Dominance and Resistance in The Burial at Thebes and Hedda Gabler
James C. Scott’s ‘Domination and the Arts of Resistance’ explores the discourse of domination and resistance, including the tension between the publicly exhibited dominant discourse, termed a “public transcript,” and the four types of political discourse prevalent among subordinate groups. The four types of discourse are self-image based discourse, the hidden transcript, in-between discourse, and ruptured discourse. For the purpose of this essay, focus is primarily restricted to subordinate groups comprised of women, particularly the cases of Antigone and Ismene in Seamus Heaney’s The Burial at Thebes and Hedda Gabler and Thea Elvsted in Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler in relation to the dominant figures of Creon and Brack, respectively. However, these are contextualised within larger subordinate groups and in the wider system of patriarchal domination.
Firstly, the “self-image” discourse occurs when the subordinate group engages with the dominant publicly through rhetorical concessions, …show more content…
Later, when Tesman confronts Hedda over the burning of Eilert Løevborg’s manuscript, Hedda exonerates herself by playing into the feminine stereotype of over-emotionality. When asked why she burns the manuscript, Hedda responds, “I did it for you, George,” misrepresenting her motive as feminine love, and manipulating Tesman by addressing him informally as “George” rather than her usually cold address of “Tesman.” Thus, both Ismene and Hedda resist patriarchal domination through rhetorical concessions, utilizing Creon and Tesman’s self-image as patriarchal figures (as father and husband, respectively) and gendered assumptions. However, while Hedda successfully manipulates Tesman into forgiving her, Ismene is unable to win acquittal from
James C. Scott’s ‘Domination and the Arts of Resistance’ explores the discourse of domination and resistance, including the tension between the publicly exhibited dominant discourse, termed a “public transcript,” and the four types of political discourse prevalent among subordinate groups. The four types of discourse are self-image based discourse, the hidden transcript, in-between discourse, and ruptured discourse. For the purpose of this essay, focus is primarily restricted to subordinate groups comprised of women, particularly the cases of Antigone and Ismene in Seamus Heaney’s The Burial at Thebes and Hedda Gabler and Thea Elvsted in Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler in relation to the dominant figures of Creon and Brack, respectively. However, these are contextualised within larger subordinate groups and in the wider system of patriarchal domination.
Firstly, the “self-image” discourse occurs when the subordinate group engages with the dominant publicly through rhetorical concessions, …show more content…
Later, when Tesman confronts Hedda over the burning of Eilert Løevborg’s manuscript, Hedda exonerates herself by playing into the feminine stereotype of over-emotionality. When asked why she burns the manuscript, Hedda responds, “I did it for you, George,” misrepresenting her motive as feminine love, and manipulating Tesman by addressing him informally as “George” rather than her usually cold address of “Tesman.” Thus, both Ismene and Hedda resist patriarchal domination through rhetorical concessions, utilizing Creon and Tesman’s self-image as patriarchal figures (as father and husband, respectively) and gendered assumptions. However, while Hedda successfully manipulates Tesman into forgiving her, Ismene is unable to win acquittal from