ipl-logo

Tension In Henrik Ibsen's Play 'Hedda Gabler'

1244 Words5 Pages

Draft: WA

Intro:
Henrik Ibsen’s 1890 play ‘Hedda Gabler’ is a tragic tale of a youthful woman’s struggle in finding her place in life. In his play Ibsen uses stage direction and dialogue to express tension with Hedda and Tesman’s marriage. Hedda is trapped in a life of loveless marriage, absolute boredom and a complete absence of friends. Through Ibsen’s dialogue and stage directions the audience is invited to observe the apathetic connection between Hedda and Tasman. Among the difficulties nullifying their relationship, social tension arises as Hedda idolises an upper-class, luxurious life style, but working-class Tasman can’t afford the regime is wife desires. Pressure derives from Hedda indoctrinating that she is a trapped woman and thus envies Brack and other males in the play. The inadequacy of Hedda’s love and affection for Tesman is shown through Hedda’s embarrassment behind bearing Tesman’s child, as well as the determination that intimacy between the couple to be scarce.

Paragraph 1:
Throughout the play, Ibsen constructs social tension using dialogue and stage direction to draw attention to the barrier between prosperous Hedda and middle-class husband Tesmen. Critic Embler, W. states “Hedda has been imprisoned since girlhood by the bars of Victorian propriety”, and this is shown in Ibsen’s use of stage direction within act 1 as Hedda “goes to meet her in a friendly manner” (Page 181). The decorum behind Hedda’s actions can be counter-acted by the discord mistake

Show More
Related

  • Hedda Gabler Analysis

    1031 Words  | 5 Pages

    Topic: Characterization of Judge Brack through Stage Directions and Dialogue in Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler Title: Speech and Stage Direction: Characterization in Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler 1. Introduction a) The stage directions in a play can be used to give directions to the actors and illustrate multiple features of characters. b) Henrik Ibsen utilizes this technique, alongside dialogue, to shed light on the characterization in his plays, especially in Hedda Gabler. c) The play tells a tragedy about a newly married young woman, Hedda, who tries to seek joy in her dull and tedious life but is eventually overcome with the burden of responsibility and takes her own life.

    Read More

  • Tess Durberville Analysis

    1822 Words  | 8 Pages

    These flavours of irony are enhanced through characters’ names. “Alec D’Urberville” is a counterfeit D’Urberville whereas “Tess Durbeyfield” is a rightful “D’Urberville”, evoking male perfidy and nobility of the “fallen woman”. Similarly, through the play title “Hedda Gabler”, Ibsen’s refusal to subsume Hedda’s personality into her marital title “Tesman” foregrounds her unorthodox personality, portraying the encumbering marriage facing every Victorian women, in which the limitation of the feminine role is embedded in the very nomenclature of society. The writers endow Tess and Hedda with strength necessary to unleash revenge against the “seducer”, a polemic against masculine subduer of female innocence.

    Read More

  • Social Norms In A Doll's House

    1406 Words  | 6 Pages

    For instance, it is quite clear that Ibsen's decision to talk about the topic of money in this play is influenced by the societal norms or cultural expectations at the time where the society in Norway at around the nineteenth century had changed significantly in terms of its socio-economic ideologies and people had become obsessed with money where they would always take care of their financial health by trying to avoid debt by all means. This explains why the opening discussion in this play is about the topic of money and the story ends up with a divorce which has been occasioned by borrowed money by a wife in order to save her husband’s life. However, the most important aspect of the play is how Ibsen has demonstrated that women are willing to reject social conventions in order to safeguard their interest as was witnessed with Nora and Ms. Linde who are two women who have gone against social expectations in order to care for their families. For this reasons, Ibsen play is influenced by the social and cultural norms of the time where he seeks to show that a time had come to reject some of the conservative social conventions that

    Read More

  • Emotional And Character Development In Bronte's Jane Eyre

    1588 Words  | 7 Pages

    Bronte 's Jane Eyre transcends the genres of literature to depict the emotional and character development of its protagonist. Although no overall genre dominates the novel exclusively, the vivid use of setting contributes towards the portrayal of Bronte’s bildungsroman (Realisms, 92) and defines the protagonist’s struggles as she grapples with her inner-self, and the social expectations of her gender. The novel incorporates Jane’s frequent conflicts, oppression, isolation and self-examination as she defends her identity and independence. Set amongst five separate locations, Bronte’s skilful use of literal and metaphorical landscapes, nature, and imagery, skilfully intertwines with the plot and denotes each phrase of her maturity.

    Read More

  • How Did Hedda Gabler Break The Social Norm?

    272 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout history woman have experienced more social restrictions then men and that has led to many difficulties for those woman who had personalities that contradicted the social norm. Hedda Gabler was one of those women who deep down inside wanted to contradict the norms and feel fulfilled, but her home raising by a strict military father has caused her to be torn. Hedda knows that her job is to maintain a respectable home and appearance and also to protect her husband’s dignity at any means possible. Inside however Hedda did not want to be a part of that life and simply wanted to do as she pleased. Her fear however of breaking the social barriers was stronger than her desire to be fulfilled.

