Original language

Norwegian
Subjecta newlywed
struggles with an existence
she finds devoid of
excitement and enchantment
GenreDrama
SettingJrgen Tesman's
villa, Kristiania,Norway; 1890s

title page of the 1890 text

Hedda Gabler is a play first

published in 1890 by Norwegian
playwright Henrik Ibsen. The
play premiered in 1891
in Germany to negative reviews,
but has subsequently gained
recognition as a classic
of realism, nineteenth century
theatre, and world drama. A
1902 production was a major
sensation on Broadway starring
Minnie Maddern Fiske and
following its initial limited run
was revived with the actress the
following year.

The character of Hedda is

considered by some critics
as one of the great
dramatic roles in theatre,
the "female Hamlet," and
some portrayals have been
very controversial.
Depending on the
interpretation, Hedda may
be portrayed as an
idealistic heroine
fighting society, a victim of
circumstance, a
prototypical feminist, or a
manipulative villain.

The Basic Set

With Window Shutters Closed

Hedda's married name is

Hedda Tesman; Gabler is
her maiden name. On
the subject of the title,
Ibsen wrote:"My
intention in giving it this
name was to indicate
that Hedda as a
personality is to be
regarded rather as her
father's daughter than
her husband's wife."

George Tesman - The husband

of Hedda, an academic
Hedda Gabler - The heroine
Miss Juliane Tesman (Aunty
Juju) - Aunt of George
Mrs. Thea Elvsted - Friend of
Hedda and George, confidant
of Ejlert
Judge Brack - Friend of the
Tesmans
Ejlert Lvborg - George's
academic rival whom Hedda
previously loved
Bertha - Servant to the
Tesmans and to George as a
child.

Cate Blanchett in Hedda Gabler.

Hedda Gabler - Hedda is the

daughter of the famous
General Gabler; as a child she
was used to luxury and highclass living. As the play begins,
she is returning from her
honeymoon with Jrgen
Tesman, a scholar with good
prospects but not as much
money as Hedda is accustomed
to. Her married name is Hedda
Tesman. Hedda is an intelligent,
unpredictable, and somewhat
dishonest young woman who is
not afraid to manipulate her
husband and friends.

Pressure Cate Blanchett as Hedda Gabler.

Jrgen Tesman - Tesman is an

amiable, intelligent young
scholar. He tries very hard to
please his young wife, Hedda,
and often does not realize that
she is manipulating him. In fact,
he often seems foolish for his
age, and when he annoys Hedda,
the audience has reason to
sympathize with her. Tesman is
hoping for a professorship in
history, and at the beginning of
the play it seems that his one
great rival, Ejlert Lvborg, a
notorious alcoholic, no longer
stands in Tesman's way. Tesman
was raised by his Aunt Julle.

Juliane Tesman - Juliane

Tesman, or Aunt Julle, is the
aunt of Jrgen Tesman. After
Tesman's parents died, Aunt
Julle raised him. She is wellmeaning, and she is
constantly hinting that
Tesman and Hedda should
have a baby. Aunt Julle tries
to get along with Hedda, but
the difference in their class
backgrounds is painfully
apparent. Aunt Julle lives with
the ailing Aunt Rina, another
aunt of Tesman's.

Judge Brack - Brack is a

judge of relatively inferior
rank. He is a friend of both
Tesman and Hedda, and he
visits their house regularly.
He has connections around
the city, and is often the
first to give Tesman
information about
alterations in the
possibility of his
professorship. He seems to
enjoy meddling in other
people's affairs. He is a
worldly and cynical man.
Kate Burton and Harris Yulin in Hedda Gabler

Ejlert Lvborg - A genius,

Ejlert Lvoborg is Tesman*
biggest competitor in the
academic world. After a
series of scandals related to
drinking, he was once a
public outcast but has now
returned to the city and has
published a book to rave
reviews. He also has another
manuscript that is even more
promising. Mrs. Elvsted
helped him with both
manuscripts. He once shared
a close relationship with
Hedda.
Kate Burton and David Lansbury in Hedda Gabler

Mrs. Elvsted - Mrs. Elvsted is a meek but

passionate woman. She and her husband hired
Ejlert Lvborg as a tutor to their children, and
Mrs. Elvsted grew attached to Ejlert, acting as
his personal secretary and aiding him in his
research and writing. When Ejlert leaves her
estate to return to the city, Mrs. Elvsted comes
to town and goes to Tesman for help, fearing
Ejlert will revert to his alcoholism. Mrs. Elvsted
went to school with Hedda and remembers
being tormented by her.

