Revision:Hedda Gabler Synopsis

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Hedda Gabler Synopsis for approximately the first half.

Characters

• George Tesman
• Hedda Tesman (nee Gabler)
• Juliana Tesman (George’s Aunt)
• Eilert Loevborg
• Thea Elvsted
• Bertha (the maid)
• Judge Brack
• Aunt Rena (never appears, but is talked of)

Act One

Unit One

The scene opens with Ibsen’s stage directions for a naturalistic set design of a Victorian living room, with symbolic undertones (as explained in the set design). Miss Tesman (“Aunt Juju”) enters from the hall, one of the more formal entrances into the room, and is described by Ibsen as an older woman of “pleasant and kindly appearance”, making the audience like her immediately. Her clothes are simple and neat, implying that she is correct according to her class, but preserving a distinction between Hedda and herself when Hedda later enters, while the drab colour – grey – of her costume reminds the audience that there is very little in her own life that she has to live for, so she lives for others (Tesman, Aunt Rena, Hedda’s child). Bertha is depicted as a simple servant, “rustic looking”, the kind Miss Tesman would be used to, but not Hedda.

Miss Tesman and Bertha discuss the fact that Tesman and Hedda are not up yet, which sets the scene for the audience; they realise that they only just arrived from the boat the night before. This also demonstrates Miss Tesman’s fondness for Tesman, because she has come to visit him as soon as he arrived home. Bertha’s comment “Jesus, you should have seen all the things madam made me unpack before she’d go to bed!” gives the audience information about Hedda’s character; she is used to having servants to unpack for her, and she is used to living in luxury, with lots of possessions. It also shows that Bertha is not entirely happy about working for Hedda, and is happy to gossip about her to her old mistress.

By opening the French windows and letting air in, Miss Tesman shows the audience the hope and positivity that her character brings, which is later in stark contrast to Hedda, who hates the fact that the light is streaming into the room. Miss Tesman calls the maid “Bertha dear”, showing her affection and illustrating that for Miss Tesman there is no preservation of rank: “Heaven knows it nearly broke my heart to have to part with you”. The audience is then given information about Tesman’s childhood, “You’ve looked after him ever since he was a tiny boy” showing that his aunts have cared for him his whole life. This immediately shows the audience how important these family members are to Tesman, which makes Hedda’s coldness and even rudeness towards Miss Tesman seem even more shocking.

Bertha explains that “I am frightened madam may not find me suitable”; she refers to Hedda as “madam”, a much more formal name for her new mistress when compared with her “miss” for Miss Tesman, and her worry lets the audience know that Hedda is from a higher class than Miss Tesman: “She’s a real lady”. This is reinforced by Miss Tesman, “General Gabler’s daughter! Think what she was accustomed to…”, so the audience know now that Hedda is the daughter of someone who was very rich and important, and already begin to wonder why she married Tesman. Bertha’s reference to Tesman as “Master Georgie” portrays her fondness for him and implies that he is more like Miss Tesman than like his wife, hinting that there are imbalances in the marriage already.

“Some foreigners have made him a doctor” gives the audience information about Tesman – while he has been away, he has obviously been working on his career, and because it is obvious that this is the first time they have been home since they were married, the audience will know by now they were on their honeymoon. This will make them wonder why Tesman was working during his honeymoon, and be interested to find out more about this strange relationship. Miss Tesman’s enquiries about the chintz covers make it clear to the audience that Hedda is the one with the power in this relationship: “From what madam said. He didn’t say anything. The Doctor.”, unusually for the Victorian times.

Unit Two

When Tesman enters from inside the house, as he comes through the rear room, the audience would see his open and honest face: “open, round, contented face…is dressed in comfortable indoor clothes”, and would see him as a character who, though not the most intelligent of men, is certainly likeable. Miss Tesman’s enthusiastic greeting shows her joy at seeing him, but his reply shows his genuine love for her straight away: “Aunt Juju! Dear Auntie Juju!”. This highly intimate and informal shortening of her name shows the closeness of their relationship, but also the more childlike aspects of his nature; in the original, “Tante Julle” is a very childish nickname, just as “Aunt Juju” is in the translation, and we are soon to discover that this childishness is far from endearing for Hedda, but distinctly irritating. Similarly, Tesman’s verbal ‘tic’, his constant use of “What?” at the end of sentences, can become irritating for the audience, reminding them that he is not perfect, but he is in essence a good person.

