of pregnancy. She angrily responds to Brack, "Be
quiet! Nothing of that sort will ever happen... I have no turn for anything of the sort, Judge Brack.
No responsibilities for me!" (2, 265) Hedda does not want another responsibility, and if in fact she is
pregnant she is at all cost avoiding dealing with the thought for now. Throughout the play Hedda is
competing with Thea for control over Lovborg. Her destructive envy compels her to push Lovborg,
a reformed alcoholic, to drink. This, as can be anticipated, is the beginning of his downfall. When
Lovborg refuses Hedda's offer of a drink and Thea supports his sobriety, Hedda laughs, "Then I,
poor creature, have no sort of power over you?" (2, 596) Hedda wants this control because she
resents the way Mrs. Elvsted was able to leave her husband she was unhappy with and more
importantly how she was able to ignore the way society views her after doing so. She tells Mrs.
Elvsted after manipulating Lovborg to drink, "I want for once in my life to have power to mould a
human destiny... I have not, and have never had it (2, 711–712)." Hedda's conversation with Thea
introduces the vine–leaves, a major symbol which expresses her desire for freedom. Hedda has
idealized Lovborg's drinking into a rejection of society's restrictions. His drinking seems to her an
act of courage, which she

Hedda Gabler Symbols
Objects in Hedda Gabler Henrik Ibsen "showed Europe that theater could be more than just
spectacle, that it could be an art form addressing the most serious moral and social questions of the
time" (Norton 778). In some of his works Ibsen attempted to write modern versions of Greek
tragedy. Of these, his play Hedda Gabler, displaying "the tragedy of modern middle–class life," is
the "most compelling and famous" (Norton 780). In Hedda Gabler, Ibsen uses the household and its
objects, Mrs. Elvested's hair and manuscript written with Eilert Løvorg, and the opening and closing
of curtains as symbolism in the play. Hedda Tesman's marriage to George Tesman, a member of the
lower middle–class, has dragged her down from her position in upper middle–class society to a
member of a lower class. Their households and its objects are a never–ending source of scorn for
Hedda throughout the play; "Hedda despises those objects associated with Tesman and his class, and
she admires the remnants of her former life" (Norton 780). At the beginning of the play she
examines her old piano and compares it to the other objects in the room: "I was just looking at my
old piano. It really doesn't go with these other things" (Ibsen 789). However, when Tesman suggests
they trade it in for a better matching one, she refuses to let it go and its connection to her former
class. Even her house itself mocks Hedda and her marriage: "But it so happens that George Tesman
and I found our common ground in

Hedda Gabler
The play Hedda Gabler, written by Henrik Ibsen, discusses the journey of the protagonist Hedda
Tesman, formerly known as Hedda Gabler, in her descent to suicide. The story leads her to feel
entrapped by a misery that surrounds her life and leads her to feel that death is her only escape.
While a traditional reading of the play is that Hedda is a victim of society, a modern interpretation is
that Hedda is much more a victim of herself: her dislike of motherhood, her self–insecurities and her
flirtatious behaviour, with the constrictive time period and setting only accentuating these faults.
Overall Ibsen aims to show the audience the difficulties that face those in society who fail to fit into
social roles and expectations, discussing whether ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Whilst women of this era were expected to raise children, Hedda demonstrates an inability to sustain
such maternal feelings, causing her to view herself as separated from society. This is illustrated in
Ibsen's use of diction in the title, naming the play 'Hedda Gabler' rather than 'Hedda Tesman' to
suggest that Hedda is unable to conform to such traditional customs as taking her husband's name.
This is perpetuated through Tesman's constant hints at pregnancy. In this, it is shown how Tesman
believes Hedda to be pregnant, saying how Hedda has "filled out on the journey". Ibsen's use of
metaphor in Tesman's comment emphasises how, at even the suggestion of pregnancy, Hedda
becomes derisive, as she replies "Oh, do be quiet – !" Likewise, Ibsen uses the foil of Miss Tesman
to emphasise Hedda's isolation. Miss Tesman is seen to be excited at the suggestion of Hedda's
perceived pregnancy, highlighting the unusual nature of Hedda's displeasure. Her dislike of the
prospect of motherhood causes Hedda to experience a sense of isolation and exclusion from those
around her. This societal isolation is presented to the audience through Ibsen's use of physical
description. Mrs. Elvsted's hair, being described as "unusually abundant" becomes symbolic of one's
ability to fit into society. She is characterised as "beautiful", "stupid" and an ideal women of the
period. In comparison, Hedda's hair, described as "not particularly abundant", illustrates her inability
to conform. Yet it can be seen that Hedda hopes to conform to society and thus suggesting that her
anguish is as a result of her separation from society, a situation that can be attributed to her character
faults, rather than the constraints of society itself. This is demonstrated through Ibsen's use of
backstory which illustrates Hedda's life–long obsession with Mrs. Elvsted's