Berte - Berte is George and Hedda Tesman's

servant. Formerly, she was the servant in
Juliane Tesman's household. She tries very
hard to please Hedda, her new mistress, but
Hedda is quite dissatisfied with her.
Aunt Rina - Aunt Rina is dying at the start of
the play. She never appears onstage. She
helped Aunt Julle raise Tesman*

The action takes place in a villa in Kristiania (now Oslo). Hedda Gabler,
daughter of an aristocratic General, has just returned from her
honeymoon with Jrgen Tesman, an aspiring young academic, reliable
but not brilliant, who has combined research with their honeymoon. It
becomes clear in the course of the play that she has never loved him but
has married him for reasons pertaining to the boring nature of her life,
and it is suggested that she may be pregnant. The reappearance of
Tesman's academic rival, Ejlert Lvborg, throws their lives into disarray.
Lvborg, a writer, is also a recovered alcoholic who has wasted his talent
until now. Thanks to a relationship with Hedda's old schoolmate, The
Elvsted (who has left her husband for him), he shows signs of
rehabilitation and has just completed a bestseller in the same field as
Tesman. The critical success of his recently published work transforms
Lvborg into a threat to Tesman, as Lvborg becomes a competitor for
the university professorship Tesman had been counting on. The couple
are financially overstretched and Tesman now tells Hedda that he will not
be able to finance the regular entertaining or luxurious housekeeping that
Hedda had been looking forward to.

Upon meeting Lvborg however, the couple discover that he has

no intention of competing for the professorship, but rather has
spent the last few years labouring with Mrs. Elvsted over what he
considers to be his masterpiece, the "sequel" to his recently
published work. Hedda, apparently jealous of Mrs. Elvsted's
influence over Lvborg, hopes to come between them, and
provokes Lvborg to get drunk and go to a party.

Tesman returns home from the party and reveals that he found
the manuscript of Lvborg's great work, which the latter has lost
while drunk. When Hedda next sees Lvborg, he confesses to her,
despairingly, that he has lost the manuscript. Instead of telling him
that the manuscript has been found, Hedda encourages him to
commit suicide, giving him a pistol. She then burns the manuscript.
She tells her husband she has destroyed it to secure their future.

Cate Blanchett as Hedda Gabler, Sydney

Theater 2004

Martha Plimpton as Hedda Gabler,

Steppenwolf Theater 2001

When the news comes that Lvborg has indeed killed himself,
Tesman and Mrs. Elvsted are determined to try to reconstruct his
book from what they already know. Hedda is shocked to discover,
from the sinister Judge Brack, that Lvborg's death, in a brothel,
was messy and probably accidental (this "ridiculous and vile" death
contrasts the "beautiful and free" one that Hedda had imagined
for him). Worse, Brack knows where the pistol came from. This
means that he has power over her, which he will use to insinuate
himself into the household (there is a strong implication that he
will force Hedda into a sexual affair). Leaving the others, she goes
into her smaller room and ends the play by shooting herself in the
temple.

Ibsen's Hedda Gabler (1963 TV - Ingrid Bergman)

Aunt Julle and Berte enter the drawing room of the Tesmans' residence. The
Tesmans have just returned from their six-month honeymoon. Berte says that
she is worried about whether she can please her new mistress, Hedda. Jrgen
Tesman enters the room and joyously greets his aunt. He compliments her on
her new hat, and they discuss the research he did on his honeymoon and Aunt
Rina's failing health. They hint at the extravagance of the honeymoon and the
expense of appeasing a lady of aristocratic background like Hedda. In fact,
Aunt Julle announces that she has mortgaged her annuity to provide security
on the expensive new house. She also mentions that Ejlert Lvborg has
published a new book; this is a surprise to Tesman.
Hedda enters and complains that the maid has opened the windows. Hedda is
very particular about the lighting, and Tesman is eager to please her. Aunt
Julle produces Jrgen's old slippers, much to his delight. He wants Hedda to
examine them, but she is not interested. Hedda interrupts their conversation
with a comment on the ugliness of Aunt Julle's hat, which Hedda takes to be
the maid's. Aunt Julle is offended, but Hedda apologizes. To defuse the
situation, Tesman hopes to prompt Aunt Julle to compliment Hedda by
drawing her attention to the way Hedda has pleasantly filled out over the
course of their honeymoon--but Hedda refuses to admit that the six months
have changed her at all.