Tesman’s deference to his wife is obvious because he explains that Hedda’s luggage meant that they could not give his aunt a lift home. This shows how Hedda is the one with the power in their relationship. Bertha then leaves to put her bag in the attic and Tesman begins to enthuse about the honeymoon to his aunt. But, of course, it is the books he saw on his holiday, and the notes he made, that make up the subject of his raptures, “I filled that whole bag with notes for my book!”, showing the audience his strange obsession with his subject and hinting at the distance between he and Hedda. Miss Tesman then begins to try and find out if Hedda is pregnant, “you didn’t waste a single moment on your honeymoon”, and he agrees obliviously, unaware of what she is hinting at.

Tesman then compliments Miss Tesman on her hat, and she explains that she bought it so that Hedda would not be ashamed of her if they should go out walking together, showing a wish to please that would endear her to the audience. She and her “dear George” then talk of how wonderful it is for him to be home, displaying their genuine love for each other, and the audience is introduced to the idea of Aunt Rena. They learn that she is “lying there just as she has for all these years” – her death is talked of as inevitable, beginning this theme of death that runs throughout the entire play. She comments that she will not know what to do because she no longer has George to look after, showing that Miss Tesman must always be living for someone else.

The two of them talk of their admiration for Hedda, and the audience hear that she is a very beautiful woman, and then Miss Tesman returns once more to the subject that, for her, holds the most interest. She comments on the length of their honeymoon, but Tesman just explains that he has done a lot of work. Miss Tesman tries to be more direct, lowering her voice, and asking for “any extra little piece of news”. The audience would understand that she is referring to a pregnancy, but George is still completely unaware. This displays his innocence once again, and may endear him slightly, but would also provoke frustration because he is being so obtuse. She continues to try and get the information out of him, and he does seem to be going to comply when he says “I am expecting something” and then “before very long, I expect to be…”, but once more illustrates his imperceptiveness by finishing with “professor”. He completely misconstrues all that she is talking about, which not only shows his naivety, but also suggests that he is very self-centred and egocentric when it comes to his work, thinking of little else. It is possible that the audience would be feeling sympathy for Hedda at this point, because they have not yet met her, and can only imagine her having to spend five months in the company of a man who is so consumed by his subject. The issue of money is brought up, with Tesman explaining that everything had to be “grand” to suit Hedda, while the audience learns that Miss Tesman, aided by Judge Brack, set up the house for the couple. Miss Tesman tries once more to hint at the prospect of a baby when referring to the two empty rooms, but Tesman is, once more, completely unaware, and assumes she is referring to his books. We learn that Tesman believes Hedda really wanted the house, “she often used to say this was the only house in town she could really bear to live in”, and so we know he has tried hard to please her, even though it was out of his price range. The link to the Prime Minister shows that Hedda places great emphasis on status. They talk a little more about money and how it will be hard for Tesman to cover, and we learn that Miss Tesman has generously borrowed money to help him. Tesman comments on her self-sacrifice, and she asks “What else have I got to live for?”, hinting that perhaps Miss Tesman is not all sweetness and light, but that she is ever so slightly too interested in being useful to others, as she feels she needs to be involved in their lives. Eilert Loevborg is referred to as an “enemy” who “tried to bar your way”; this first scene is vital in setting the scene for the audience, and giving them information about many of the characters. We learn that he was a rival of Tesman and learn the subject of George’s book: “The domestic industries of Brabant in the Middle Ages”, which sounds highly uninteresting.

Unit Three

Hedda enters. She is described in detail by Ibsen, and he explains she has an “aristocratic face and figure”, immediately distinguishing her from Tesman and his aunt. Her “eyes are steel grey”, reflecting her nature, and her hair is auburn but not especially abundant – Hedda is jealous of people with thick hair, while the colour of her hair reflects her fiery nature. Miss Tesman greets Hedda kindly, and Hedda’s response, while correct in words, is cold: “What an early hour to call. So kind of you.”.

