Hedda Gabler is a woman that is filled with contempt, this is portrayed by the author when he uses words like derisive and cold to characterize her contemptuous nature. In the play, the author also incorporates these gestures into Hedda’s character to portray her fulfillment in manipulating other people “Suppressing a smile” (821), “Quietly, with a sharp glance at him” (813), “Half laughing, half bitterly “(802), “with a disdainful gesture” (803). She nonchalantly plays with others feeling with no regards because she feels privileged as the generals daughter and cannot find any purpose in life being that she is “bored” most of the time; which is why she enjoys pointing the pistol at people. Consequently, this pistol plays a symbolic role in the play, she uses the pistol to entertain herself, and yet it is this very pistol that takes her life away.

So the question is, why did Hedda Gabler shoot herself in the temple?

After learning the truth of Eilerts death, which wasn’t as auspicious as she wanted to be. The tender lie that Judge Brack described was for the sake of Thea so she wouldn’t have to feel more depressed. The truth that Judge Brack told Hedda in secret was in fact that Eilert Lovborg shot himself somewhere in the stomach area and not in the chest. Hedda describes his death as a curse that hangs over everything she so much as touch and so, to put herself out of the misery, she shoots herself in the “temple” to escape the life full of disappointment; demonstrating what a beautiful death is like and showing how there is a sense of liberation in the act, just as she mentions in the text “It’s a liberation for me to know that in this world an act of courage, done in full, free will, is possible. Something bathed in a bright shaft of sudden beauty” (834). What she have done was an act of courage, done in full and free will.

Right before she shoots herself, she foreshadows her coming death when she says “Oh, that will come-in time” (837) after Mrs.Elvested said she could inspire Tesman, like she did with Lovborg. The use in “the dash symbol(-)” to emphasize “in time” hinted that Tesman and Mrs.Elvested would be together in her absence(her death).

Hedda Gabler, who’s always been in control of others, is threatened by Judge Brack because it is in his power, as the judge, to alienate the scandals going towards her direction. In another words, Hedda will become a slave to Judge Brack to prevent any scandals. With the baby coming along imminently, it is beyond Hedda’s control; everything had suddenly swung in the opposite direction. With much disappointment, she rather takes “control” and commit suicide as a way to avoid reality than to be controlled and live with the “inevitable”. That is her liberation. That is the beauty she finds in life – living up to her standards till the very end.

The stage direction also plays a significant role. At the beginning, the room was bright, full of life with delightful scent of the flowers hanging around, which Hedda resented and closed the curtains, only allowing minimal light to seep in. With her cold treatment towards others, and contemptuous manipulation, as the play goes on, the room slowly becomes darker. Even the characters in Act 4 are all wearing black. This plays a symbolic role, because towards the end Aunt Rina dies, Eilert Lovborg dies, and Hedda herself inevitably dies as well.