Week 11 Analysis on Hedda Gabler

What Type of Man is He?

While there is no such thing as a perfect man, in general, women desire a husband who adores her, as well as being able to protect and provide. Although these qualities to some degree provides for a solid foundation, women also need to be emotionally challenged. A little adventure and romance is pivotal to an effective marriage. In reading the play of Hedda Gabler, we see her marriage to George Tesman is doomed before it is even started. One reason being, she is ill-mannered, ungrateful, and manipulative. However, the real issue is that George is a guileless spouse, who isn’t just clueless to his wife’s flaws, but seems to rationalize it. He seems, by all accounts, to be a push-over who never challenges her discourteous and inconsiderate thinking or behavior. A woman like Hedda will not regard a man who she can run-over.

The first observation is played out in Act 1, where George is apologizing for permitting his sixty-five old aunt, who raised him to find her way home, on the grounds that Hedda had to have all her luggage loaded unto the carriage, “We felt so bad that we couldn’t take you in the carriage-but you saw many trunks and boxes Hedda had to bring” (784). Hedda’s luggage was more vital than their concern for the aunt’s travels and safety. It does not mention they made any arrangements to assure her safe travels or that they ensured that  she made it to her destination at all, “so-you got home all-right from the pier, hm?” (783). This may appear to be insignificant at first glance, seen simply as a husband desiring to please his wife. Yet as the story progress, we see an unhealthy pattern unfolding.

The newlywed couple has taken a very costly and unusually extended honeymoon that they clearly can’t afford. However, George allows them to start their marriage off in debt, “you are right -it was a bit more costly. But Hedda just had to have that trip, Auntie. She really had to. There was no choice” (785). George is unable to stand up to Hedda and make responsible decisions as the man of the house. It gets worst, he also, to make his bride happy, has foolishly purchased an expensive home without fully comprehending the debt he has accrued, “Most of all I’m just so happy for Hedda. Before we got engaged she’d always say how she couldn’t imagine living anywhere but here-in Prime Minister Falk’s house” (785). When his aunt suggest that the house might be too costly for the young couple, his response is “yes it might be. It might be Auntie [looks at her disconcertedly] How much, do you think? Approximately. Hm?” (785). Keep in mind, he is unemployed with only one job prospect. In addition, later in the story, he learns that the job he was promised is now being challenged. Hedda is unaffected by the news, as if it’s her husband problem not their problem. She comes from a wealthy family and if he fails to provide for her, maybe, it would provide grounds for her to leave him. She clearly has no love or respect for her husband. It’s not a partnership and she can care less about his well-being; she is uninterested in him or what’s important to him.

By now as a reader, we perceive how George feels about his aunts. So, the fact that his auntie, on her sick bed made slippers for him when he was living with them was sentimental to him to say the least. “Just think, Aunt Rina lying there embroidering for me, sick as she was. Oh, you couldn’t possibly believe how many memories are tangled up in these slippers” (787). In any case, as he tries to share these recollections and show the slippers to his new bride, she is short and dismissive. He passively addresses the issue by saying because Hedda was now family, he thought she would want to share in his memories. He does not address her inconsiderateness, rather, shortly after, we see him fixating on her charm and beauty. This is also after she insults his aunt’s wardrobe. However, George only concern is sucking up to his wife, not only that, but has the audacity to ask his aunt to join him in the flattering his wife.

George is a weak-willed man, who is unable to stand -up to his wife. He is pushover unable to say no and make wise financial decisions as husband. He has an inferiority complex with regards to his wife and her privileged background. The marriage is not a marriage at all, but a bad idea and investment for poor Mr. Tesman.

Ibsen, Henrik. "Hedda Gabler" The Norton Anthology World Literature. Martin Puchner. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 781-800. Book.