Hedda’s first action as she enters the room is to block out the light from the French windows. This illustrates the darker side to her character, and is the direct opposite of Aunt Juju’s action, as she is the one who opened them. Miss Tesman then gives George a package, and he is overjoyed when he realises what is in it. She has brought him his old slippers, and he is very excited about it. Hedda, on the other hand, is not interested in the slightest, “Thanks, I won’t bother”. This shows her blatant disregard for Tesman and Aunt Juju’s feelings and familial ties, and is reinforced when Hedda interrupts their conversation about the slippers to say she cannot keep Bertha. When asked why, she says because Bertha has left her “old hat lying on the chair”. It would be obvious that Hedda knows the hat belongs to Aunt Juju and is being deliberately spiteful, as though to get revenge for Aunt Juju bringing the hated slippers. Miss Tesman is very hurt, and Tesman tries to save the situation by complimenting her on her hat and parasol.

When Miss Tesman is still upset, Tesman changes the subject. He asks her to look at how Hedda has “filled out” since their honeymoon. Although he is completely unaware of the significance of this, Miss Tesman grasps it at once, and stops to look at Hedda. Hedda refuses to admit she is any different, “I’m exactly the same as when I went away”, but Miss Tesman does not believe her. She is full of genuine joy at the idea of Hedda’s pregnancy, and kisses Hedda as she leaves, saying “I shall come and see you both every day” – the audience will grasp the ambiguity of her statement, and also see how this would make Hedda feel even more trapped than before. Hedda clenches her fists as the two of them leave the room, as though wanting to let out her anger and frustration, but is perfectly controlled again when Tesman returns.

Unit Four

Tesman and Hedda discuss Miss Tesman, and he makes the request that she calls her “Aunt Juju”, saying that it would mean such a lot to both of them. Hedda is clearly repulsed by the idea, telling him that she will only go as far as calling her “Aunt Juliana”. Tesman senses her tone and asks if anything is wrong. Hedda explains that her “old piano…doesn’t really go with all this”, and he tries to indulge her as usual. This shows the audience that she holds all the power in this relationship. They also get a sense of their monetary worries because Tesman is “downcast” when he realises Hedda wishes to buy a new piano as well as her old one.

Hedda finds a bunch of flowers that “weren’t here when we arrived last night”, and they examine the card. They discover that the flowers are from a certain “Mrs. Elvsted”. The conversation that follows gives the audience some background on Mrs. Elvsted; they discover that she was formerly “Miss Rysing”, with hair that Hedda was jealous of, “that irritating hair she was always showing off” as well as the fact that she was a former “old flame” of Tesman. Hedda then uses the opportunity when Tesman mentions that Mrs. Elvsted is in the north to bring up Loevborg’s name once more – the idea has been planted in her mind that perhaps Mrs. Elvsted may be able to give her information on Eilert.

Unit Five

Bertha announces Thea’s entrance. Thea is described as contrasting with Hedda, with “blue, large and somewhat prominent” eyes, suggesting her innocence, with fair hair that is “exceptionally abundant”. All of this creates direct contrast with Hedda, and this is continued throughout the entire play. Tesman and Hedda greet her, and they exchange pleasantries. Tesman then talks to her for a while, and Hedda is silent until Thea says she is “desperate”. Hedda immediately asks “Desperate? Why?” and then “There’s nothing wrong I hope?”. This shows Hedda’s thirst for information, especially for information that could be useful to her. She asks Thea to sit down, and when Thea politely declines, she shows her bossy nature and tells her “You must”. This shows Hedda wanting to have power over Thea, just as she does over George.

Hedda tells Thea to explain “the whole story”, and Thea explains, “Eilert Loevborg is in town”. Hedda is surprised, but realising that this puts her in a weaker position, takes it out on George by snapping at him: “Yes, of course I heard”. Hedda asks why he is of Thea’s concern, and she “gives her a frightened look” because Thea is worried that Hedda has realised the nature of her relationship with Loevborg. She explains that he has been tutoring her stepchildren, while Tesman asks if he was responsible enough, reminding the audience that something has happened in the past to disestablish Eilert’s reputation. Thea says that he has been living “quite irreproachably”, but that she is “dreadfully frightened” that something may happen to him in the city. As she explains that he has brought out a new book, George is genuinely happy: “that’s splendid news”.

