Essay About Character Of Hedda And Play Hedda Gabler

The Character of Hedda
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Eng. 272
April 19, 2005
Mr. Turner
The Character of Hedda
Henrik Ibsens play Hedda Gabler portrays the life of a young newlywed woman named
Hedda and her attemps to overpower the people around her. Ibsen succsessfully depicts the
very masculine traits that Hedda displays throughout the play with not wanting to conform to
the feminine ways or the accepted stereotypes of her gender in her society. Heddas marriage
to her husband, Mr. Tesman, only increases her desire for power because it is a constant re-
minder that she now “belongs” to Mr. Tesman which Hedda resents. Hedda considers her life
to be boring and finds solace in playing with her fathers pistols, which is considered not a thing
for a young lady to do and a very inappropriate form of entertainment for a woman. Hedda is a
person that displays characteristics of masculinity and jealousy, and is shown to be very
unconcerned about the fellings of others she may incounter.
The play begins with Miss. Tesman, Mr. Tesmans Aunt, greeting her nephew after his
six month wedding-tour. They speak briefly about his journey, and Miss. Tesman comments
several times about his new beautiful wife and how lucky he is to have been the one that was
choosen out of all her other suitors to carry off the lovely Hedda Gabler. Soon after Hedda
enters the room, she has already insulted Tesmans Aunt by implying that her bonnet is the
servants: Hedda-“Look there! She has left her old bonnet lying on the chair” Tesman-“But
Hedda, thats aunt Julias bonnet” Miss Tesman-“Yes, indeed its mine. And, whats more its
not old, Madam Hedda” (Act I). Hedda again shows her disconcern when her husband tries
to show her the slippers that his aunt has made for him as a gift: Hedda- “Thanks, I really
dont care about it” Tesman- “Only think-as ill as she was, Aunt Rina embroidered these for me.
Oh you cant think of how many associations cling to them” Hedda – “Scarcely for me”(Act I).
Hedda pretends to befriend Mrs. Thea Elvsted ( a schoolmate from her youth) in order to
solicit her confidence about her situation with an old friend of Mr.Tesman and an old flame of
hers, Eilert Lovborg, who was a drunk back in the day, but has cleaned up his act and has
recently written a book and moved back into town. Mrs. Elvsted has asked Mr. Tesman to
kind of keep an eye on Lovborg now that he has moved back, since they were such great
friends in the old days and are interested in the same studies. Mr. Tesman assures her
that he will do all he can. Hedda, on the other hand, has a feeling Mrs. Elvsted is covering
something up and insist that Tesman go write him and invite him over. Now that she is alone
with Mrs. Elvsted she convinces her to confide in her the truth about her and Lovborg: Hedda-
“Why, werent we schoolfellows?” Thea- “Yes, but you were in a class above me. Oh, how
dreadfully afraid of you I was then!” Hedda- “Afraid of me?”(Act I). Once Hedda finds out about
the true feelings involved,