Hedda Gabler

Hedda Gabler is a classic play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Written in 1890 and first performed in 1891, Hedda Gabler is often considered a classic work of psychological realism. The play tells the story of Hedda Tesman, a discontented but clever bourgeois woman in her 30s who has recently returned from a honeymoon with her husband Jørgen Tesman. Hedda’s moods and behaviors often create tension in her loveless marriage, and her attempts to manipulate her daily life and relationships often drive the plot forward.

The opening of the play finds Hedda and Jørgen Tesman in their new house shortly after their honeymoon. Although Jørgen is content and excited to be married, Hedda is bored and irritable. She continually demeans Jørgen in her conversations with her former nanny and confidante, ‘Aunt Juliane.’ She also attempts to canoodle with her old friend, Ejlert Lövborg, who is a struggling writer. In addition, she insists on flaunting her pistol before the family’s friend, Thea Elvsted, and enacts a series of petty cruelties against her, such as not allowing her to smoke.

Hedda’s discontent begins to increase as the play progresses. When Jørgen fails to secure the position of a professor of rhetoric at the University of Kristiansand, she is further mortified. Out of spite, Hedda even tries to dissuade Jørgen from accepting substitute postings, such as the librarianship at the university. In her search for something to entertain and titillate herself with, Hedda engages in a brash display of power. She first tries to ignite Ejlert’s creativity and individuality by secretly returning his manuscript, prompting him to complete it and reclaim his literary status. She then brings Thea to her home and forces her to wear something inappropriate while playing the role of a pupil. All of this is to the increasing consternation of Jørgen, who is uncomfortable at Hedda’s ambiguous behavior.

The climax of the play revolves around Hedda’s manipulation of Ejlert’s manuscript and her attempt to force him and Thea to abscond together. After a heated confrontation between Hedda and Ejlert, Hedda takes the latter’s gun and attempts to shoot herself. However, she fails, and she is instead arrested for the death of Ejlert who, in reality has committed suicide.

At the trial, the judge finds Hedda unfortunately guilty and sentences her to death. Contrarily, Hedda’s last words bequeath her soul to Jørgen, who she shares a brief moment of recognition with before departing.

Hedda Gabler is an example of deep psychological realism, as the themes and characters in Henrik Ibsen’s play are very real and unsettling. Throughout the play, Ibsen includes numerous themes such as desire, nihilism, power, relationships, marriage, morality, and female identity. Ibsen expertly presents the complexity of human behavior and the power of our decisions into the world of Hedda Gabler. The play serves as a crucial contribution to the birth of modernism in literature and continues to be appreciated as a timeless classic.