It is clear that Hedda suspects that there is more to Thea’s relationship with Eilert because she says “I find it a little strange”, and Thea replies nervously, “I wanted to do some shopping”. The audience would want to know exactly what was going on here, and so understand Hedda encouraging her husband to write Eilert a letter immediately. Not only does this show her wish to get him out of the room, but it also shows that Hedda is rarely generous unless she can gain something from it.

Unit Six

When George leaves, Hedda’s tone changes – she becomes much more open and friendly. This is when the audience begin to see her manipulative powers more strongly. She takes Thea over towards the stove, a stage area where she feels comfortable and able to exert her powers. She realises that she needs to “manage” Thea to get the information she wants, and so her tone becomes very friendly. She says “Good heavens, we were at school together”, reminding the audience that there is a previous relationship between them. Thea tells Hedda “I was terribly frightened of you”, showing that Hedda has always had a darker side to her; this is reiterated when Thea says, “whenever you met me on the staircase you would pull my hair”. Then Thea explains that Hedda even “said you’d burn it all off”, reminding the audience that there is a dangerous side to her, especially when jealousy is concerned (this is important later on when her jealousy of Thea and Eilert overwhelms her).

Hedda is so kind to Thea at this point, and the audience have already begun to glimpse the changeability of her moods – she asks Thea to call her Hedda. Thea displays her innocence because she says Hedda is “so kind”, not realising that she is only using Thea to get the information that she wants. Hedda reminds the audience that she is not especially concerned with Thea herself, more with what she can get from her, when she calls her “Tora”, and is corrected. Thea begins to tell Hedda about her sad relationship with her husband, “Oh…if only you knew!”, believing that Hedda is sincerely trying to help her, but Hedda interrupts at the first opportunity and asks about Eilert: “Eilert Loevborg’s been up there too…hasn’t he?”. She is immediately interrogative, asking question after question (“Did you know him before?” and “he used to visit you?”). Hedda then changes tack once more, complimenting Thea, “poor, pretty little Thea!”, and asking about her husband to ensure that she is not being too direct.

Thea lowers her voice and tells Hedda that she has left without her husband’s permission; “I packed a few things. Secretly.”, showing that Thea has a kind of courage; she has the courage to risk scandal and disgrace because she loves and cares for Eilert. Hedda acknowledges this: “How brave of you!”, and Thea then tells her she has left her husband for good: “I shall never go back to him”. Hedda is surprised, as she herself is always so worried about scandal, but Thea says “They can say what they like”, once more presenting a contrast between she and Hedda. However, Hedda still wants to know more about Loevborg, seeming almost parasitic in her thirst for information. She is quite patronising, “Clever little Thea!”, but Thea, in her innocence, does not notice. Thea explains that a friendship has developed between them, but that she is now worried: “I don’t know if it will last”. The audience would wonder what the problem is, and she soon enlightens them – the “shadow of another woman”. Hedda’s reaction, “What has he told you about her?”, may hint to the audience that she knows more about this woman than she is showing, but it is not yet explicit. Thea says this woman once threatened him with pistols, which lays down more clues for the audience for when she later takes out her pistols. She encourages Thea to think it is the “red-haired singer” (who we later find out is “Mademoiselle Danielle”), and then they both agree to keep quiet on the subject of Loevborg.

Unit Seven

Bertha announces Judge Brack just after Tesman returns. Brack’s description is very symbolic, with his moustache, thick eyebrows and beard showing how he creates a façade, as does the monocle. His first exchange with Hedda is relatively informal, “One may presume…” and so the audience would understand theirs is a longstanding relationship. Hedda flirts with him, even though Tesman is present, “What fun to be able to see you by daylight for once”, and then leaves to show Thea out. Brack asks Tesman about Hedda, showing once more that she is the one who holds the power in all their relationships. Brack then talks to Tesman about Loevborg, imparting the knowledge at his own pace, “Loevborg is back in town”, showing how he too likes to have power at his fingertips. He then takes his time, and Hedda re-enters, telling them that Loevborg has been re-establishing his relationships and reputation. Tesman says he has invited him over, but Brack reminds him he has promised to come to a bachelor party. Finally, Brack tells them that there may be competition for Tesman’s career post: “By competition with Eilert Loevborg”. Tesman is shocked, “It’s absolutely impossible!”, and distraught because he understands that Hedda married him largely for his prospects: “It was on the strength of this that Hedda and I got married!”. Hedda, on the other hand, is excited: “It’ll be a kind of duel, by Jove”. She has no regard for his feelings, only for her own escapes from tedium. Brack warns her this may mean she should be more careful about money, but she says “I can’t allow this to alter my plans”. The Judge leaves and George and Hedda are left together.

