Hedda Gabler Reflective Statement

Hedda Gabler Reflective Statement Rebekah’s presentation summarized how women in this society are expected to be nice and kind, and how Hedda contrasts to that expectation. She effectively developed Hedda’s character through the different techniques that Henrik Ibsen applied to her dialogue, such as when Hedda and her husband Tesman are arguing about how Tesman thinks Hedda is indifferent towards her, and Hedda replies, “I am not at all indifferent. I am most eager to see who wins,” (34). Rebekah described Hedda’s contrasting attitude here by explaining that women are expected to act with sympathy, especially towards their husbands, which I believe is true, since Hedda fell almost completely out of love with her Tesman. I am glad Rebekah mentioned how the pistols are a symbol of power because they further define Hedda’s careless character. Chris Joy gave insight to Hedda’s “other side” in her presentation. The passage she chose clearly reveals how Hedda manipulates different characters in the play. She explains that Hedda intended to marry Tesman only for the experience of being married and because she is aging, which exposes her carelessness and the gap she creates between her and her husband. By this point, I believe there is much more to Hedda’s character, since she is supposedly in a “love triangle” with her husband and Judge Brack. Monica’s presentation gave quite significant information regarding the death of Hedda. Before she went on to commit suicide, Hedda states that “[…] After this, I will be quiet,” (85). She foreshadows her own death, but rather than having an unimportant reason to kill herself, her suicide actually has a meaning: Hedda would rather die than become Brack’s sex slave. Although she became a monster with her betrayal and manipulation, she was still an independent woman with her dignity intact. So, with her meaningful death, a better understanding of a “beautiful death” is exposed.