    Read More

  • Control In Hedda Gabler

    1070 Words  | 5 Pages

    In Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, Hedda Gabler is a woman in her late twenties who grew up in an aristocratic family during the Victorian period. Hedda was the daughter of General Gabler, and she was raised to be part of the high society social class. Hedda is very much a product of her own high society. Hedda married into a middle-class family, the Tesman’s. When Hedda married George Tesman, she entered a social situation she could not control.

    Read More

  • Social Expectations In A Doll's House

    759 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, the three-act play, set in 19th century Norway, explores the progress of Nora’s marriage as she attempts to hide her debt and forgery from her husband. Ibsen conveyed social commentary on gender roles and societal expectations, a topic still in controversy, through the use of symbolism, irony, and dramatic elements. In A Doll’s House, Ibsen presents the problems associated with the position of women in a man’s world of business as his central focus, even if other social or individual problems become more prominent as the play progresses.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of A Doll's House By Ibsen

    767 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is shown the part when Mrs. Linde said, “I will go to Krogstad at once and talk to him” and more on she said, “There was a time for the love of me he would have done anything”(Ibsen,p106). These phrases indicate the willing of Mrs. Linde to help and related to societies, all women must become like Mrs. Linde and be a true friendship only for the truth. Ibsen has used these women in this play to identify which type of women are we. It can be Nora with childish and greedy for money or Anne-Marie who became old but still independent and not forgetting her patience but how about Mrs. Linde who such a true friendship to Nora.

    Read More

  • Macaroons In A Doll House

    1198 Words  | 5 Pages

    Therefore, Ibsen uses the macaroons to show Nora’s strength to the reader and also depicts the time of evolution in the 19th century Norwegian society for all we know, a lot of women

    Read More

  • The Aristotelian Elements Of Spectacle In A Doll's House

    1905 Words  | 8 Pages

    The Aristotelian element of drama known as spectacle, or what is seen onstage, is important to the development of any play or musical. Spectacle plays an influential and essential role in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. The specific things and actions the audience sees in this play provides them with necessary information to understand the characters, storyline, and many other aspects of the play. There are numerous examples of specific things Ibsen intended for the patrons to observe throughout the course of this show.

    Read More

  • Gender Roles In Jane Eyre

    933 Words  | 4 Pages

    Charlotte Brontë´s novel Jane Eyre is considered one of Britain´s most classical literary work. The story consists of a hybrid of three genres, the Gothic novel, the Romance novel and the Bildungsroman and many critics have praised the novel. Though, the novel got a great deal of good criticism in contemporary time, its immediate reception was controversial. The story plays out during the Victorian period in Britain where the social norms were strict and there was a big gap of equality between the genders. This essay will analyse how the gender roles are portrayed and if they are modern or traditional.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Realism In Hedda Gabler

    1720 Words  | 7 Pages

    This creates a sense of empathy towards the characters as the story slowly unfolds. Ibsen remains objective and neutral throughout the play, never using the dialogue to present his views or to exhibit pity or scorn for Hedda or any other character. Instead, Ibsen simply presents the story as it unfolds. “I don’t want to look like sickness and death. I want to be free of everything ugly.”

    Read More

  • Hedda Gabler Essay

    383 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hedda rejects femininity more than she embrace masculinity. Throughout the play, Thea and Aunt Julia had done played the role as foils for Hedda. In which both women especially represented the traditional late-19th century femininity which Hedda refused to convert That their difference in appearance showed the contrast. For example, Thea’s hair is ‘abundant and way’ suggesting femininity while Hedda’s hair is ‘not particularly abundant’ suggesting a lack of femininity; thus Thea’s large blue eyes and questioning look suggesting her submission nature while Hedda’ steel tray gaze suggesting a sense of strength over others. However, the article suggested that Hedda embraces masculinity demonstrated by her will in controlling one’s destiny.

    Read More

  • Reader Response Theory In A Doll's House By Henrik Ibsen

    831 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nora 's courage in going against the pillars of the Victorian era is something the modern reader finds commendable and aspiring. If the play had been performed today, the modern reader would be the one to stand up and whistle during the scene of the slamming of the door, while the Victorian reader 's face would turn pale with shock at Nora

    Read More

  • The Lie In Henrik Ibsen's The Pillars Of Society

    829 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the sextet of plays beginning with The Pillars of Society and concluding with Rosmersholm an earnest endeavor is made to show the value of truthfulness in all human relationships. The dire effects of the individual attempting to conform to the false standards of suburban society are delineated. Canting simulation of goodness, false departmentalism, and unjust standards for women are anathematized. Let us notice Montrose Moses' statement regarding Ibsen's endeavor to shame his generation for living the lie. " At least he made his generation conscious of the lie.

    Read More

More about Tension In Henrik Ibsen's Play 'Hedda Gabler'

Open Document