Unit Eight

George says they will have to be content with each other’s company, a horrifying prospect for Hedda, who expected to “keep open house” and “enter society”. She then begins to worry about what she will not be able to have: a footman and a bay mare, for example. George is clearly upset for her, and is naïvely joyful when she says she has “one thing left to amuse myself with”. When he asks her, she is even more spiteful than usual – “My pistols, George darling”. This continues the theme of violence linked with Hedda as well as showing the audience that she takes refuge in reminders of her old life: “General Gabler’s pistols”. As the act closes, the threat of violence and the uncontrolled nature of Hedda are shown, and the audience would be looking forward to the entrance of Eilert, who they have heard so much about, as well as intrigued by Hedda’s unpredictable nature.

Act Two

Unit One

The opening of Act Two explains the changes that have taken place in the room; the piano has been removed, showing how Hedda holds the strings of power in the house, because she only just told Tesman that she did not like it. The fact that the flowers have been removed further shows how Hedda wishes to control everything – she did not like to have them around, so they are no longer around. However, Mrs. Elvsted’s bouquet is in a prime position, and it is clear that Hedda is trying to make Thea feel important – she still envisages a use for her.

Hedda’s loading of the pistols represents the violence that is hidden inside her, and would also hint at the tragic end towards which the play is moving ever closer. As she stands at the French windows, she calls down to Brack in the garden. This is significant because it shows that he is used to entering houses in an informal manner – through the back door. This also suggests that he is not to be trusted. Hedda aims her pistols at Brack, in a relatively playful manner, “I’m going to shoot you”, and the audience would be shocked when she actually fires, saying “This’ll teach you to enter houses by the back door”. Her statement implies that she is not necessarily willing to allow Brack the liberties he clearly wants, implanting that idea in the minds of the audience.

Hedda’s airy comment, “I was just shooting at the sky”, shows how she does not take it all seriously – to her, this is just another of her games, to keep herself amused and save her from the monotony of her life. This is obvious when Brack takes the pistol and she defends herself by saying, “Well, what on earth am I to do?”. Brack immediately establishes that Tesman is out, suggesting his ulterior motive.

Hedda and the Judge begin to flirt, seemingly harmlessly to begin with. He says “I’d have come sooner” if he had realised Tesman was out, and Hedda rebounds that she has been dressing since lunch. Brack then becomes much more blatant, implying that he would like to watch her dress: “a tiny crack in the door through which we might have negotiated?”.

They sit on the sofa together – the sofa is very much Hedda’s place, a place where she talks to people one-to-one. They continue their flirting, with Brack calling her “Mrs Hedda” instead of Mrs Tesman; he has little respect for her marriage, and is willing to cast it aside. Brack says “I’ve been so longing for you to come home”, suggesting once more that he is interested in Hedda herself and not her husband. She agrees with him, although it is clear that she wanted to be home for different reasons – not to see Brack, but to get away from Tesman and the honeymoon, where she admits, “I’ve been bored to death”.

Hedda tells him how terrible it has been for six months, without meeting a single person who is “one of us”; she still classes herself as part of the aristocracy, just as Brack is, and is being pretentious about it. The two of them are comfortable together, sharing witticisms and jokes, showing how Hedda enjoys company like this. We then have it categorically stated that Hedda does not love Tesman, as when Brack suggests it, she says, “Oh, don’t use that sickly, stupid word”. This is quite a bitter statement, suggesting that, while Hedda dismisses thoughts of it, in the past, perhaps she has had an experience she does not understand that she links with love (we find out that this is correct later in the play).

