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HEDDA GABLER LONG ESSAY Henrik Ibsen portrays a microcosm of nineteenth century Norwegian society in his play Hedda Gabler. Hedda, the protagonist, exhibits a mixture of masculine and feminine traits due to her unique upbringing under General Gabler and the social mores imposed upon her. However, although this society venerates General Gabler because of his military status, his daughter Hedda is not tolerated due to her non-conformity to the accepted gender stereotypes. Hedda's gender-inverted marriage to Jorgen Tesman, her desire for power and her use of General Gabler's pistols are unacceptable in her society and motif of One doesnt do such a thing! that is alluded to during the play and expounded upon Hedda's death that shows that Hedda's uncertain stance between masculine and feminine gender roles and their associated traits is not tolerated by her society. Ibsen employs a reversal of traditional gender roles within Hedda and Jorgen Tesman's marriage to emphasises Hedda's masculine traits.
Hedda displays no emotion or affection towards her husband Jorgen. This appearance of indifference is a trait that is usually common to men: Tesman My old morning shoes. My slippers look! I missed them dreadfully.
Now you should see them, Hedda. Hedda No thanks, it really doesnt interest me. In another gender role reversal, Hedda displays a financial awareness, which her husband, Jorgen does not posses. Although Brack corresponds with Tesman about his honeymoon travels, he corresponds with Hedda concerning the financial matters. This is a role that is usually reserved for men.
Hedda does not only display traits, which are definitively masculine, or feminine, she also objects to and often defies the conventions established for her gender by society. She rejects references to her pregnancy as a reminder of her gender: Tesman Have you noticed how plump (Hedda's) grown, and how well she is? How much shes filled out on our travels? Hedda Oh be quiet!
Hedda is reminded not only of her feminine role of mother and nurturer here, but also as wife and appendage to Tesman: And to think is was you who carried off Hedda Gabler! The lovely Hedda Gabler! now that you have got the wife your heart was set on. As a woman of the haute bourgeoisie, Hedda is sought after and always had so many admirers and has been acquired by Tesman as hide wife. Hedda resents the gender conventions that dictate that she now belongs to the Tesman family a situation that would not occur were she a man: Tesman Only it seems to me now that you belong to the family Hedda- Well, I really dont know Although these traits displayed by Hedda are masculine, they are not those, which her society cannot tolerate. To entertain herself in her boring marriage she plays with her fathers, General Gabler's, pistols: Hedda Sometimes I think I only have a talent for one thing boring myself to death!
I still have one thing to kill time with. My pistols, Jorgen. General Gabler's pistols Jorgen For goodness sake! Hedda darling! Dont touch those dangerous things! For my sake, Hedda! .
These pistols are a symbol of masculinity and are associated with war, a pastime which women are excluded from other than in the nurturing role of nurses and are thus not tolerated by society. Tesman implores Hedda to cease playing with them, but even his superior position as her husband does not dissuade Hedda, who is found to be playing with them by Brack at the beginning of act two. Brack also reminds Hedda of the inappropriate nature of her entertainment and physically takes the pistols away from Hedda. Hedda Im going to shoot you sir! Brack No, no, no! Now stop this nonsense! [taking the pistol gently out of her hand].
If you dont mind, my dear lady. Because were not going to play that game any more today. As a parallel to Hedda's masculine game of playing with General Gabler's pistols, Hedda plays the traditionally female role of a minx with Brack. Hedda Doesnt it feel like a whole eternity since we last talked to each other? Brack Not like this, between ourselves? Alone together, you mean?
Hedda Yes, more or less that Brack Here was I, every blessed day, wishing to goodness you were home again Hedda And there was I, the whole time, wishing exactly the same At the beginning of act two, Hedda encourages Bracks flirtation with her by telling him the true nature of her marriage to Tesman that it is a marriage of convenience: Brack But, tell me I dont quite see why, in that case er Hedda Why Jorgen and I ever made a match of it, you mean? Hedda I had simply danced myself out, my dear sir. My time was up. Brack is emboldened by Hedda's seeming availability and pursues the notion of a triangular relationship with Hedda. Not only does Hedda's coquettish behaviour towards Brack exhibits the feminine side of her nature, it also demonstrates that in some instances she conforms to society's expectations of females.
Hedda's reference to (her) time (being) up shows the socially accepted view that women must marry, because they are not venerated as spinsters. By conforming to this aspect of her society's mores and marrying before she becomes a socially unacceptable spinster, Hedda demonstrates that she is undeniably female and accepts this. Hedda's constantly seeks power over those people she comes in contact with. As a woman, she has no control over society at large, and thus seeks to influence the characters she comes into contact with in an emulation of her fathers socially venerated role as a general. Hedda pretends to have been friends with Thea in order to solicit her confidence: Thea But thats the last thing in the world I wanted to talk about! Hedda Not to me, dear?
After all, we were at school together. Thea Yes, but you were a class above me. How dreadfully frightened of you I was in those days! Once Hedda learns of Thea's misgivings about Lovborg's newfound resolve, she uses it to destroy their comradeship. Hedda Now you see for yourself! Theres not the slightest need for you to go about in this deadly anxiety Lovborg So it was deadly anxiety on my behalf.
Thea [softly and in misery] Oh, Hedda! How could you! Lovborg So this was my comrades absolute faith in me. Hedda then manipulates Lovborg, by challenging his masculinity, into going to Bracks bachelor party and resuming his drunken ways of old. Hedda's reward for this is to find that Lovborg's manuscript, his and Thea's child falls into her hands, where she burns it, thus destroying the child and alto the relationship, both of which Hedda was jealous of. Similarly, Hedda seeks to push her husband, Jorgen, into politics: (I was wondering) whether I could get my husband to go into politics This would raise Hedda's social standing and allow her to attain and maintain power.
Hedda's manipulation of people in order to attain power is a trait that is stereotypically predominant in men. The society of nineteenth century Norway venerates the image of submissive, static passive and pure women. Roles of power are normally allocated to men in such a society. The society in Hedda Gabler demonstrates its intolerance of Hedda's masculine behaviour by contributing to her death.
Hedda is found to be playing with her pistols in act two by Brack. After disgracing himself and returning to his immoral ways at Hedda's behest, Lovborg is manipulated by Hedda into taking his life beautifully and she gives him one of General Gabler's pistols. However Lovborg dies from an accidental wound to the stomach rather than a patrician death from a bullet to the head and Brack, utilising his position of power within the judicial system, sees the pistol that he accidentally killed himself with. Recognising it as being General Gabler's pistol, he returns to Hedda to stake his claim. Hedda refuses to be in the power of Brack, she had been heartily thankful that (he had) no power over (her) however, her fear is realised as Brack attempts to force his way into a triangular relationship with Hedda (and Tesman) in return for not exposing the scandal that she had provided Lovborg with the instrument of his death. Hedda is as fearful of scandal as all that and takes her life, ironically avoiding the scandal surrounding Lovborg's death and yet causing a scandal concerning her own.
Hedda's masculine preference for the pistols to any feminine task of housekeeping and her fear of scandal due to not conforming with society's accepted gender roles leads her to kill herself, thus demonstrating that things which one doesnt do are not tolerated by her society of nineteenth century Norway.
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