Hedda Gabler : The Quest For Equality
Hedda Gabler: The Quest for Equality
Hedda Gabler was written by Henrik Ibsen, a Norwegian playwright who focused heavily on
individual freedom, along with cultural impact, and more specifically the middle class. The play was
originally published in 1890 and premiered in Germany a year later. Hedda Gabler provides its
audience with a stimulating theme that is frequently debated, along with dramatic dialogue and
distinct realism. Ibsen's descriptive use of stage directions presents an accurate portrayal of middle
class life in the late 1800s. Hedda, the protagonist of the play, embodies the quest of the new woman
and the overwhelming desire to be independent of man's authority, and Ibsen uses her character,
along with a mixture of dialogue and ceremonial items, to symbolize the unequal liberty between
genders. The story centers on Hedda's dissatisfaction as a newlywed, prey to the societal principles
of a patriarchy. Her tragic actions allow the audience to recognize the psychosomatic results of the
distress placed upon her by means of the societal expectations placed upon women during her time.
Hedda Gabler opens the door to a brilliant controversy and gives way to a new idea of independence
in gender, causing one to question what the dominant gender is. Ibsen brilliantly ties all of these
elements together and presents a unique theme that portrays displeasure and a hunger for power over
the opposing gender. Hedda Gabler can be argued as not merely a work of art and

Social Control In Hedda Gabler
Henrik Isben's "Hedda Gabler" is a problem play that deals with several social conflicts that a
newlywed woman experiences when we arrives back to her home town from her honeymoon. As the
daughter of General Gabler, Hedda Gabler has been born into and grown accustom to being at the
top of her town's social hierarchy. Because of Hedda's social status and undeniable beauty she has
the ability to control and manipulate those around her – but to a certain extent. The time the play
was set in, women did not have a lot of freedom to do anything outside of getting married, having
children and attending to the house. Hedda did not fit this mould that was created for women of that
time. She was not very maternal individual and reactive negatively ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Hedda desperately needs to believe that the expectations of her society do not control ever person
who dwells within it. Eilert Løvborg serves as living proof to Hedda that a person can live their live
the way they choose to without conforming to the norms of society and she is attracted to as well as
secretly envies him for that eminence. Hedda sits at the top of the social ladder she has a long way
down if she slips up and falls below what is socially accepted and expected from her. And for that
reason she is deathly afraid of a scandal. Eilert Løvborg on the other hand, "had the courage to live
life after his own mind" (Ibsen 298). He led a life that was considered less than respectable in the
eyes of his community, consisting of alcohol abuse and scandalous visits to the towns women's
boudoirs. Eilert Løvborg had little self control over his actions once he started drinking and would
go on binges for days at a time. To Hedda, Eilert Løvborg was daring brave because he was able to
do the very thing that she was very afraid of which was to live life carefree from the judgments of
her society. She also enjoyed the power and control she possessed over him. When Eilert Løvborg
tells her the truth about his manuscript he confesses that Thea Elvsted has inspired him to lead
nobler lifestyle: "I've lost all desire for that [old] kind of lifestyle. I don't want to start it again, not
now. It's the courage and daring life–that's what she's broken in me"

Hedda Gabler Research Paper
Freedom, over oneself or from others, is an important theme in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. Even in her
greatest act of rebellion, suicide, Hedda Gabler is unable to find freedom. Her name means "strife,"
"struggle," and "refuge from battle." Combined with her last name, "Gabler," Hedda's name is
translated to mean "the strife of an individual." From the beginning, she is doomed to a life of
isolation and confinement . Although others are originally the cause of Hedda's imprisonment,
eventually this entrapment evolves into personal incarceration because others have shaped her entire
life around public image. Thus, her only view of the world is one in which social perception is
priority. Because of her upbringing, Hedda sees the world through lenses of social duty and image,
and therefore associates the two with confinement. In struggling to break free of her captivity, she
sees her only out as power over others – people own people, and if one is owned the only way to
free oneself is to own ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Since discovering that Brack supposedly has the freedom, or power, that she cannot seem to have,
Hedda falls into a downward spiral, coming to the conclusion that she will never claw her way out
of the "confinement" in which she finds herself (need proof or is this already established?). Hedda
finally realizes once and for all that she will never be free as long as Brack has power over her and
can tell others that it was with Hedda's pistol that Løvborg shot himself. With this crippling
knowledge, Hedda realizes that freedom is not possible for her – and Ibsen reveals to the reader that
it is actually her entire definition of freedom that is flawed. Hedda dies in the same way as she lived,
in circumstances similar to her childhood: her death is triggered by suffocation wrought by others.
In much the same way that he controlled her early life, in an act of cruel irony even General Gabler
continues to be the catalyst for her death: it is his pistols with which she shoots herself