Brack asks the question that the audience have wanted to know the answer to for a long time: “Why on earth did I marry George Tesman?”. Hedda tells Brack that he was a respectable man, that he had status in society – something that is very important to her – and that she has hopes for his career: “he might go far in time”. It also becomes clear that she let herself be persuaded into it because he asked her; he did more than any of her other suitors (here, we discover that Brack was one of them), and so she accepted him. Brack reminds her that he is not one for marriage, and hints once more at a relationship with Hedda. He explains that he likes to be a “trusted friend…preferably, to be frank, of the wife”. Hedda, however, may misunderstand him, because she says she has longed for a third person, meaning simply that she wants companionship. They use the metaphor of a railway journey, and Brack suggests she “stretch your legs a little”, but Hedda puts a stop to it: “No.”, because she is afraid of scandal. Brack suggests a third person could come into the compartment, and Hedda says “that’d be a relief” because she assumes he means simply what he says – as a friend, but Brack has misunderstood, and thinks she is acceptable to his idea of extra-marital relations.

Unit Two

Tesman enters and sees Brack, but thinks nothing of him “coming in through the garden” – he trusts Brack with Hedda, because Brack has the persona of a judge to hide behind. Hedda and Brack continue to share jokes even though George is there: “Brack and Hedda exchange a smile”, but he remains oblivious. Tesman has bought a copy of Eilert’s book, and holds it out to Hedda to look at; her instinct is to refuse it, but she soon corrects herself “Er – yes”. This shows that Hedda is not always in total control of herself when it comes to Loevborg, reminding the audience of her interest in him. Tesman, in a completely genuine way, is impressed by the book, showing his admirable character – he is not jealous or upset, simply “amazed”. He then mentions that Aunt Rena is more ill than usual, “she’s been taken really bad”, continuing the theme of death and the inevitability of Aunt Rena’s demise. Tesman then leaves.

Unit Three

Hedda makes it clear to Brack that she intentionally insulted Aunt Juju over her hat, showing her malicious side. Brack asks how she could do it, and Hedda makes a very important statement – “Sometimes a mood like that hits me. And I can’t stop myself”. This certainly describes Hedda aptly – her changeable moods are often wild or uncontrolled. She admits that she is not happy, and Brack says that “you have the home you always wanted”. Hedda is derisive, and there follows a moment in the play where the audience would feel sorry for George’s gullibility. She explains that as Tesman was seeing her home from a party, she “felt sorry for the great scholar” because he could not thinks of what to say, so she mentioned, “quite frivolously”, that she would love to live in the house they were just passing. So, her “little frivolity” had its consequences…Judge Brack replies that they often do.

When Hedda continues talking, she says, “We got married, we got engaged, we went on our honeymoon, and – Ah well, Judge, I’ve – made my bed…”. Her awkwardness here shows how she was almost going to tell Brack about her pregnancy, but soon thought better of it. Hedda is spiteful once again, saying that “perhaps Aunt Juju brought that [the smell she dislikes, of lavender and dried roses] in”, while Brack laughs, showing the similarity in their humour. Hedda shows how she dislikes her fantasies being shown in the light of day as less than she imagined when she says “it reminds me of the flowers one has worn at a ball – the morning after”. Brack, however, soon guides the conversation back to his territory, asking Hedda if she could find some “occupation”. Hedda misconstrues his questions, and even lets him know of her desire for Tesman to go into politics – Hedda could be happy with that, because she could see herself “pulling the strings”. The Judge then brings up the subject of pregnancy, trying to gauge Hedda’s feelings on the matter: “the most solemn of human responsibilities”. This also allows the audience to understand that Hedda feels trapped by the idea of a pregnancy because it makes her so angry: “Be quiet! Nothing like that’s going to happen!”. She uses the imperative, “be quiet, I say!”, once more to stop the judge talking about the subject. She then says there is only one thing that she believes she has any “natural talent” for. The Judge misunderstands her, “And what is that, if I may be so bold…?”, thinking that perhaps she is referring to sexuality, but – far from it – she tells him that it is “boring myself to death”. This, of course, is very apt, given the end of the play, when Hedda commits suicide because she cannot live in a life where there is no poetic beauty, where she deems herself trapped in farcical situations. Hedda then shows another flash of cruelty when she says, of her own husband, “talking of boring, here comes the professor”.

