Hedda as a “Modern woman” by Archer and “Ibsen’s Women” by Nazimova give their own view and interpretation of the characterization of Hedda Gabler, the female protagonist in Ibsen’s play of the same name. It is interesting to see the viewpoint from a male and female perspective and even more note worthy that Ibsen weaved a three dimensional female lead so intricately defined and multi-layered reminiscent to Tennessee Williams Blanche in “A Street Car Named Desire”. These extremely manipulative, highly strung emotional women toy with their sanity as they float in and out of reality highlighting the complexities of the female or indeed so as not to be sexist the human mind. They exploit their femininity and sexuality to the hilt and have little regard for the havoc they leave in their wake. Hedda’s hubris and self denial of situations she creates and then cannot handle represent her tragic flaw.
Archer comments that though the play has a Norwegian feel to it with references such as the “fjords”, the play was written for an international audience and Hedda transcends her time period and becomes an “international type”. Archers’ commentary on the reference to Lovborg, “with vine leaves in his hair” which is an allusion to mystical mythology shows the mental state of Hedda. She escapes into a fantasy land where she can escape her boring socially acceptable life and run away with Lovborg despite not loving him or any other man. Hedda seems devoid of loving anyone or showing basic human compassion as seen by her marriage of convenience and how she leads Lovborg to his death without remorse and balks at Aunt Julie’s selflessness at caring for the infirm. However, Archer points out that Ibsen does not pass judgment on his heroines but simply “paints her full length with scientific impassivity”.He feels that the traits and tendencies are common in modern life and not just among women and reasons she suffers from the condition of hyperaesthesia (a pathological increase in sensitivity to stimuli) which causes a “ morbid shrinking from all the gross and prosaic details of the sensual life”. He goes on to explain that she has no intellectual outlet and succumbs to social acceptance of a marriage she tolerates without the courage to break from conformity. It is debatable if Hedda is mentally ill or simply reacting to the shackles of her boredom and restraints as she toys with men for her amusement. She is caught in the myth of her beauty that attracts and sets her on a pedestal. She is distant and detached from those who attempt to get close to her and in turn they feel she is special and should be protected as Brack states, “you’ve never had to live through anything that really shakes you up” (244) and Miss Tesman who protects her from the funeral, “ These kinds of things aren’t for Hedda Tesman’s hands or her thoughts either”.(274). Hedda with no social conscience cannot give or receive love and has no moral code. She spends her time with her pistols as her hobby perhaps in a foreshadowing reminder that they are her only true friends who can relieve her of the suffocation of her life. She in fact pushes Lovborg to suicide as she feels this is an act of bravery and taking control and represents beauty to her warped brain. In fact she is devastated to learn he has not ended his life in a poignant way with a bullet to the head but was in the company of prostitutes with a bullet to his lower regions. Hedda burning the manuscript is symbolic of her killing her own child who she cannot raise with love. And finally on realizing that scandal may break and she has lost her husband to Thea she opts out using her treasured pistols and closing the curtains symbolically to her final act. She no longer can outwit her own manipulation which back fires on her and realizes that Brack’s black mail control over her is the final nail in the coffin which she cannot endure. With death there is freedom and the dove in a gilded cage is finally set free. She is the ultimate tragedy queen who takes comfort from her own misery and the misery of others. The question is, is she really a modern woman or a woman simply caught in the old fashioned attitudes of her time? Surely, Hedda in the generation of today could have lived a self sufficient independent life without the reliance of a man? Surely these pathological traits are not common place in modern life. Yes, women from time immemorial have used their beauty and sexuality to manipulate and control men and land a rich husband but not commonly to the extent of ruining the life of others.
Nazimova also touches on this point and claims that Ibsen’s women like Hedda may not be recognized outside of the theatre but are everywhere. She feels characters like Hedda are real women not just heroines conjured in the imagination by the likes of Shakespeare and that Hedda has a little of all women in her. “She is weak and strong, capricious and determined , petty and powerful” Of course I agree to an extent all women are somewhat emotional and reactive but some manage to have self control and self worth. Hedda does not love or value herself and suicide is not bravery as she perceives it but cowardice. The real bravery would be to live her life and face her mistakes and take ownership for her decisions and choices. Yes as Nazimova points out, “the modern woman is more complex and lives in a more complex world” but she has now fought for equal rights and freedom and would not resort to killing herself or her child she would have fought to the end. While there is still female oppression, women have come a long way from the age of Hedda and their compassion is their strength not their weakness. If only Hedda could have realized this before pulling the trigger…….
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