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Hedda Gabler: The Misunderstood Evil Damsel

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Hedda Gabler: The Misunderstood Evil Damsel In Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen tells the story of a woman who seems to be confined to the norms of her society and time. Hedda, the newlywed bride of George Tesman, finds herself struggling in the new marriage, surrounded by overbearing family members, and a persistent old lover. Hedda’s stressful situation introduces a new side of Hedda that the other characters in the play are not aware of. Ibsen portrays Hedda negatively through her short dialogues with the other characters and her thoughts, however, the degree of which her actions are wrong can be measured by understanding her circumstances. Ibsen portrays Hedda’s negative behavior through her abrupt conversations with others and her own thoughts. The newlywed couple had just returned from their honeymoon which Tesman enjoyed but Hedda did not. When Miss Tesman returns Tesman 's slippers to him, he seems ecstatic and begins to recall happy memories. The slippers “bring back so many memories”(10) for Tesman and as he tries to share this happy moment with Hedda she has this detached tone as she says “Uhm. Yes. I can see that. But not for me.”(10) Throughout the whole first act, Tesman seems to hover around Hedda constantly looking for her approval, trying to please her or simply have a conversation with her. However, Hedda’s lackadaisical interest in the relationship is just as prominent as Tesman’s over-excitement. It is through their relationship that questions arise about why

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