I Got Carried Away....

Hedda Gabler is truly a tragedy. Sure, it has moments of wit and sarcasm, but misfortune greatly outweighs farce. Though even during such moments of wit, Ibsen reveals tidbits of information about different characters (e.g. Miss Tesman’s questioning of Hedda’s fertility, Hedda’s whispers of indignation towards her marriage, etc.). These tidbits make the dialogue fast-paced, which is a wonderful asset for reading. However, the characters themselves and their interactions with each other create the distinct, alluring, yet tragic atmosphere of Hedda Gabler.

From the very beginning, interactions between Hedda and other characters serve as windows into the characters’ psyche. For instance, Hedda’s moments with Thea expose Thea’s naivety and Hedda’s cold mastery of ethos and pathos (deceitful persuasion); in addition, Hedda’s meeting with Lovberg reveals a younger, riskier side of Hedda and a passionate and romantic longing from Lovberg. Indeed, interactions and dialogue unveil certain nuances of each character. For instance, Mr. Tesman is an insufferable, garrulous chatterbox, but he is also devoted, easy-going, and genuinely humble. How do such traits appear? His interactions with Hedda? Brack? I find Mrs. Tesman’s boasting of his nephew’s scholarly attempts (collecting notes and sorting through others’ papers) illuminating, because even Jorgen knows that what he is doing is purely simple work. His admiration for Lovberg’s newest manuscript on the future only heightens such thought, contrasting the men’s intellect and drive; however, this allows Jorgen to foster his skills (more so his confidence), especially when he takes up on completing his colleague’s work.

As the plot progresses, Hedda becomes more and more the center of the interactions. Ibsen allows his audience to peek into Hedda’s restrained soul, fostering a strange relationship between her and the audience. We can see her as a hero, a villain, and a victim. Indeed, her daring qualities are ones of the individual—dangerous qualities for her, a woman repressed and bored in her setting. Her roguish qualities are venomous, especially moments where she exhibits silent wrath to herself and everyone around her, distant envy towards Thea, and gluttonous boredom towards society. However, interestingly her deceitful and bold traits make her into a victim of her time. In addition, Ibsen’s setting for the play—the drawing room—becomes a symbol for Hedda, because she is trapped there, limited in entertainment and friends, which makes only her interactions even more tense as the play develops. I find Hedda likable, charming, prideful, regal, malicious, dishonest, and simply human. She is trapped, bound by society’s chains; and in the end, death becomes her release. Therein, for me, lays the tragedy of Hedda Gabler.