Hedda Gabler Essay
Henrik Ibsen's play Hedda Gabler focuses on the life of a strong willed woman named Hedda
Tesman. Act one of Hedda Gabler introduced Hedda's newlywed husband George Tesman. Hedda
Gabler married George after her father, General Gabler passed away and became Hedda Tesman. It
could be possible that Hedda only married George Tesman because she needed security in her life
while adjusting to the loss of her father. On the other hand, Hedda was unsure that a secure and
stable life was what she truly desired. Hedda Gabler's upbringing, the death of her father, and the
unhappiness and unsatisfactory life all played a role in the lack of passion she had to genuinely
connect with other be people. During Hedda's adolescent years her life became particularly ... Show
The photo of General Gabler dominates the set of the play like he dominated Hedda's life. The
relationship Hedda had with her father became the reason Hedda thought herself to be high class and
everyone else existed below her. Even though General Gabler raised Hedda to be polished and well
mannered, he also taught Hedda to be strong and authoritative in order to survive the strict rules of
an aristocratic Norwegian society. Hedda learned her father's arrogant military attitude and
manipulated people she found weak, like Mrs. Elvsted for instance. Hedda specifically lured Mrs.
Elvsted to visit longer by telling her, "come here, let's sit down together" (792). Hedda faked being
kind making it seem that Mrs. Elvsted could trust her by saying she wanted to "have a real heart–to–
heart talk" (792). Even though Hedda manipulated people for the fun of it, she did however admire
those who had power and entitlement like Judge Brack. Hedda's interest in Judge Brack stemmed
from his dark complexion, thick facial hair, and elegant clothing that mimicked the "aristocratic
profile" of her father. Hedda Gabler became lonely, bored and distressed after becoming Hedda
Tesman. She found herself torn with the decision to leave the high–class aristocratic lifestyle behind
for her new found desire to escape the unfamiliar middle–class life that she settled with the day
Hedda married

The Character of Hedda Gabler in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler Essay
The Character of Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler is perhaps one of the most interesting characters in Ibsen. She has been the object of
psychological analysis since her creation. She is an interesting case indeed, for to "explain" Hedda
one must rely on the hints Ibsen gives us from her past and the lines of dialogue that reveal the type
of person she is. The reader never views Hedda directly. We never get a soliloquy in which she bares
her heart and motives to the audience. Hedda is as indifferent to our analysis as she is to Tesman's
excitement over his slippers when she says "I really don't care about it" (Ibsen 8). But a good
psychologist knows that even this indifference is telling. Underneath the ennui and indifference ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hedda is the product of aristocratic birth. She is, as I mentioned earlier, the daughter of General
Gabler, whose portrait hangs over this play not unlike the portrait of the absent father in Williams'
The Glass Menagerie. And in case we have missed the significance of the portrait in the stage
directions or have overlooked it as an audience member, Miss Tesman rivets our attention to it and
the reality of Hedda's aristocratic life: "Well, you cant's wonder at that––General Gabler's daughter!
Think of the sort of life she was accustomed to in her father's time. Don't you remember how we
used to see her riding down the road along with the General? In that long black habit––with feathers
in her hat?" (Ibsen 2). Her aristocratic birth and her past is contrasted by her choice of a husband
who has neither noble blood nor bourgeois money. We are told that this motherless child of an
aristocratic general often gave in to fits of cruelty as a child: "At the finishing school the presence of
a girl with a head of abundant, wavy flaxen hair irritated her and provoked her to outbursts of
cruelty which had their source in equal measure, perhaps, in envy and in a deep–seated
temperamental antipathy; for dearth of abundance, physically and temperamentally, is a
characteristic of Hedda's nature" (Weigland 246–247).

Hedda Gabler's Character Flaws Lead to Tragedy

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Hedda Gabler's Character Flaws Lead to Tragedy