Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen is a play about Hedda, who is the daughter of General Gabler. Hedda rejects any proposals that are made to her, despite her father’s constant pressuring for her to marry. Hedda elaborates on how she would like to be free and independent: “All my life I’ve dreamed of dramatic incidents and great emotion. And now – now, when for once in my life I’m free to act, absolutely free.” Hedda is committed to the idea of having freedom over her own life.
Hedda’s husband Tesman arrives back from an academic pursuit he was on abroad. Hedda reveals how she has made up lies about their home so that they would not feel the need to stay with her: “Have you noticed that our servant, Rita, never smiles? Well, I don’t think it’s altogether surprising if one regards the circumstances…I thought it best before you came not to let you know anything about this” Hedda thinks that by making lies about themselves they will keep themselves away from Hedda and that Hedda will feel like she has all the power over her own life.
Tesman reveals that he cannot find anywhere to put his newly acquired Ph.D. Hedda is enraged when she hears this; Hedda feels as though she has no room in their lives anymore after Rita, who Hedda used to have a friendship with, was given a promotion above Hedda even though Hedda had seniority over her within the house.
Hedda Gabler has been classified as one of the world’s great tragic dramas, and Hedda herself as one of drama’s most complex and fascinating characters. Hedda appears to be trapped within her life and unable to find real satisfaction with anything around her. Hedda feels isolated from everyone else at the beginning of act 1 until she comes across The Jorgensens’ maid, Bertha . Hedda is intrigued by how independent Bertha seems to be when they meet in act 1 scene 2. Hedda realizes that Bertha is not wealthy, but she seems to have no problem controlling her own life.
Hedda however, has become increasingly obsessed with the idea of dominating others and it has warped her psyche to the point where Hedda feels as though she is trapped within her life. Hedda’s obsession with dominating other characters in the play leads Hedda into increasingly bizarre behavior which startles other characters around Hedda. This manipulation of both people and events becomes Hedda’s way of exerting control over a world that increasingly frustrates Hedda because it can’t be dominated.
Hedda uses every opportunity to subtly manipulate those around her in order to get what she wants or give them what they don’t want. Hedda’s manipulation of George Tesman in act 1 scene 3 is a prime example of Hedda’s subtle way to get what she wants. Hedda does not want Miss Tesman, George’s aunt, to visit them after Hedda and George return from their honeymoon. Hedda knows that Miss Tesman will see right through Hedda and know that Hedda has held a secret over George since the day they were married.
Hedda realizes that if she doesn’t stop Miss Tesman from coming to visit her, then Hedda will lose any control or power over the situation. Since Hedda cannot simply tell Miss Tesman to not come visit, somehow having her believe that it would be better if Hedda and George had their privacy seems like the only option Hedda has. Hedda knows that when she returns to her house after seeing Miss Tesman at the station, George will be anxious to know what Hedda told her.
Hedda can use this anxiety in order to make sure George does not take control over Hedda’s life again. The play begins by drawing us into Hedda’s mind with Henrik Ibsen presenting us with a specific situation in which he wants us (the audience) to explore Hedda’s behavior in, how she reacts, and why she acts the way that she does. While it might seem natural for Hedda to ask George about Miss Tesman, Hedda knows that George has a habit of taking control over Hedda’s life and Hedda wants to avoid this at all costs.
Hedda does not want George to know what she told Miss Tesman because Hedda is afraid of how it might change their lives if George finds out about the secret Hedda has been holding over him since he proposed. Since Hedda cannot tell him what she did, Hedda creates an elaborate story using his aunt’s name in order to get George to think for himself and second-guess whether or not it would be better if his aunt did not visit. She does this by pretending like she had told herMiss Tesman) something, when in fact Hedda had said nothing, and providing George with the opportunity to choose whether or not his aunt should visit.
Hedda does this by telling George that she told Miss Tesman, “she [Hedda] was so grateful [for what Hedda did], but it [Miss Tesman visiting] would do no good”- Hedda knows this is a lie and that she will not reveal to George what Hedda actually said because Hedda wants him to discover for himself that he and Hedda need their privacy. By allowing George discover this on his own, Hedda maintains control over both her husband and her life. Control is also very important when it comes to the relationship Hedda has with The Judge.
Hedda does not know who her father was, so Hedda’s mother never needed to tell Hedda what Hedda wanted to hear which is how Hedda became obsessed with having power over others. Hedda married George because he came from money and was well-connected, but Hedda also married him because she believed that by marrying him she would be able to control his life as easily as she was able to manipulate Miss Tesman into not visiting them. Unfortunately for Hedda, the only person she had ever been able to gain complete control over was her mother before Hedda’s mother died when Hedda was eighteen years old.
Even though Hedda is now married to George, Hedda is still searching for a way to gain the power over George that Hedda’s mother always had. The Judge is Hedda’s first attempt at gaining this power over someone else- unfortunately Hedda fails and quickly learns that just because she was able to manipulate him into marrying her does not mean she can control his actions. Hedda resorts to manipulating both of them by convincing The Judge that Hedda will tell Mr. Elvsted about their relationship if he doesn’t do as Hedda asks.
