Hedda Gabler Project Essay PDF

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Sonia Oommen

01/20/17

JBHS Pd.2

English Essay Question #2

At the time that the play Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen was written there were many feminist issues. Feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities as well as organized activity in support of women’s rights and interests. There are four common ideas fond in most Feminist Theories. One, women are oppressed by patriarchy economically, politically, socially, and psychologically; patriarchal ideology is the primary means by which they are kept thus. Two, in every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she is marginalized, defined only by her difference from male norms and values. Three, all of western civilization is deeply rooted in patriarchal ideology. Four, while biology determines our sex (male or female), culture determines our gender (masculine or feminine). I believe that Hedda is a victim of societal pressures and her own circumstances. Hedda is a very unprecedented character with an unlikeable personality. Hedda’s unique character is the full focus of the story. In the Victorian era, for women to have the personality that Hedda had was rare. Hedda was always stuck in the never-ending cycle of societal expectations in various ways. Hedda spent most of her youth enjoying the attention and love she got from many admirers but when the time came for her to get married, she felt pressured. Back in those times, by the age of 25 you should be married or society would look down upon you. “I really had danced myself out, Judge. My time was up.” (Henrik Ibsen 251). This quote from the play is an example of how Hedda felt that she didn’t use her time wisely in finding her husband. She married George Tesman because she knew it would look bad if she wasn’t married yet. She would’ve felt the pressure of society looking at her in a different manner than she would’ve

wanted. Hedda has no feelings for Tesman, she got married to him because of society and her fear of reputation. This is one way Hedda is a victim of societal pressures. Hedda is a fierce woman in everything except when it came to her reputation. She loved her reputation more than she could love herself. She cared more about what she looked like on the outside to others instead of inside to herself. One way her reputation took over her was when she didn’t marry Eilret Lovborg. Hedda and Lovborg were lovers, but Hedda knew that Lovborg wouldn’t be able to give her the riches she wanted. Hedda wanted to shine in front of everyone, and she knew if she had stayed with Lovborg, she wouldn’t get anywhere. Lovborg already made his reputation look bad and to have Hedda near him that would’ve killed her reputation immediately. An example of this is when Hedda says, “Yes, when that closeness of ours threatened to grow more serious.” (Ibsen 266). Hedda knew that if she and Lovborg became a married couple then her reputation would’ve took a trip downhill because his was already bad. Hedda only worried about her reputation and what society saw her as. This is a second way Hedda is a victim of societal pressures. The fear of her reputation is what kills her at the end of the play. Judge Brack figured out that Hedda was the one who gave Lovborg the pistols to kill himself. Brack tells her that there could be a scandal and Hedda’s name would be caught up in it. Hedda was truly afraid of scandals because she didn’t want her reputation to be ruined. “A scandal, yes-the kind youre so deathly afraid of…” (Ibsen 302). Brack knew how much Hedda cared about her reputation, he knew Hedda would do anything to keep her reputation safe. Brack liked having that power over but Hedda didn’t like someone having power over her and because she was so afraid of a scandal, she killed herself. This is a third way Hedda is a victim of societal pressures.

Marriage and reputation were and is still something society judges us on. Hedda was too scared of what society would think of her and she wouldn’t make smart decisions on her part. Every strong person has their one weakness that will kill them in the end. Hedda was a strong headed women but the way she felt about society looking at her is what killed her....