Aunt Julle leaves, and Tesman asks Hedda to try to be nicer to her. They
agree to have her over again later that day. Hedda mentions that her old
piano doesn't look right in the drawing room, and Tesman considers
exchanging it when he gets his next paycheck. Hedda suggests they
simply buy a new one. Suddenly, Mrs. Elvsted, an old acquaintance of
both, arrives. She is in town looking for Ejlert Lvborg, who has for two
years served as tutor in the Elvsted household. Mrs. Elvsted informs the
Tesman's that Ejlert has been free of drunkenness for two years, but she
fears a relapse now that Ejlert has returned to the city. She has followed
him here in order to keep an eye on him. She tells Tesman what a
tremendous success Ejlert's new book has been; it is obvious that Tesman
has to make an effort not to seem jealous. Tesman promises to be
supportive of Ejlert if he comes to visit, but Hedda proposes that he go so
far as to write to Ejlert and invite him to visit. She suggests he write Ejlert
a long letter. Tesman goes to do this, and Hedda presses Mrs. Elvsted to
confide in her now that she has gotten rid of Tesman.

She also mentions that Ejlert Lvborg has published a new

book; this is a surprise to Tesman. Hedda enters and
complains that the maid has opened the windows. Hedda is
very particular about the lighting, and Tesman is eager to
please her. Aunt Julle produces Jrgen's old slippers, much to
his delight. He wants Hedda to examine them, but she is not
interested. Hedda interrupts their conversation with a
comment on the ugliness of Aunt Julle's hat, which Hedda
takes to be the maid's. Aunt Julle is offended, but Hedda
apologizes. To defuse the situation, Tesman hopes to prompt
Aunt Julle to compliment Hedda by drawing her attention to
the way Hedda has pleasantly filled out over the course of
their honeymoon--but Hedda refuses to admit that the six
months have changed her at all.

Aunt Julle and Berte enter the drawing room of the

Tesmans' residence. The Tesmans have just returned
from their six-month honeymoon. Berte says that she
is worried about whether she can please her new
mistress, Hedda. Jrgen Tesman enters the room and
joyously greets his aunt. He compliments her on her
new hat, and they discuss the research he did on his
honeymoon and Aunt Rina's failing health. They hint
at the extravagance of the honeymoon and the
expense of appeasing a lady of aristocratic
background like Hedda. In fact, Aunt Julle announces
that she has mortgaged her annuity to provide
security on the expensive new house.

Aunt Julle leaves, and Tesman asks Hedda to try to be nicer to her. They
agree to have her over again later that day. Hedda mentions that her old
piano doesn't look right in the drawing room, and Tesman considers
exchanging it when he gets his next paycheck. Hedda suggests they
simply buy a new one. Suddenly, Mrs. Elvsted, an old acquaintance of
both, arrives. She is in town looking for Ejlert Lvborg, who has for two
years served as tutor in the Elvsted household. Mrs. Elvsted informs the
Tesman's that Ejlert has been free of drunkenness for two years, but she
fears a relapse now that Ejlert has returned to the city. She has followed
him here in order to keep an eye on him. She tells Tesman what a
tremendous success Ejlert's new book has been; it is obvious that Tesman
has to make an effort not to seem jealous. Tesman promises to be
supportive of Ejlert if he comes to visit, but Hedda proposes that he go so
far as to write to Ejlert and invite him to visit. She suggests he write Ejlert
a long letter. Tesman goes to do this, and Hedda presses Mrs. Elvsted to
confide in her now that she has gotten rid of Tesman.

Joseph Wood Krutch makes a connection

between Hedda Gabler and Freud, whose first work on
psychoanalysis was published almost a decade later.
Hedda is one of the first fully developed neurotic
heroines of literature. By that Krutch means that
Hedda is neither logical nor insane in the old sense of
being random and unaccountable.
Her aims and her motives have a secret personal logic
of their own. She gets what she wants, but what she
wants is not anything that the normal usually admit,
publicly at least, to be desirable. One of the significant
things that such a character implies is the premise
that there is a secret, sometimes unconscious, world
of aims and methods one might almost say a secret
system of values that is often much more
important than the rational one.
Joan Templeton makes a connection between Hedda
Gabler and Hjrdis from The Vikings at Helgeland,
since the arms-bearing, horse-riding Hedda, married
to a passive man she despises, indeed resembles the
eagle in a cage that Hjrdis terms herself.

It is fitting that the title of the play is Hedda's maiden name, Hedda
Gabler, for the play is to a large extent about the formerly aristocratic
Hedda's inability to adjust to the bourgeois life into which she has
married. Her tragedy lies not only in her own suicide but in her desire
that Ejlert should have a "beautiful" suicide: she hopes that life can be
beautiful, can measure up to a certain standard, regardless of
practicalities like professional success or failure. She is amused by how
much Tesman worries about making a living.
This aristocratic privileging of "aesthetic" matters causes Hedda to feel
very unsympathetic to Tesman. She doesn't allow him to use the word
"we" to describe the two of them. It also allows her to feel little guilt
when "cheating on" him, if only on an emotional level, with Ejlert and
Judge Brack. Her values, based on an aesthetic standard rather than the
moral standard to which her husband conforms, are beyond Tesman's
control or even his understanding; as a result, he cannot predict her
actions. At the same time, however, Hedda's apparent pregnancy draws
attention to the tragic nature of her quest. She continually denies the
inevitable.

