Group 3: Hedda Gabler – Henrik Ibsen

Reflecting upon Hedda Gabler, I was able to connect the character of Hedda to a theme I’ve encountered countlessly throughout life. It’s no secret that we as humans always yearn for more, but at what point do we stop? Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist, taught me that happiness does not lie when we achieve goals, but it’s the thought of it that does… If we had nothing to look forward to, then our purpose on Earth would merely be useless. I connected this to Hedda, because she finds happiness in deceiving people, but when her actions are done, she is still kept looking for more. She got married, and she got tired. She went on her honeymoon, and she was miserable. She got pregnant, and she doesn’t feel joy. She loved her husband, but she does not anymore. For Hedda it’s extremely hard to be happy, however, I think that her unhappiness gives her some type of satisfaction, because the thought of wanting to leave her husband is what keeps her there. She is very difficult to understand, and in the end, she gives up the battle to try and give her life meaning.