Unit Four

Tesman enters, asking Hedda if there has been any message from Eilert. When she replies in the negative, he is convinced that Eilert will come – “we’ll have him here presently”. This would give the audience a sense of anticipation, because they have heard so much about Eilert. Together, they all agree to wait for Eilert. Hedda shows her manipulative ways when she says “Loevborg can sit here and talk to me”; she wants to be alone with Loevborg. However, Brack is clearly not happy about leaving them together, “What do you mean?”, because he does not want anyone else intruding into what he believes is his “triangle”.

Tesman is also dubious about leaving Loevborg with Hedda; he is not willing to trust Loevborg alone with her: “do you think it’ll be all right…?”. This is interesting, because he has no qualms about leaving her with Brack, showing how Brack hides behind a façade of respectability that comes with his profession. Hedda reassures them, because she says that Thea will be coming also, and so she will not be alone with Loevborg.

Unit Five

Loevborg enters at last; his appearance, as described by Ibsen, is attractive and slightly more bohemian: “somewhat haggard”, adding to the interest the audience would already feel for him. Tesman is happy to see Loevborg, showing his good nature, “How grand to see you again…!”, while Loevborg seems grateful to Tesman for his letter. He then goes nearer to Hedda and asks “May I shake hands with you, too, Mrs Tesman?”, illustrating his uncertainty around her, reminding the audience that there is a history with these too. Brack and Loevborg are introduced, and Tesman proceeds to welcome Loevborg emphatically: “you’re to treat this house just as though it were your own”, once more showing his innocent good nature. Tesman then tells him that he has bought his new book, but Loevborg surprises everyone by saying “There’s nothing much in it”. He is willing to be honest, admitting that he wrote it because he knew everyone would like it, and to re-establish his reputation. He has therefore shown the audience that he understands true literary genius, and is willing to abuse his own work as lacking in it, making them trust his next statements; when he talks about the sequel, they are willing to believe it really is as good as he implies: “This is my real book”. His academia is brilliant and exciting, “this is about the future”, providing a contrast with Tesman’s boring bookishness.

Brack explains that he is “giving a little dinner”, and invited Loevborg to join them. Loevborg refuses, “No, I can’t”, making the audience feel respect for his strength of character, because he knows alcohol is his weakness and does not want to put himself in danger. He refuses again until they suggest he brings his manuscript (Brack is trying to ensure that Loevborg is not left with Hedda, and trying to tempt him into his old ways). Hedda tries to dissuade him, telling them that he “would much rather sit here and have supper with me”. She mentions Thea, using her needing an escort as an excuse to keep Loevborg with her – once more, the audience sees her manipulative nature, and her power, because so far she has gained everything she wants.

Loevborg and Tesman discuss the book, and Loevborg makes it clear that he will not compete with him: “I’ll wait until your appointment’s been announced”. Tesman is very relieved, almost childishly so, but Hedda is not especially interested in his happiness, portraying her coldness once more. Hedda has told Bertha to set up punch in the back room (once more, she shows her control, because, although this would traditionally be the men’s smoking room, it is very much her room that she allows them to use if it helps her scheming) in an attempt to get Loevborg all to herself. She then asks the gentlemen to go and “take a glass of cold punch”, offering to “keep Mr Loevborg company while you drink”. Brack and Tesman go into the rear room, where they are out of earshot, but not out of sight. Hedda chooses the sofa that is blocked from their view and sits there with Loevborg.

Unit Six

Hedda raises her voice and talks about the photographs she is going to show Loevborg, to avert suspicion from Tesman and Brack. Loevborg shows straight away the depth of his feeling for her when he says to her “Hedda – Gabler”. He knew her before she was married, and wishes to remind her of this. He says it again, with intensity, showing Hedda that his feelings are unchanged. Her reaction, however, is wary, and she agrees that he must never call her Hedda Gabler again. He is bitter about her marriage: “Hedda Gabler married? And to George Tesman?”, because he is in love with her still, believing she has thrown herself away. Hedda tells him to “Stop it” because she is afraid of where this conversation is going.

Comments

These notes are aimed at AQA A Level theatre studies.

Originally written by {Clarabell} on TSR Forums.