The rest of the male characters are more or less in love

with Hedda, perhaps because of her almost decadent
sense of beauty. Brack wants to establish a private
relationship with her, parallel to her relationship with
Tesman, and Ejlert dearly hopes that she shares his
"passion for life." She finds both of these ideas silly, openly
rejecting Ejlert's notion and teasing Brack by saying that
he wants to be "the cock of the walk." Even Mrs. Elvsted
feels intimidated by Hedda. Because of this popularity, she
is the most powerful character. She toys with others
because she can find no solace or entertainment in life.
Indeed, Hedda's power is so far-reaching that her own
self-destruction leads almost inevitably to the destruction
of the other characters' lives.

It is fitting that the title of the play is Hedda's

maiden name, Hedda Gabler, for the play is to a
large extent about the formerly aristocratic
Hedda's inability to adjust to the bourgeois life
into which she has married. Her tragedy lies not
only in her own suicide but in her desire that
Ejlert should have a "beautiful" suicide: she
hopes that life can be beautiful, can measure up
to a certain standard, regardless of practicalities
like professional success or failure. She is
amused by how much Tesman worries about
making a living.

This aristocratic privileging of "aesthetic" matters

causes Hedda to feel very unsympathetic to Tesman.
She doesn't allow him to use the word "we" to
describe the two of them. It also allows her to feel
little guilt when "cheating on" him, if only on an
emotional level, with Ejlert and Judge Brack. Her
values, based on an aesthetic standard rather than the
moral standard to which her husband conforms, are
beyond Tesman's control or even his understanding;
as a result, he cannot predict her actions. At the same
time, however, Hedda's apparent pregnancy draws
attention to the tragic nature of her quest. She
continually denies the inevitable.

The rest of the male characters are more or less in love

with Hedda, perhaps because of her almost decadent
sense of beauty. Brack wants to establish a private
relationship with her, parallel to her relationship with
Tesman, and Ejlert dearly hopes that she shares his
"passion for life." She finds both of these ideas silly, openly
rejecting Ejlert's notion and teasing Brack by saying that
he wants to be "the cock of the walk." Even Mrs. Elvsted
feels intimidated by Hedda. Because of this popularity, she
is the most powerful character. She toys with others
because she can find no solace or entertainment in life.
Indeed, Hedda's power is so far-reaching that her own
self-destruction leads almost inevitably to the destruction
of the other characters' lives.

Awards 1992 Laurence Olivier Award for Best

Revival
2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Revival
Nominations 2005 Lucille Lortel Award for
Outstanding Revival

An operatic adaptation of the play has been produced by

Shanghai's Hangzhou Xiao Bai Hua Yue Opera House. A turkey
living in Morningside Park, New York City, was named, "Hedda
Gobbler."
The Scottish folk indie-rock band Broken Records have recorded a
track, due to appear on their debut album later in 2009, entitled "If
Eilert Lvborg Wrote A Song, It Would Sound Like This".
Welsh musician John Cale recorded a song entitled "Hedda
Gabler," which he recently performed live in London (5 March 2010)
with a band and a 19 piece orchestra in his Paris 1919 tour,
attended by such celebrities as Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall,
Samson and Delilah's Peter Hennessy, Irish Actor Cillian Murphy
and award-winning viola player Jessica Lavery.

Chekhov's gun
^ Billington, Michael (17 March 2005). "Hedda Gabler, Almeida,
London". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
^ Tracy Sanders (2006). "Lecture Notes: Hedda Gabler - Fiend or Heroine".
Australian Catholic University. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
^ Krutch, Joseph Wood (1953). Modernism in Modern Drama: A Definition
and an Estimate. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. pp. 11. OCLC 255757831.
^ Templeton, Joan (2000). Ibsen's Women. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press. pp. 229. ISBN 0521590396.
^ "Hedda Gabler: Play, Drama". The Internet Broadway Database. 2008.
Retrieved 2008-10-08.
^ "Title Search: Hedda Gabler". The Internet Movie Database. 2008.
Retrieved 2008-09-18.
Hedda Gabler at the Internet Broadway Database
Hedda Gabler at the Internet off-Broadway Database
"A Lesbian Interpretation of Hedda Gabler" review by Toby Zinman for
the Philadelphia Inquirer of an alternative production of the play
by Mauckingbird Theatre Company