great works ii – 2850 jta 12:25-2:05: love letters from the world

In Henrik Ibsen’s play Hedda Gabler we see an interesting power dynamic playing out between the characters. Hedda Tessman nee Gabler is a power-seeking woman and this is what led to the tragic outcomes of the play. She toys with others in order to gain control over them. While speaking to Lovborg and Mrs.Elvsted she says, “Just once in my life I want to help shape someone’s destiny” (Act 2 pg 816). In the time period that this took place there was nothing for her to do but get married and then sit around waiting for her husband at home. She is constantly repeating throughout the play that she is bored. She had to gain control over something because she didn’t have control over her own life. A brilliant woman like her could not make due with just anything, and in order to exert control she manipulated all the characters and situations around her to suit herself. Her tragedy was not knowing when to stop manipulating others and when she finally gained the ultimate power over Lovborg, his death at her suggestion, and it did not go as planned she recoiled. She was tired of not having power over her own life so when Judge Brack attempted to blackmail her and she saw this was yet another person who was going to control her she decided to end it on her terms, wielding the ultimate power of choosing death.