In my view, the film version of the opening of the play focuses on depicting Hedda Gabler as arrogant and impolite lady on the one hand and Miss Tesman as a kind lady on the other hand. However, the film version is not the full story of the original text as it cuts many pieces down. For example, the section where Miss Tesman asks a lot regarding the trip and Tesman’s “prospects” (from the bottom of page 784 to the middle of page 785) just disappears in the film. In my opinion, Miss Tesman’s love and care for Tesman makes her a little envy on what Hedda gets——“a long honeymoon-more than five-almost six months”(784). Miss Tesman repeats her concern on the cost and expense for the honeymoon trip and even eager to ask more for their travel details, suggesting that she is not that satisfied with Hedda Gabler who insist on having a honeymoon trip and a big house. On the contrary, the film only keeps the clip when Miss Tesman complain about using her annuity as a security to buy those furniture and expensive carpets, significantly weaken Miss Tesman’s consistent worries on money and Tesman’s future career.
Another noticeable cut is their conversation about Tesman’s competitors, or Eilert Lovborg, to be particular. In the original text, Aunt Julie says, “those who would have blocked your way-they’re at the bottom of the pit” (786). This chat reveals that characters in this play, Miss Tesman, Tesman and Hedda, all cares about and even crazy about the prospect, the career and the professorship competition.
Also, the film version misses the part of the conversation between Tesman and Hedda after Miss Tesman leaves. Hedda refuse to call Miss Tesman “Aunt Julie” which Tesman cannot understand because as he insists Hedda is “part of the family” (789). From here, the reader can see clearly that Hedda doesn’t really want to have too much affiliation with Tesman’s family and more importantly, this is the first foreshadowing for the conflict between Tesman and Hedda because other than the longing for the house, they have nothing in common. Even for the piano’s matter, they shows kind of contradiction when Hedda wants to buy a new piano and keep the old one while Tesman just thinks about trade the old for a new one. All these details are cut in the film which are crucial for understanding the characters.
YanYan, Thanks for pointing out these differences between Ibsen’s text and the film. Of course, it is natural that not everything in the original makes its way into the film. I was interested in your observation that we already see the characters focusing their attention on the prospect of George’s academic or professional success in a way that you describe as competitive. I definitely agree with you regarding Hedda and Aunt Julie, but I’m not sure that we see George himself exhibiting this competitiveness. He seems to have a more pure interest in his research, and we see later that he is willing to be fairly generous with Lovborg. For the women, however, there seems to be a kind of vicarious desire for George to succeed – since their own opportunities are so limited.