Hedda Gabler Essay

Hedda Gabler was written in 1890 where women were under a patricidal society. Hedda has no other choice but to marry after her father’s death. It was not a woman’s place to remain alone without a father, brother, or husband in the same household. When she marries, she is depraved of what she longs for the most: freedom. Back in the late 1800’s, married women could not work outside the house. They are barred from participating in society, and follow their dreams and find their careers. They were just only to be mothers, and it’s a struggle for Hedda because she does not want children. She doesn’t want the responsibility to care for a child. Little does she know, she is already pregnant and this puts her further into a role she is not willing …show more content…
Judge Brack finds out what happened between Hedda and Lovborg, especially after the scene where she encourages Lovborg to commit suicide. Committing suicide can leave a respectable man and his family in shame, and they can be remembered as being a big scandal to everyone else in their class. Brack gives the final blow to Hedda’s pursuit of independence when he threatens her with this knowledge. She has no other choice but to be at his beck and call. Beforehand, he asks for an affair when her husband isn’t home, which she rejects him. Now she is unable to, because he can blackmail her. In this scene, her public persona mattered more than her private inner …show more content…
She never gave me a hint of what she wanted to do except do as she pleased. Hedda found no opening for her personal feelings, but she had people around her who cared about her. Unfortunately she could not relate to them, and was therefore incapable of being emotionally attached to them. Still it was because of her selfish, manipulative personality that left her unsatisfied. She destroyed Lovborg and all the work he has done. Hedda even treated George’s aunt terribly when all she was is a sweet old